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Kensal House
School.
The school has been under the regular supervision of Dr. R. S. Walker, who is also the medical
officer of the Paddington Tuberculosis Dispensary, from which the children are drawn. The number
of children on the roll on 1st January was 96, and on 31st December, 104 ; the average for the year was
100. There was marked variation in the average attendance from month to month ; the lowest being
66.3 in March and the highest 87 in November. During the year, 29 children left the school; of these,
7 went to sanatoria, 9 returned to ordinary elementary schools, 1 (hip disease) was taken into hospital,
2 obtained scholarships (L.C.C. Domestic Economy), 3 were excused further attendance after attaining
the age of 14 years, 1 went to the country, 4 left to go to work, and 2 were excluded by the school
medical officer on medical grounds. 35 children were referred for treatment: 16 for teeth, 9 for eyes,
1 throat, 1 ringworm, 1 other skin affection, 2 scarlet fever, 1 measles, 4 chicken pox.
Careful physical measurements were kept of all the children and showed very satisfactory results.
Open-air schools.
Medical supervision of the children in the Council's open-air schools at Birley House and Shooter's
Hill has been continued, and individual records of health and progress have been maintained. The
records show that the majority of the children have received very considerable benefit. It has been
decided to close the schools during school holidays for the period of the war, but arrangements have
been made for a special examination of the children by the school doctor immediately before each
holiday period, in order that any special precautions necessary in individual cases, for safeguarding
health and nutrition during the period of absence, may be provided for.
Playground classes.
The playground classes held in 1915 have in forty-two instances been reported upon by the school
doctors. Some of the classes approached the open-air schools in value ; others have not given such good
results. The character of the surroundings of the classes varies greatly, and this is a question of considerable
importance from the point of view of purity of the air, especially in relation to suspended dust.
Some of the classes were held in parks or open places. Hilly Fields, Hampstead Heath, Hackney Marsh,
South Park Fulham, and Maryon Park were amongst the spaces utilized ; these sites were generally satisfactory.
On the other hand, certain playgrounds in which classes were held, presented serious drawbacks.
At the Latchmere school, for instance, the playground was stuffy, and sometimes very dusty.
Roof playgrounds afford particularly useful sites, inasmuch as they are to be found chiefly in schools
where children are drawn from congested areas, but they suffer somewhat in lacking space for activity.
Previous reports have dealt with the increase in mental alertness, which a period of instruction in the
open-air appears to promote. There is a tendency on this account, on the part of the teachers, to place
the dull and backward children in the open-air class.
The quickening of metabolism, resulting from the increased exercise and the out-door conditions,
is essentially the reason for the improvement shown by the children both physically and mentally. Some
form of nourishment in the middle of the morning session, whether it be lunch brought from home, or
milk supplied at school, contributes greatly to the success of an open-air class.
Mentally and nutritionally the children generally showed great improvement and there is no
reason, provided sufficient attention is paid to the character of the nourishment available, why these
benefits should not be marked in all directions, and be shared by the more debilitated children, who,
in the past, and in some cases during the present year, have not shown physical improvement, and
have even here and there lost weight under the extra stimulus to growth.
School journeys, 1915.
Excursions to the country are organised by the head teachers of many schools under Article 44(g)
of the Board of Education code.
Medical inspection is necessary in connection with these journeys for the purpose of (1) advising
the teachers as to pupils whom on account of physical infirmity it is inadvisable to select or who require
special attention; (2) guarding against the outbreak during the journey of infectious or contagious illnesses
or the spread of verminous conditions.