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The question of the provision of open-air schools was considered by the Education Committee,
and the Council on 10th December, 1918, decided to establish two types of open-air schools: (1) for
children who were unable, owing to anaemia, debility or suspicion of tuberculosis to attend ordinary public
elementary schools, and (2) for children who have been notified under the Tuberculosis Regulations of
1912 as suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis or tuberculous glands without discharging sinuses. It
was further decided to establish ten schools of the first class, of approximately 200 children each, and
20 schools of the second class, of approximately 100 children each.
As a temporary measure the classes established in connection with the dispensaries in Bermondsey,
Camberwell and Fulham were continued, the accommodation being 25 in each case.
The following report received from the medical officer in charge of the Bermondsey dispensary
is of interest:—
"The above school was closed on 5th March. . . . There were 16 on the roll on that date,
and of these eight were discharged much improved in health, seven were improved, and one
was stationary, while nine were fit to attend a public elementary school, five were fit to go to
an open-air school, and two were unfit to attend any school. These results justify the opinion
that the influence of the school on the health of the children was a beneficial one. In practically
all cases the improvement in health showed itself in the general condition. As regards the
pulmonary condition, improvement took place more slowly and less certainly. It was a rare
occurrence among the children for no improvement to take place in the general health, even
when the pulmonary condition remained stationary."
In addition, Kensal House open-air school, which opened in 1910, is being continued as one of
the 20 schools for tuberculous children. The number of children on the roll at the end of December, 1919,
was 102, and at the end of December, 1919, was 94. During the year 21 were transferred to ordinary
schools, five were sent to hospital, sanatoria or convalescent homes, 3 left district, 6 were allowed to
leave for work, 2 were transferred to special schools. The average gain in weight during the year was
2 83 kilograms.
As already stated, two schools for tuberculous children were opened, one at Springwell House,
North-side, Clapham-connnon, in October, and one at Stormont House, Downs-park-road, Hackney,
in September, 1919. The former has accommodation for 125 and the latter for 75 children.
School journeys.
The additional financial assistance offered by the Council and the return to peace conditions
resulted in a large increase this year in the number of applications for permission to arrange such
journeys. A total number of 124 school journeys was ultimately approved by the Education Committee.
The head teachers were given complete liberty in the selection of their destinations, and, though the
majority chose places in the neighbourhood of London and the nearer coast resorts, towns as far away
as Stratford-on-Avon and Weston-super-Mare were visited. The places most frequently selected included
Littlehampton, Bexhill, Hastings, Dover, Whitstable, Beaconsfield, and Loughton (for Epping Forest).
More than half the schools visited the seaside towns, and it is understood that many children saw the sea
for the first time in their lives. Usually teachers and children stayed at a hostel or boarding house,
but, notably at Bexhill, a boys' camp was used by several schools, and, in a few instances, the method
of billeting in cottages was adopted. The last-mentioned method is not without drawbacks, as it affords
few opportunities for fostering corporate life and reduces facilities for supervision. For boys, camp
life offers many attractions, and, were more facilities available, camps would probably become the most
popular as well as probably the cheapest method of accommodating boys. For girls, hostels or boarding
houses, where there are opportunities of developing corporate life, are the most satisfactory form of
accommodation.
Endeavour was made in every case to examine the children immediately before leaving in order
to discover any prospective candidate for the journey, who might be unfit through reason of any existing
or threatened disease, or who was not up to the requisite standard of personal cleanliness, and, except in
a very few instances, where information of the journey was received too late for the necessary action to
be taken, examinations were successfully carried out. Owing to the large number of school journeys
and to press of other work with consequent insufficiency of available staff it was only in nine instances
that it proved possible to examine the children shortly after their return.
Details of these investigations are appended—
1. Johanna-street (G.)—(Orsett, 14 days).—In this case the examination took place eight
days after the return of the children, which is a longer period than is desirable. Out of 18
girls, 13 had gained in weight, the amounts varying between one-half and two kilos. All
the girls were better for the journey.
2. Canterbury-road (J.M. and B.)—(Loughton, 13 days).—26 out of 31 boys gained in
weight, the amounts varying between one-half and four kilos. All were improved in general
condition with a noticeable brightening of their mental faculties. Several who had been
suffering from nasal catarrh returned cured.
3. Blackheath-road (G.)—(Bexhill, 14 days).—Special attention was paid to cardiac conditions,
the conclusion drawn being that the journey had not materially affected some slight
abnormalities which existed. Anaemia was noted as being improved, and one case of. chronic
eye-lid inflammation had cleared up.
4. Sleaford-street (G)—(Ryde, 14 days).—A general improvement noted.
65580 k