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68
1898]
"Altogether 7,193 infant scholars attended the Schools which were
closed, and of these 2,035 were either laid up with Measles or lived in
infected houses at the time of the closure of the Infants' Departments
of the several Schools. These represent 28.3 per cent, of the scholars
in actual attendance.
"It cannot he said that this percentage was too low to warrant the
closing of the classes. On the contrary, I am of opinion that the
reverse was the case, and that, judging the results of the closure of
the Schools by the amount of disease among the scholars at their
re-opening, it would have been better to have closed them when 10.0
per cent. of the scholars had become absentees because of Measles.
I might here mention, that in nearly every instance inquiries were
made a few days before the Schools were re-opened, to ascertain how
many children and houses remained infected, and on each occasion it
was found that the disease was practically non-existent.
"Surely these facts are sufficient warrant for the closing of the
Schools, and for their early closing if possible. Unfortunately in most
cases I was unable to carry out my desires, because I had not daily
information from the Head Teachers of the Infant Schools; indeed, it
was only when there was an unusual number of children absent, or when
I made inquiries, that they suddenly awoke to the necessity of notifying
the absentees to me. I think they more thoroughly understand the
importance of this matter now, and that the future will show that cases
of Measles will be more readily notified by them than has been their
custom.
"It will also be noticed from the table just given that the longest
period for which a School was closed was 35 days,* while the longest
period for which the Sanitary Authority ordered Schools to be closed
was 28 days, the usual period being 21 days.
"In the case of Richard Street School the time during which the
School was first required to be kept closed was three weeks, but on
* Due to the inclusion of the Christmas Holidays.