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101
Report of the County Medical Officer—Education.
shown. The map facing page 100 shows the positions of the existing centres, and an attempt has been
made to indicate approximately the sites of new centres now proposed. The topographical distribution
of new centres in proximity to the schools from which they draw their material, becomes increasingly
difficult as the scheme develops, but it is hoped that the new facilities for cheap fares on the Council's
trams (see p. 104) will neutralise any inconvenience caused by the distances to be travelled, so that
no school, however remote, will remain outside the sphere of action of some convenient centre. The
new arrangement has not been in force long enough to judge finally of the results, but considerable
use of the newly granted facilities has been already made.
Teaching of
school
children
suffering
from defective
vision.
Ill connection with the Council's treatment scheme, arrangements have been made whereby the
surgeons at some of the eye hospitals draw attention to children suffering from grave defects of
vision. These children are then seen by the Council's ophthalmologist with a view to measures being
taken to secure that their education is carried out without risk to the eyes, and appropriate recommendations
are forwarded in each case to the education officer. Much good work has already been done in this
direction and many difficulties have been overcome, but owing to the fact that the Council's arrangements
are not universally know, uniformity of action has not been possible an ddifficulties have arisen in
connection with certain institutions. It was thought that, if a suitable letter were addressed to the
authorities, existing impediments might be removed, and with this object the following letter has been
sent to the authorities of the special eye hospitals in London :—
School Children suffering from Defective Vision, Blindness or Partial Blindness.
Dear Sir,
For the better assistance of the school children who may attend the treatment of your
hospital, I shall be glad if you will kindly bring the following facts to the notice of the medical staff
of your institution.
The Council under direction of certain Acts of Parliament is bound to provide for the efficient
education of all children within certain ages, and if any of these are unable, by reason of defective
sight, to attend the ordinary schools, then special provision is made for them.
The Council has the following grades of special provision for children suffering from defective
vision: ,
1.—Schools for the Blind or Partially Blind.
There are a number of these scattered over London in convenient districts. These schools are
separate from the ordinary schools; the children have their own classrooms, halls and playgrounds.
The teachers are specially trained for their work. The curriculum is of the most approved kind and
arrangements are made for the teaching of handicraft with a view to training in work such as the blind
and partially blind can live by. Happily, most of the children are only partially blind and, where the
state of their eyes permits, exemptions in the curriculum are made to suit them.
The children are taken to school by guides paid by the Council and, where tram fares are necessary,
these are paid. Midday meals are provided and in necessitous cases they are free. The Council's
ophthalmologist visits the schools once a quarter, notes the state of each child, and reports thereon to me.
Two residential schools are provided for the senior children ; these are essentially trade schools.
They are under the charge of experienced matrons in addition to the teaching staff.
2.—The Myope Classes.
There are now five of these. They are attached to elementary schools so that no possible stigma
can be attached to the children attending. The child is registered at the ordinary school. The curriculum
is arranged so that no use of the eyes in close work is allowed. Oral teaching, drills, games and
dancing (when these last two are allowed) are taken with the ordinary children. All fine Work and use
of the eyes for ordinary reading and writing is entirely prohibited. Literary work is done in the special
classroom 011 blackboards, freearm fashion. A great point is made of handicraft, both for " hand and
eye training," and for the associated teaching of arithmetic, history, geography, and general natural
history by " object lessons " on the things made. The teachers in these classes attend a course of
special lectures and demonstrations to prepare them for this work and the classes are small to secure
individual attention. Midday meals are provided where necessary. The Council's ophthalmologist
visits each class once a quarter, notes the state of the eyes, and reports to me.
Attention is drawn to a paragraph in the current annual report of the Chief Medical Officer of
the Board of Education. The particular paragraph is written of children suffering from tuberculosis,
but it applies even more strongly to children with defective vision, for in these latter it is a matter of
particular urgency to begin training early so that their other senses may be best cultivated.
" Such children . . . are usually far better in attendance at school, where they spend a
part of the day under reasonably good conditions and are subject to discipline, than at home,
where the conditions are often unsatisfactory. If excluded it is difficult to maintain supervision
over their mode of life, unless they are really ill and they tend either to loaf aimlessly
about the house or streets, or they are made to do household drudgery or other unsuitable work."
When children are attending school, it is possible to arrange many general advantages that cannot
be obtained by absentees. A trained lady visitor keeps in touch with them, sees that they are properly
clothed, that their journeys to school are properly arranged and, if necessary, takes them to hospital.
The doctor is empowered to order milk and cod-liver oil for weakly children and the dentist regularly
attends the schools.