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214 Annual Report of the London County Council, 1913.
During the year additional classes for partially deaf children have been established at
Hearnville-road, Balham, and Stanley-street, Deptford. These centres will provide for 87 children,
and the classes are organised so as to arrange for separate instruction for children between the ages
of 7 and 10, 10 and 11, and 11 and 14. None of the children in these classes can hear the ordinary
voice at a greater distance than six feet. Only a few can hear a whispered voice even at so short a
distance as two feet, and it is to be noted that the auditory acuity varies very considerably from day
to day. Of 63 partially deaf children investigated, the defects were due, in each case, to middle-ear
disease; in 37 of these the disease was of a suppurative character and in 26 catarrhal. Of the
suppurative cases, 5 had followed measles and 6 scarlet fever. One of the catarrhal cases was also
traced to measles.
Further extensions of the classes for the partially deaf are under consideration, and as the
present classes are situated on the southern side of the county, it is desirable that any additional
classes should be established in the north and north-east. In connection with these extansions it is
proposed to remove the class for the partially deaf from the Ackmar-road (Deaf) School in order to
avoid any contact between partially and totally deaf children, since this association has been found to
act prejudicially to the interests of those with the least degree of defect.
The result of the classes has been satisfactory, and their success is due, in a large measure, to
the efforts of the teachers, who had more than ordinary difficulties to contend with in the experimental
stages of the classes.
The success of the education given to deaf children depends in a great measure upon the
action of the parents in the home and with the view of securing their co-operation the following
pamphlet was prepared. This pamphlet is circulated to the parents and guardians who bring
children to the head office for examination, and arrangements have been made whereby copies of the
pamphlet are forwarded to the teachers of the deaf day schools for distribution, if and when
necessary.
Advice to Parents with Deaf Children.—Your child has been examined and found to be deaf
to such extent as to require special education at a school for the deaf, and he (she) will be admitted
to one as soon as possible. If you will read the following advice and endeavour to carry it
out you will materially help in your child's education and assist the teachers to achieve success.
Management of a Deaf Child before School Life.—In order to profit fully by the education given
at school, it is of the utmost importance that a deaf child should be property trained at home.
A deaf child should neither be petted nor spoiled, nor severely treated, but should be taught
from the earliest age—
To keep clean and tidy.
To obey cheerfully.
To help in the household.
To take care of toys.
To have a proper respect for the property and feelings of others.
And generally to behave nicely.
"As your child will be taught to speak you can do a great deal to prepare for this education
by the following means;—
1. Teach the child to look at you when you speak, and thus to understand a great deal
of what you say. A knowledge and power of using many words can be acquired if you say the
name of anything, such as bread, milk, a toy, etc., and see that the name is repeated before you
give the article to the child. Do not make signs, but talk to the child all the time.
2. Teach the child to write and to draw on slate or paper, first letters a, b, c, etc., then the
child's name, the names of brothers and sisters, and the names of common objects, such as "cat,"
"ball," "doll," etc., showing the object named.
3. If the child can hear a little, or has heard, it is still more necessary to talk constantly to
the child, who, if able to speak, must be made to continue to speak and to ask for everything desired.
If this is not done the child will lose speech.
"Management of a Deaf Child, during School Life.—You can be of great assistance to the
teachers by taking an interest in the lessons, by teaching the child the names of things and people
at home, by talking to the child, by discouraging the making of signs, and by encouraging the use of
the spoken language as much as possible.
"It is of great importance that attendance at school should be very regular if the full advantages
of the education given is to be gained. Teaching a deaf child is more difficult than teaching
one that hears, and requires constant attention and effort on the part of both teacher and child.
"Occasional absences break into this constant attention and may undo much of the work being
done, and so really harm the child.
"Parents arc strongly advised to see the teacher frequently to consult on the child's progress,
and to assist in the education by every means in their power."
Owing to the increase in the number of physically defective children, a survey of the accommodation
is now being made. Reports on accommodation for these children involve two factors, the
actual change of numbers, and the type of child admitted to the physically defective schools. Since the
passing of the Elementary Education (Defective and Epileptic Children) Act, 1899, the number of children
noted as defective has shown considerable increase, but the percentage of the total number examined
who were found to be physically defective has only varied from 15.5 to 18.2, except in the years 1909
and 1910, when the percentages were 13.6 and 13.9 respectively. The increase was to be expected,
as the extension of medical inspection inevitably brings to light cases which, in the absence of such
inspection, may be overlooked.
The schools for physically defective children were at one time viewed with suspicion, and the
parents received in general terms advice from medical practitioners not to send the children to school.
Advice to
parents with
deaf children.
Physically
defective
children.