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In an accompanying circular (No. 976) paragraph 10 stated that, as physical training is required to
stimulate the full development and healthy growth of the child, as well as to prevent various bodily
deformities and defects, it is most desirable that the work of the organiser should be closely associated
with the school medical service (regulation 14 (c)), and that the school medical officer should have
definite functions in respect of it. Further, the school medical officer should also exercise supervision
over any remedial gymnastic treatment carried out by experts in connection with the school clinic.
Both he and the organiser of physical training should co-operate, not only in regard to the training of
children already suffering from definite physical defects, but also in regard to the prevention of
avoidable defects by means of exercises correctly taught and applied.
The following observations were made upon these Regulations: "Up to the present time in
London the position of the school medical service in relation to physical exercises in the schools in
general has been one of friendly interest, but attention to the question has not been definitely within the
school medical officer's reference and no part of the time of the staff in the school medical service has been
allotted to it. During school medical inspections the effect of drill upon the individual children is
noted by the school doctors and modifications or excusal from drill are advised by them in individual
cases; these recommendations are invariably followed by the teachers whose attention the doctors
draw specifically to each case. Occasionally broad questions such as the manner of teaching breathing
exercises are brought to my notice and they then form the subject of discussion between the Education
Officer and myself.
In the second paragraph of the circular it is suggested that the school medical officer should also
exercise supervision over all special arrangements designed for particular children. In London such
special arrangements have been regarded as within the reference of the school medical officer and have
been the subject of special reports to the appropriate sub-committees of the Education Committee.
The closest co-operation in regard to such remedial classes has been established between the inspectors
of physical exercises and the school medical staff."
During the year a definite step forward has been taken by the Council in including in their Treatment
Scheme provision for a remedial exercises centre in Hampstead to which children from the elementary
schools are referred by the school doctor.
Any departure or experiment which tends to stimulate or revive interest in physical exercises
in the schools is to be encouraged as the beneficial results of special interest are so unmistakable.
In every school class there will be found two or three pupils who hold themselves badly and adopt
habitual postures, which tend to produce deformity and to interfere with correct growth. Such children
do not require at this stage specialist treatment, or the use of apparatus. All that is necessary is that
they should be drafted into a smaller class than is usual, which should meet much more frequently than
is found necessary for average children, should be under an enthusiastic and capable teacher, and should
receive the special notice of the school doctor at his periodical visits. In the ordinary large class, which
when spaced out in drill order, fills a large hall, individual children cannot possibly be closely supervised,
but the special class being relatively small, each child comes more directly under the eye of the teacher,
who is able to see that the movements are correctly produced. The close association of the school doctor
with the class enables modifications of the ordinary drill movements to be made in relation to special
needs, enables him to measure the progress of the pupils and brings him into close co-operation with
the organiser of physical exercises.
Experience has abundantly shown that through the medium of such special classes the common.
deformities in childhood can be prevented or corrected, if they are dealt with while the conditions are
in the early stage when habitual defect of posture is alone present and before structural alteration
due to faulty resultant growth has had time to appear.
Since 1912 a certain number of such special exercise classes has existed in the Council's schools.
In 1913 they numbered 28, but since that time, in common with all other experimental work in the schools
they have been subject to considerable vicissitudes. During the year 1918 there have been 20 classes;
most of these were continued throughout the year, although some were discontinued for short periods
owing to difficulties in connection with the teaching staff.
There is a certain amount of danger that the teachers in their anxiety to do more for the children
may attempt to do too much in the way of remedial exercises and 'encroach upon the domain of the
trained gymnast. For this reason the supply of special apparatus to these classes is not strongly to
be recommended.
The special classes, in the North Eastern Division numbering eight, are under the special observation
of Dr. F. C. Lewis, the Divisional Medical Officer, who inspects the children each term. Milk
is provided for each child every morning and special gymnastic dress is compulsory. The results of the
classes are very gratifying as is shown by Dr. Lewis' analysis of the girls' class at Moreland-street taken
as an example.

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