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112
Open-air Education. *
Provision for education in the open air includes eight day open-air schools
(non-tuberculous) with accommodation for 1,360 children, and seven day openair
schools (tuberculous) accommodating 540 children. There are also five country
and seaside convalescent camp schools, accommodating 484 children for short
periods through which 4,600 children pass annually, and 177 open-air classes in
playgrounds and parks providing for upwards of 6,000 children.
The following particulars are given of the day open-air schools, including the
number of children who have attended them during the whole or part of the year.
Day open-air
schools for
non-tuberculous
children.

Stowey
House.
(Dr. W. 8.
Slowan).
The school doctors attached to the open-air schools find in them matters of
absorbing interest and annually provide reports which are full of valuable details.
From these reports the following extracts are taken:—
" The year April, 1928, to March, 1929, has been from a health point of view
most satisfactory. This is clearly shown by the fact that the proportion of children
found fit to leave at Easter reached the high figure of 25 per cent in the first year
of attendance and 54 per cent, in the second year, and that in all one hundred and
eleven children left fit either to return to the ordinary school or to leave altogether,
being 14 years old.
" These results are largely due to the general sun-bathing during the summer
months, the great majority of the children responding well to this treatment as is
evidenced by the browning and glossiness of the skin, and by the increased energy
and vivacity, both physical and mental, which are displayed. Although a few
children do not respond to the sun treatment, no ill results have ever been noticed
at Stowey House, and there can be little doubt that sun-bathing—under proper
supervision and with necessary precautions—is a most valuable means of improving
the health of weakly and debilitated children. Sun-bathing started in May and
continued until October and was greatly enjoyed.
" It is again to be noted that girls seem to respond more quickly and to a greater
degree than boys, and as a rule brown more deeply.
" From this last year's figures the average length of stay at Stowey House is
21J months.
" In April of this year the school completed its first year, and is fulfilling the
predictions which I ventured to make in my first report by sending back into the
elementary schools month by month children who have become sufficiently reestablished
in health to resume their places amongst normal children. The two
factors making for this result are the suitability of the cases recommended from the
ordinary schools and the happy atmosphere at Upton House in which they receive
their ' cure.' The photographs produced on the next two pages illustrate the marked
benefits received.
" At the opening of the spring term there were 142 children on the roll, and
during the year 86 children were discharged for the following reasons—fit for
elementary school, 59 ; attained 14 years of age, 11 ; ceased to attend on removal
of parents from district, 10; found to be unsuitable for open-air school, 6.
Upton House
(Dr. Ilanks
Raffle).