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96
In May the Council, on the recommendation of the Education Committee, decided that, subject
to the sanction of the Board of Education, open-air schools should be held from the 1st June to 31st
October, 1908, at Birley-house, Forest Hill, grounds of Shrewsbury House, Shooter's Hill, and Montpelier
House, Kentish Town. During the same month the Education Committee presented to the Council a
report on the open-air school which had been carried on in Bostall Woods between the 22nd July
and 19th October, 1907, and which Dr. Kerr and the Executive Officer had reported upon
previously. Information inter alia as to the results obtained in the case of particular scholars in these
schools will be found in Dr. Kerr's report, pages 71 et seq. (Appendix V.).
An account of the medical work of the Education Committee during the 21 months ended
31 st December, 1908, is given in the same report.
School attendance of children below the age of five years.
In 1908 the Consultative Committee of the Board of Education reported upon the school
attendance of children below the age of five. Various witnesses gave evidence before the Committee.
The Committee recognised that the proper place for a child between three and five years of age
is at home with its mother provided the home conditions are satisfactory, but under existing economic
conditions the home surroundings of many are unsatisfactory, and the Committee consider that the
best place for such children is a nursery school. The details of such nursery schools is described
in the body of the report.
Shirley F. Murphy,
Medical Officer of Health.
To the London County Council,
November, 1909.