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Open-air
classes.
Good work continues to be done in open-air classes attached to the ordinary
schools, and the increase in number of these classes shows that their usefulness and
importance is being recognised by the head teachers of elementary schools. Many
of these classes held in parks resemble very closely open-air day schools on a small
scale. The number of such classes held during 1928 was 171, an increase of 20 over
the number held in 1927. Twenty-seven of the classes continue throughout winter
as well as summer. The number of children attending them amounted to 5,010.
Sixty-three of the classes accommodating 1,890 children were of types A and
B, in which the pupils are debilitated and ailing children specially nominated by the
school doctors. These types are kept under exceptional medical surveillance.
Special reports were received during the past year from the assistant medical
officers on 65 open-air classes. In these reports emphasis is laid on the great improvement
which took place in the mental alertness of the children ; this was very marked
in the case of children of apparently low mentality, and those of a nervous and
fretful nature. In one class (White Lion-street School), 3 children who, at the
commencement, were under observation as possibly M.D., were doing extremely
well when examined in October. Cases of children with bronchitis and chest ailments
have all shown great improvement. The freedom of children in these classes
from colds and infectious diseases has again been noted, and also the general improvement
in physical condition.
In view of the exceptional number of hours of sunshine last summer, it is
interesting to note that the report on the Millwall class states that the improvement
in facial colour was less marked than last year. The report on the Bow Creek class
which is in the same neighbourhood refers to the smoky condition of the air, due
to the proximity of factories and steamships. The benefit which continuous care
in school affords to the children is manifested by the experience at the class held
in Clissold Park, where there was a disappointing lapse in the condition of the
children during the summer holiday, when several lost weight and were tired looking
and pale again.
The parents of many of the children have expressed their delight at the great
improvement in the health of their children while attending the classes. There is
no doubt that the open-air classes are a valuable addition to the facilities for
improving the health of the children.
Open-air
schools fop
tuberculous
children.
In addition to the provision of treatment for tuberculous children in residential
institutions, the Council continued the use of the open-air schools, specifically for
children notified under the Tuberculosis Regulations, 1912, as suffering from tuberculosis
of the lungs or of glands with no discharging sinuses. Including the new
school, Nightingale House at Fort-road, Bermondsey, accommodating 125 children,
opened at the beginning of the year, there are now seven of these schools.
The seven schools—Grove Hill-road (Camberwell), Elizabethan (Fulham),
Geere House (Stepney), Kensal House (Paddington), Springwell House (Battersea),
Stormont House (Hackney), and Nightingale House (Bermondsey), have together
accommodation for 540 children. The number on the roll on 31st December, 1928,
was 614, and the average attendance for the year ending 31st March, 1928, was 497.
Admission to the schools is granted on a certificate of a medical officer of the
Council, and children returning home for a period of residential treatment in
sanatorium are given preference. During the year 1928, 397 children were