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69
several teachers complained of having themselves fallen. The danger points seem
to be the knots, which stand out in old and uneven flooring.
All the head teachers and assistants to the number of 66 were asked their
opinions on the question of dust; whether they liked the colour, was the floor more
slippery, was there any soiling, and for any further observations. Sixty-six replied
there was definitely less dust; the advantages being variously stated as keeping the
place cleaner; the atmosphere was sweeter, and not the same tendency to become
stuffy; books and materials kept cleaner; faces, hands and even linen were cleaner
at the end of the session; freedom from throat, nose and chest trouble.
Sixteen stated that they preferred the new colour (these largely in schools where
the flooring was comparatively new and clean before application); 36 expressed
themselves as indifferent to the colour; 14 stated they disliked the colour for varying
reasons—“too drab and depressing,” “looks damp and greasy,” etc.; 53 stated
that the floor was more slippery, especially just after the floor was treated.
Eighteen teachers stated that there was some soiling of the scholars’ clothes
and material and books which came in contact with the floors.
No complaints had been received from parents as to any accidents from slipping
or about soiling the children’s clothes. It is perhaps well to bear in mind that dark
clothing is mostly worn during the spring term, and so minor stains would not so
readily show up.
Sixty-two teachers stated that the advantages definitely outweighed the dis-advantages.
No appreciable odour could be detected from the treated floors.
Bacteriological plates containing gelatine and agar, suitable culture media for
many micro-organisms, were exposed in Virginia-road and Burrage-grove. In each
of these schools two rooms, comparable in every respect—size, exposure, floor level,
etc., were chosen, one having been treated and one not. Three experiments in each
school were carried out. In the first experiment a series of gelatine and agar plates
were exposed in the two rooms, while the boys were told to sit quietly. In the second
experiment another series of plates were exposed after the boys had stamped their
feet, and so raised the dust from the floors.
In the third experiment immediately after cleaners had swept out the two rooms
the plates were exposed.
All the plates were then incubated, agar for 24 hours and gelatine for 48 hours,
and the number of growths or colonies of micro-organisms were counted. The
results are tabulated below :—
N.T. = Not treated. T.= Treated.
Virginia-road.
Number of colonies on Time of
Agar. Gelatine. exposure.
Experiment I.
N.T. 31 64 10 mins.
T. 21 41 10 „
N.T. 76 98 20 „
T. 40 48 20 „
Experiment II.
N.T. 179 400 10 mins.
T. 129 115 10 „
N.T. 262 600 20 „
T. 149 252 20 „
Experiment III.
N.T. 75 327 10 mins
T. 10 34 10 „
N.T. 100 364 20 „
T. 28 50 20 „
Burrage-grove.
Number of colonies on Time of
Agar. Gelatine. exposure.
Experiment I.
N.T. 12 14 5 mins.
..T. 6 11 5 „
N.T. 21 21 10 „
T. 16 17 10 „
Experiment II.
N.T. 154 149 5 mins.
T. 89 129 5 „
N.T. 181 252 10 „
T. 132 202 10 „
Experiment III.
N.T. 183 Numberless 5 mins.
T. 22 30 6 „
N.T. 222 Numberless 10 „
T. 44 53 10 „