View report page

35
equipped with bathing facilities no provision exists in the elementary schools except in one or two
accidental, and, in practice, negligible cases.
Under the Public Baths and Washhouses Act, 27 local sanitary authorities in London have
installed 3,344 baths at 51 centres.
In 1914, two members of the Education Committee (Miss Mary Beeton and Dr. Sophia Jevons)
were appointed to report on the general question of cleansing of verminous children. These members
submitted a statement on the 18th December, 1914, in which it was suggested, in order that the habit
of cleanliness should be encouraged alike in the children who were bathed at the stations and in the
older members of the families, that the Council should arrange with the borough councils for the sale
at the stations at reduced rates (and in necessitous cases the free distribution) of tickets of admission
to the public baths ; it was pointed out, moreover, that from the figures published by the borough
sanitary authorities it was clear that on an average an individual in London used the baths about once
a year, whereas if full advantage of the facilities were taken it would be possible for at least six times as
many baths to be taken. The two members stated that they attached the utmost importance to larger
use of the existing facilities being made. It was decided that children and other members of the family
who had been cleansed should be encouraged to attend at the public baths at regular intervals for a
hot bath, by the issue of vouchers admitting them at a reduced rate. This recommendation was
forwarded to the Public Health Committee, who (29-4-15) decided to ask the metropolitan borough
councils whether the}- were prepared to grant facilities to adults and children to use the public baths
at rates not exceeding 1d. a bath, at times when the baths were not fully utilised, and to supply the
Council with vouchers in book form for admission of suitable cases. Favourable replies were received
in several instances, but enquiries have elicited that the facilities have hardly, if at all, been utilised.
This experience appears conclusively to show that little progress can be made unless the attendances
at the baths are made part of the school curriculum and demonstrates the need of comprehensive and
general action.
The public baths referred to have been established in neighbourhoods where the need is greatest
and they are well distributed over the county area. With a relatively small number of exceptions the
schools where the provision is most necessary are within a convenient distance. The baths provided
have hitherto by no means been used by the public to their full extent, and in many cases the provision
stands idle for a large proportion of the available time. It is probable that most of the accommodation
and at all events the second class bath provision could be reserved for the exclusive use
of classes of children from the elementary schools during school hours. If the whole of the accommodation
could thus be reserved it would be possible to bath upwards of 150,000 children once a week
or 300,000 children once a fortnight.
It may be pointed out that the swimming bath accommodation of the same authorities is already
used by the school organisation and some 133,000 children are annually instructed in swimming
during the summer months, payment being made by the Council to the local authorities. It cannot
be contested that the inculcation of cleanliness is even more important than the teaching of swimming
and the utilisation of the existing bathing accommodation of the local authorities offers the readiest
means to hand for effecting this purpose, as it can be introduced without delay and without costly
expenditure upon installation of special baths at the schools themselves. An additional advantage
over the installation of school baths lies in accustoming the children to the use of the public provision
during school life and the formation of habits which will ensure the fuller use of this provision
after leaving school.
These facts were considered by the Central Care Sub-Committee, who received a deputation of
representatives of the teaching staff, and discussed the whole matter with them. As a result of this
interview, it was decided not to adopt the proposal that children should be taken to washing baths
as part of the school curriculum and organisation. It was, however, resolved (1) that when a school
is being built or enlarged the question of making provision in the building for baths should be considered
on its merits; (2) that should it be considered that school baths are necessary in a particular
district enquiry should be made as to the practicability of adapting the basements of old schools for
the purpose ; and (3) that tickets should be sold in the schools and cleansing stations enabling children
to obtain voluntary baths at reduced rates.
The school nurses again assisted the executive committee of the Children's Country Holiday
Fund by examining for any infectious disease (e.g., ringworm) or any form of uncleanliness the children
whom it was proposed to send to the country.
Secondary
schools.
During the present session an amended scheme was introduced. The amendments arose out or
the decision of the Higher Education Sub-Committee that it shall be a condition of the award and tenure
of the Council's scholarships exhibitions and free places that the candidate or scholar shall not be found
unclean or verminous (apart from accidental infection), and the greater stringency resulted in 35
children, as compared with seven in 1917, being excluded from school or losing their awards. The
scheme provides that school nurses shall examine pupils, and, differentiating between accidentally and
habitually verminous cases, advise the head teachers to exclude the latter from school. Those found
to be verminous as a result of presumably accidental infection are given opportunities for remedying
the unsatisfactory condition, a period of three weeks elapsing between the first and last of the series
of examinations. The assistant superintendent of nurses makes the last examination, and if the
unsatisfactory condition continues, the pupil is excluded from school, and the medical record cards
showing the results of the examination are forwarded to the school medical officer, who certifies that
the pupil is unfit (a) to be in attendance at school, or (b) to hold the award,
50129 b 2