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128
The children selected by the school doctors are especially those suffering from
postural defect. In small groups they receive special daily physical exercises and
are kept under special observation by the school doctor. Unfortunately as no
special provision has been made for staffing in the creation and continuance of
these classes there are many difficulties of organisation, and little tendency to an
increase in their numbers. That considerable benefit is received by the children is
shown by the medical officers' reports. A typical report is that of Dr. Edgar Argles
upon the health class in the boys' department of Betts-street school:—
"I beg to submit a short report on 20 boys in this class who have been in
regular attendance during the past twelve months.
"Twelve of the boys show definite improvement of those defects for which
they were admitted to the class. In February, 1298, the chest expansion figure
was 5.2 cms., and in the corresponding month this year it was 6.8 cms.
"I have made it my practice to see the class demonstrate once each term. At
my last inspection the boys gave an extremely creditable display, which would
compare very favourably with any drill class in any school I have seen. Both their
mental and physical alertness showed great improvement.
"Great credit is due to the master, who has ingeniously chosen some very
useful and interesting exercises and has achieved remarkably good results without
any undue strain on boys with impaired constitutions.
"I propose to discharge 10 of the class and have already selected 7 boys to take
their places."
Teaching of
hygiene.
The practical teaching of hygiene in the schools receives considerable attention,
and a detailed account of this branch of the work was given in my Annual Report
for the year 1927 (pp. 90-95). In the report for 1928 (p. 115) a reference was given
to the issue of the handbook of suggestions on health education by the Board of
Education. In the south-western division particularly, Miss M. Wilson, the
divisional superintendent of nurses, has taken great interest in the question and
endeavours through the co-operation of the school nurses with the teachers to make
the personal hygiene work of the nurses of special educational value. Through this
co-operation many Junior Red Cross links have been established in the division,
upon which Miss Wilson has submitted the following report:—
"At the beginning of 1928 three Junior Red Cross links existed in schools in this
division. Later 17 more were formed, making a present total of 20. Most of the
new links were begun in the last term of the year, so that it is only possible at present
to estimate the result of the work in a few schools.
"Where the nurse assists with the link activities, no child is enrolled until she
can produce a tooth brush and a handkerchief for regular inspection and is clean
and tidy and free from all signs of verminous infestation.
"The Red Cross work is popular with the children and the struggle to qualify
for membership when a link is formed gives an immediate fall in the number of girls
with nits in their hair, but I am unable to say whether this improvement can always
be maintained.
"In one of the schools there was improvement of 7 per cent. in the
personal hygiene figures in two months while a link was being formed. In
another, where the work has been going on since Easter, 1925, there has been
continuous improvement during that time.
"The table given below shows the difference of the rate of fall in the number of
verminous children in 4 schools where there has been a junior link for a year or more
and 4 others of similar type in the same neighbourhoods where no Red Cross work
has been done. The control schools are under the supervision of the same nurses