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game played by the girls is Netball. London is divided into 16 districts, and the
champion team of each district competes for the All London Cup, which was presented
by Lady Astor in June, 1923. As a netball court can be marked out on
most of the school playgrounds the time restriction recently enforced by the Board
of Education does not affect the game, but difficulties are being encountered in
teaching swimming. Many of the most effective games and exercises involve the
use of the school halls and it is important that the floors of these should be clean,
and maintained in perfect condition. Accidents from splinters are not infrequent,
and the question of the cleanliness of the floors is no less important. This, too,
has a bearing upon the use of dustless oils, an experiment in connection with which
is again in progress and is being watched with care by the medical staff.
Very interesting are the health classes. These are small classes of children
selected by the school doctor as needing special physical care. They are given
selected physical exercises by an experienced teacher for short periods, daily if
possible. As the results obtained are remarkably good an attempt has been made
recently to increase the number of these classes. At the end of 1924 such classes
existed in 41 schools. Amongst the reports of the school doctors the following
may be singled out:—Dr. Boome reports that in the girls' department at Corkstreet
School, Camberwell, there are two such classes each consisting of 20 children,
a junior class for girls 8 to 10 years of age, and a senior for girls from 10 to 14.
During the past two years 30 per cent. of the girls in the school have passed through
these classes under Dr. Boome's personal supervision. The types of defect attended
to include round shoulders, lateral curvature, lordosis, and flat foot. The classes
last twenty minutes but the children requiring individual attention are given
additional time. Children operated upon for enlarged tonsils and adenoid growths
have also been included with marked benefit. In all cases clumsy gait and awkward
positions have been improved or eradicated.
Dr. Thornton reports on the special health class in the girls' department at
the Tooting Graveney School. This was commenced during 1924, and very satisfactory
results are already evident. The number of girls at the commencement
was 18. Five were cases of round shoulders ; two were discharged cured, and two
of the others are much improved. Seven were suffering from lateral curvature,
of these, two were discharged cured and the other five are much improved; five
suffered from a combination of the two defects, two of these were discharged cured
and two were much improved.
Of the class in the girls' department of Smallwood-road School, Dr. Thornton
reports that the work continues to be very satisfactory. He is of opinion that
the usual type of desk is too small for the bigger girls and that this contributes to
postural deformities. Of 21 girls, 18 were cured or improved.
Feeding of School Children.
A general weekly rise was perceptible in the number of children given milk
in school on the advice of the school doctor. This corresponds with the tendency
to lowered nutritional condition which is shown in the school inspection returns.
Altogether, during the year 945,868 milk meals were given and 135,505 doses of cod
liver oil and malt. The children placed on milk or oil are specially watched by
the school doctors and are weighed by the school nurses at regular intervals. These
milk canteens are most effective in the correction of malnutrition and in restoring
children to health. In addition, 716,917 dinners were given to necessitous children.
Sample dinners are analysed from time to time by the chemist in the Council's
Public Health Department. The standard required is that each dinner should
provide at least 25 grammes of protein and 750 calories.