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86
the game, which is as ideally suited to the physical characteristics of young
girls as football is to those of boys.
Swimming is taken by the majority of schools. About 11,000 girls were taught
to swim in 1923.
Co-operation with Child Welfare Centres.
Wherever possible co-operation is established between the school medical service
and the maternity and child welfare centres. At several centres the same
premises are used for the two purposes, and the use of the Council's dental equipment
has been allowed for the treatment of mothers and infants attending the infant
welfare centres. A scheme is also in operation whereby the record cards of the
children who have attended the maternity centres are passed on to the Council and
distributed to the schools for the information of the school doctors. Negotiations
are at present in progress with the National League for Health, Maternity and
Child Welfare with a view to simplifying the card used and to increasing the number
of maternity centres taking part in the scheme.
School Feeding.
More and more the assistance of the school medical service is sought in carrying
out the Council's duties in regard to the school feeding of necessitous children.
All children given school meals are not seen by the school doctor. It is only when
deprivation of food has had time to produce physical signs that the assistance of the
doctor is required and in London this is not waited for in the normal case. On
the other hand many children are placed upon the feeding list as a result of the
medical inspection when signs and symptoms are discovered which make careful
enquiry into home circumstances desirable. The assistance of the medical department
is often sought in doubtful cases where children are taken off the feeding list,
the school doctor being requested to keep such children under observation so that
if any sign of deprivation occur the child may at once be returned to school feeding.
All menus are submitted to the school medical officer for approval. Necessitous
children can always obtain sufficient starchy foods at home, and school feeding
resolves itself into supplementing the protein portion of the daily diet. Hence the
London rule that every school meal for a necessitous child shall contain at least 25
grammes of protein.
Formerly school meals were prepared centrally by the Alexandra Trust and
distributed in special containers. Although economical, this plan was not the
best because it was found impossible under it to preserve vegetables in a palatable
condition. The present arrangement by which the meals are prepared locally and
mainly at the domestic economy centres is better, and the value of the meals is
considerably enhanced.
The following memorandum has been issued for the guidance of those
concerned:—
Schedule of quantities and general instructions for School Meals.
(i.) Meat meals.—3 oz. with bone, 2½ oz. without bone. Potatoes ⅓ lb. Root
or green vegetables 2 oz. (One of the puddings set out below.)
(ii.) Meat puddings or pies.—2½ oz. meat without bone. 2 oz. flour, ⅔oz. suet,
dripping or lard. Potatoes ⅓lb. Root or green vegetables 2 oz.
(iii.) Soup meals.—Soup, 2 oz. peas or lentils, ½ oz. rice, tapioca and barley
mixed together.½ pint stock, seasoning, ¼oz. dripping. Potatoes ⅓ lb. Suet
pudding must be always served as a second course with soup. 1¼ oz. flour, £ oz
oatmeal, oz. fat, ⅔oz. dried fruit, syrup or jam, or 1 oz. fresh fruit and ¼ oz. sugar.
(iv.) Fish meals.—¼ Ib. fish. ½lb. potatoes. 2 oz. vegetables. (One of
the ptiddings set out below.)
Pudding for inclusion in meals i. and iv.