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children in wage-earning capacity out of school hours. Only children physically
fit are allowed to be employed, and the restrictions in hours and in character of the
work have made it very unlikely that harm can accrue to any child except in very
rare instances.
Physical Exercises.
The reports of the organisers of physical education in the Education Officer's
department show that advances are rapidly being made. There is no doubt that a
considerable share in the improvement of the health, physique and stamina of the
London school child, which is recognised on all sides, is to be ascribed to the intelligent
practice of physical education. Major Gem refers to the large increase in
the number of boys' departments which have adopted the team system and the
efficiency tests which add both to the zest and effectiveness of physical education.
Miss Simmons and Miss Graham point out the growth of a broader conception and
freer handling of the girls which have brought about an increased interest and an
improved tone.
Special classes for children selected by the school doctor are held in about
25 girls' and junior mixed departments. The organisers say "wonderful results
have been obtained in a short time in some very poor localities. We feel this side
of the work should be extended, but the classes require a considerable amount of
attention from us and depletion of staff has made it difficult for head mistresses to
spare a teacher daily for a small section of girls drawn from several classes. In
some cases the head mistresses, realising the benefit that the daily lesson has been to
the few children in the remedial class, have dropped the remedial class and instituted
a daily lesson throughout the school."
A typical medical report on these special classes, which all who have paid
attention to them have recognised to be of surprising value, is given in the following
account of the special exercise class at Smallwood Road (girls department), 1923,
by Dr. C. E. Thornton :—
" This class is made up of girls (8 years old and upwards) suffering from varying
degrees of spinal curvatures, chiefly of the statical type. From the annexed tables
it will be seen that kyphosis is the commonest deformity: it is also the easiest to
rectify: scoliosis is much more resisting to treatment. General debility seems to be
the chief predisposing factor, most of the girls being anaemic and of poor muscular
development. Defective vision and adenoids were in no greater proportion than they
are found generally in school children. Apart from the improvement obtained with
regard to the specific deformity, all the children showed a definite and in some cases
surprising improvement in their general health after a month or so of the exercises.

The chief organised game for girls is net-ball. London is divided into sixteen
districts and the champion team of each district competes for the all-London cup
which was presented in June 1923 by Lady Astor. Colls Road girls' department,
Peckham, was the first winner of the cup.
As a net-ball course can be marked out in most play grounds it is universally
available and the recent time restriction bv the Board of Education will not affect
Organised
games