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school age, scrupulous care had been followed, but on cessation of supervision by
the authority neglect occurred. Several types of child can be distinguished amongst
those sought for to take part in theatrical entertainments, and great contrasts are
found. Many of the children are of perfect physique and carriage, and these contrast
with another group, who are selected because they are dwarfs. The rules prevent
children under 12 being employed, and to represent on the stage very young children,
a hunt is made for very diminutive children who have reached the age of 12. Amongst
the latter class, of course, the signs of old rickets or even angular curvature of the
spine are found. Another class of child is of the beautiful fairy type, and these
require the greatest care. They are frequently pale, often with nutritional disorders,
and they easily become tired. It is necessary to see that they are not overworked.
26 of the children were of this type, and in all cases special nourishment and directions
for hygienic care were prescribed.
Dental attention was required in 16 and spectacles in 14 cases, and the licences
were made conditional upon the necessary treatment being carried out.
Special Enquiries and Research.
The ever growing volume of work and the calls upon the time of the staff make
it difficult to carry out systematically research into the various problems affecting
the growth of the school child.
Assistance is being given by the staff to two of the concerted lines of research
indicated by the Board of Education, namely, the vision enquiry and the anthropometric
enquiry.
Dr, Nairn Dobbie has been associated with the enquiry into vocational guidance
carried out by the National Institute of Industrial Psychology, Dr. Elizabeth M.
McVail has made an enquiry into the physical and mental condition of backward
children, Dr. E. H. Norman has made an investigation into the occurrence of albuminuria
in school children, and Dr. Mabel Russell has investigated the condition of
children living in canal boats. Abstracts of the reports of these officers are appended.
Dr. Nairn
Dobbie's
investigation
on the
relation of
medical
examinations
to
vocational
guidance.
An important experiment in vocational guidance carried out in the Council's
schools by the National Institute of Industrial Psychology was initiated in August,
1924. It is held that by considering the natural aptitudes, physical and mental, of
each child, and as the result of this consideration guiding him into an occupation
for which he is naturally fitted, it may be expected that industrial fatigue will be
lessened, output be increased, greater interest be shown by the worker in his work
and industrial accidents be reduced. Some months were occupied by the workers
of the National Institute in preparation and exploration of the field.
In March, 1925, the experiment actually commenced in the schools. Two equal
groups of boy and girl leavers were taken at random, one group was submitted to
detailed investigation with vocational guidance, the other group being followed up
as a control. The detailed investigation of each child in the former group comprises
(a) the investigation of home and family circumstances, (b) the record of physique and
general health, (c) intelligence tests, (d) manual dexterity tests, (e) mechanical ability
tests, (f) assessment of temperament and character, (g) school reports.
Dr. Nairn Dobbie, one of the Council's assistant medical officers, in association
with the workers of the National Institute in this investigation has made a careful
medical examination of each pupil in relation to vocational capacity under heading (b)
above. The following account is taken from Dr. Dobbie's report on the physical
condition of the children. 237 boys and girls all within a few months of 14 years
were examined between March and Christmas, 1925.
The fundamental assessment in physical examination of the child is that of
nutritional state. Dr. James Kerr states, "Nutrition is the most important thing
. . . the only reliable way of assessing nutrition is from the estimate built up by
a trained observer during clinical examination."