View report page

5'J
legislation promises a further advance in this direction. The responsibilities of
parenthood are becoming increasingly realised, and the efforts of parents to care
for their children are aided by the co-operation of maternity and child welfare
centres, health visitors and kindred agencies. Education has obtained a hold
and the third generation of scholars is just beginning to come within the purview
of the school authority. The science of teaching has altered, and school life is
welcomed. The outlook of the child has been broadened in every way, and this
has had a not inconsiderable reflex action on the parents with a direct
resultant effect in the improvement of the home environment. One has only to
study the public library records of the classes of books now in demand to realise the
vast improvement in general intelligence which is the "Open Sesame" from the
prison of environment.
There is real romance in this story of the emancipation of the London child,
wherein the Council acts as fairy godmother. Everywhere the young life is aided
by willing hands. Administrators, teachers, doctors, nurses, organisers, and care
committees all unite in the endeavour to guide the child along the way of life that
leads to useful citizenship. Even the physically defective, the blind, the deaf, the
feeble-minded child is afforded every possible opportunity to reduce his handicap
in competition with his more fortunate brother in the struggle for existence. Milk
or cod liver oil is prescribed and supplied for the anaemic, cheap food for the
hungry, curative treatment for defects of the nose and throat, eyes and teeth, and
for minor ailments, convalescent treatment for the tuberculous and the physically
exhausted, and residential treatment for the seriously defective child. Voluntary
agencies are associated with the school organisation in the supply of clothing, boots
and spectacles where they are needed. School life is no longer a contest between
an endeavour to impart knowledge, and dull incomprehension. Effort is made to
cultivate intuition and natural intelligence instead of the learning by rote of dry
facts, so much in vogue even forty years ago. The lighter-side of life is not neglected,
for organised games and healthy entertainments are provided for the intervals of
school work. School journeys, and visits to places of interest aid in the acquisition
of knowledge and the cultivation of powers of observation. Athletic sports, cricket,
football, netball and hockey, teach comradeship and team work, and elementary
schools now have traditions and heroic ideals in the same way as the older public
schools. Such a school fellowship may well be the foundation of a life-long trust, a
memory, and an incentive.
Staff.
In view of the approaching transfer, under the Local Government Act, 1929,
of duties enormously increasing the responsibilities of the Council, changes have
taken place in the arrangements of the Council's medical department, and the
school medical service has to some extent been affected thereby.
From 1st October, 1929, a reorganisation of the public health department
was made upon the basis of three branches (i) special hospitals including control
of the acute infectious diseases; (ii) general hospitals and district medical work
which will be transferred from the poor law guardians; and (iii) general public
health administration including housing and the school medical service. Three
principal medical officers were appointed upon the above-mentioned date to take
charge of the three branches, viz. (i) special hospitals, etc., Dr. J. A. H. Brincker,
formerly senior medical officer in the service; (ii) general hospitals and poor law
medical administration, etc., Dr. W. Brander, formerly medical superintendent of
the Hackney hospital and chief medical officer of the Hackney Union; and (iii)
general public health administration, Dr. W. A. Daley, former medical officer of
health and school medical officer of the City and County of Kingston-upon-Hull,
and port medical officer of the Hull and Goole Port Sanitary Authority. With the
exception of the administrative work in connection with infectious disease in