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118
Annual Report of the London Country Council, 1914.
Latchmere "allowances have to be made for want of proper and sufficient clothing and feeding and poor
home conditions" (Dr. Griffiths). At St. Thomas Colet" increase of weight was very small, probably
due to lack of food at home. A good many were having school meals and milk."
General conclusions.—The results of the classes appear to show that the average child gains considerable
advantage in health and vitality from education under open-air conditions such as can be
given in a suitable school playground. In connection with measures designed to prevent tuberculosis
there is necessarily arising a demand for the further provision of facilities for open-air education for
debilitated children. Although the ordinary playground class does not well suit the needs of the more
delicate child with phthisical tendencies, the result of the Hackney-marsh class appears to show that there
is room for the development of classes for such children in open spaces and parks. Such classes should
be organised on the lines of the open-air schools and should admit of the giving of extra nourishment
to the children and should provide for periods of rest in a reclining position.
School Journeys, 1914.
The masters and mistresses making themselves responsible for the organisation of these parties,
are keenly aware that much of the pleasure and profit to be obtained from the excursions which are
organised under article 44 (of children unfitted physically to undergo an average amount of strain, or of those suffering from
infectious ailments. The services of the assistant medical officers were therefore again much sought
during the summer term in connection with school journeys.
Reports have been received from the assistant medical officers in the case of 25 journeys, and
it may be noted that the report which the Children's Care Sub-Committee last year instructed should be
circulated, undoubtedly proved of considerable assistance to the organisers of the excursions. The
results of the journeys from a medical point of view appear to have depended partly upon the duration
of the holiday, partly upon the choice of place for the holiday, and partly upon the arrangements made
for the housing and feeding of the children. In 10 of the 25 excursions, the seaside was selected, and in
these, generally, a greater improvement in health took place than in the 15 cases in which the countiy
was chosen. Thus the greatest improvements, as measured by the scales, took place amongst the Rubystreet
boys who spent 14 days at Bexhill, and the St. Mary Magdalen boys, who went to Dymchurch.
Four schools chose the Isle of Wight, and while the children did not improve to the same extent as those
who visited the Kent or Sussex coasts, yet they obtained more benefit from their holiday, than those
who visited the country districts remote from the sea.
With regard to iength of holiday, it is quite clear from the reports that from the bodily point of
view, the proper period of time for such excursions is 14 days ; the amount of gain physically is not merely
twice as great in 14 days as in 7 days, but nearer 6 times as great; thus the Ruby-street boys above
mentioned, who spent 14 days at Bexhill, increased on an average 42 ounces each, while the Sydenham
II ill boys who spent 7 days at Hastings increased their weights by only 7 ounces.
With regard to the housing and feeding of the children, better results were obtained in those
excu sions in which the children occupied well ventilated farm buildings, hostels or camps, than in those
in which the children were accommodated in cottages. In fact, in some of the excursions in which the
accommodation was of the latter type, the benefit from the point of view of health was dubious.
The advantage of an adequate dietary and especially of attention to the character of the breakfast
given, is shown by the observations of Dr. Palgrave upon the excursion of the Fulham Palace-road
boys to Chatham.
Considerable trouble was caused on at least one journey by the spread of verminous conditions,
while a somewhat serious outbreak of diphtheria which caused great anxiety and considerable expense,
completely spoilt another excursion. In connection with some other journeys, isolated cases of illness
occurred on account of which claims were submitted to the Council, and in almost all these cases no
medical examination of the pupils had been made.
The Local Government Board issued on the 25th June, 1914, a circular dealing with children's
country holidays, in which questions of health particularly in connection with infectious diseases, are
dealt with. The circular has in view mainly the country holidays for poor children arranged by various
philanthropic agencies, but the questions raised are pertinent in the case of school journeys organised
under article 44 (g). The education officer has given directions that the school medical officer shall be
informed of all arrangements in connection with school journeys, in order that the local sanitary
authorities concerned may be communicated with.
It is clear that it is desirable in every instance that a medical inspection should be made of children
whom it is proposed to include in a school journey under article 44 (g) of the Code.
Remedial Exercises.
In the annual report for 1913 reference was made to experimental classes in remedial exercises.
Further reports have been made upon seven of the classes which have been continued in the schools.
The reports state that very marked general improvement follows the special attention paid to the
selected children. Certain deformities, if of slight degree, entirely disappear during the course. On
the other hand there are cases in which the deformity, being more advanced, although still reducible
by exercises, does not improve owing to the fact that certain groups of muscles cannot be exercised in
the absence of a "balancing bench." It is considered that the utility of these classes would be increased