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66
OPEN AIR SCHOOLS.
APPENDIX XIII.
[Extract from the Council's Minutes, 10th December, 1918.]
Tuberculous Children.
1.—In May, 1918, we appointed a Joint Sub-Committee of the Education and Public Health
Committees, to inquire into the whole question of the education of children who have been notified as
tuberculous, of children who have symptoms of tuberculosis, and of children who have recovered from
tuberculosis, and we have considered statistics as to the number of children concerned, the number and
types of schools which would be necessary, and the cost involved.
We have now received the report of the Joint Sub-Committee and have approved the conclusions
at which they arrived in the matter. The necessary recommendation to give effect thereto are appended
to this report.
We would point out that the position with regard to the tuberculous child has altered considerably
in two ways since we were appointed to inquire into this question—viz., (i.) on account of the Education
Act, 1918, having made the provision of schools for physically defective children a statutory duty, and
(ii.) because there will no longer be a question as to a financial advantage being gained through the
Council receiving the “Hobhouse” grant for these children from the Local Government Board rather
than the education grant, since the Treasury payment will presumably now be the same (50 per cent.)
in either case.
I.
Present arrangements—The children who have been notified as tuberculous (other than those
who are being treated in residential institutions) may be considered as falling into three categories—
(1) Children attending at the Kensal House school for tuberculous children, or at the
six day-sanatoria schools which the Council is temporarily aiding.
(2) Children attending classes carried on by voluntary agencies.
(3) Children totally out of school under medical certificates.
In London, there are in addition to the four schools carried on by the Council in children's hospitals,
six distinct sets of schools or classes for the benefit of children who are not in a normal state of health
—(i.) two open-air schools, certified as schools for physically defective children, (ii.) open-air classes
carried on in connection with ordinary elementary schools, (iii.) day sanatoria classes, (iv.) Kensal House
school for tuberculous children (v.) special schools for defective children, (vi.) classes carried on by
voluntary agencies.
(i.) The two open-air schools maintained by the Council are Birley House (Lewisham) and
Shooter's-hill (Woolwich). These schools are certified by the Board of Education under the Elementary
Education (Defective and Epileptic Children) Act, 1899. Pupils are admitted to them on the
recommendation of the school doctors in connection with the medical examination of all the pupils in
the elementary schools, and are selected by the doctor at the open-air school. The type of child selected
for admission is one who is not suitable for admission to the schools for the physically defective, but who
is unable, through anaemia, debility or incipient tuberculosis, to keep pace with the ordinary child in
school. In both schools the classes are mixed, and on educational grounds, admission is restricted to
pupils between the ages of 9 and 13. The pupils receive three meals a day at the schools and the parents
contribute towards the cost of the food, the amount of the contribution being assessed by the managing
committee of each school. When necessary, free travelling to and from the schools is afforded to the
pupils.
(ii.) Open-air classes in connection with ordinary elementary schools are held each year during
the summer months in the playgrounds or roof playgrounds of a number of the schools, or in the parks
or open spaces. These classes consist of the following four types—
Type A.—A class held at a centre and composed of delicate children from neighbouring
schools, selected by the school medical officer, the same class working in the open-air all the
summer.
Type B.—A class of delicate children specially selected from various classes in one school,
the same children being in the open-air class all the summer.
Type C.—An ordinary school class working in the open-air during the whole of the summer.
Type D.—Various classes of a school working in the open-air in turn for a session, a day,
„ a week, or a month at a time.
The classes are kept under observation by the school medical officer, and in the case of Type A
classes, the pupils are selected by the school doctor, and examined by him periodically. There is no
restriction as to the age of pupils on admission, but endeavours are made to limit admissions to pupils who
are of about the same educational attainments. In the case of classes held in the parks or open spaces
the children are accommodated in the band stand or enclosure, or under a specially erected awning. No
meals are provided by the Council to the pupils except in the case of delicate pupils in the Type A classes,
where the children are supplied with milk meals each morning.