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95
shows how the culture of the home surroundings follows the pickers into the hopgardens.)
(4) To the activities of voluntary bodies and social workers, such as the
Kent Rural Community Council and the organisers of at least forty medical dispensaries,
and branch dispensaries of which Mrs. Spender's organisation at Marden,
which had been described, is the most complete.
(iv.) The most urgent reforms required are the bringing up to the level of the
best farms and best areas:—(1) Latrine provision. (2) Ventilation and lighting
in hutments and prohibition of overcrowding. (3) Provision of easily available
supplies of pure water.
100 school children living in an area in Marylebone, suggested for demolition
on account of the generally insanitary and dilapidated conditions of the houses,
have been compared with 100 children of the same ages, but from better homes in
the immediate neighbourhood, the whole 200 children being drawn from the area
enclosed within a circle of roughly ¼ of a mile in radius. The demolition area is
enclosed by Fisherton-street, Luton-street, Carlisle-street, North-street and Lyonsstreet,
and consists of old 2 and 3 storied terraced houses. Although these houses
have no damp courses the sanitary reports show that dampness of the houses is not
a feature. For the most part these houses have two rooms on each landing and in
the majority of cases one family occupies each landing, the estimated number of
persons per house being 8.
Dr. J. Nairn
Dobbie's
report on the
comparative
condition of
children
living in a
demolition
area.
The great majority of the better-housed children lives in well-laid-out tenements
of 4 and 5 stories high, situated just north of the Regent's Canal and bordering on
Lisson-grove and St. John's Wood-road. These tenements were built some 30
years ago, about the time when the Great Central Railway Terminus was completed.
They are divided into flats of 2, 3 and 4 rooms and kitchen with separate offices.
The level of the demolition area is roughly 120 feet, and of the tenements about
125 feet above the mean sea level at Liverpool. Both areas are on rising ground
and stand slightly higher than the localities to the east, south and west. They are
practically divided by the Regent's Canal, which at this place lies deep and for part
of its course between the two areas is covered over. The towing-path of the Canal
is about 94 feet above datum line. The subsoil of both areas is clay, according
to the Geological Survey.
There did not appear to be any racial differences among the children examined.
All the 200 children attend three schools, which are within 200 yards of each other,
St. John's Wood R.C. (Boys), Emmanuel (Girls), both largely attended by children
from the poor area, and Capland-street School, with roughly 25 per cent. of its
children from the demolition area and 75 per cent. from the better homes. The
children examined were drawn from these schools as follows:—
Demolition Area Children. Better Area Children.
40 boys from St. John's Wood.
10 „ „ Capland Street. 50 boys from Capland Street.
35 girls „ Emmanuel
15 „ „ Capland Street. 50 girls „ „ „
The respective head teachers were asked to pick the children at random—
preference being given to older children since the parents were not interviewed.
Children from the demolition homes were first inspected and later the better-housed
children, as nearly as possible of the same ages. Each child was submitted to the
same examination and was asked the same questions. The physical examination
of the children was along the usual routine lines—heights and weights being taken
without boots—the only departure being that vision was not tested by Snellen's
Type Test Cards. The heights and weights were compared with L.C.C. standards
for elementary school children drawn up in 1913.
16479 G 2