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34 were of type C (consisting of a single class from one school, educated continuously
at one open-air station) ; and 89 of type D (consisting in a rotation of classes from
one school occupying one open-air station).
Nine classes are permanent, that is to say they are outside the yearly programme
and do not need re-authorisation each year. In addition, 62 classes were continued
throughout the winter, where the suitability of the sites had been approved by the
school medical officer. About one-third of the classes were held in parks, gardens,
playing-fields and other open sites, while the others were held in school playgrounds.
Children in classes of the types A and B are kept under special observation by
the school doctors. Long experience has shown that in London there are two types
of children who are weakly and anaemic, and require special care. They may be termed
for shortness the bronchitic type and the rheumatic type. The former thrive only
on open-air treatment of the sanatorium type, and for these the more exposure they
get the better they are, provided that the additional nourishment required is available,
and that they are adequately clothed and shod, while the latter cannot stand
such treatment and require warmth and coddling.
The medical reports again illustrate these results. Forty-six detailed reports
were received from the school doctors on the open-air classes.
While the great majority of the classes are highly successful and exercise a
beneficial effect upon the health of the children, a few do not give such satisfactory
results.
Dr. A. B. Francklyn has made a careful study of the heights and weights of
the children in two open-air classes—those at Barlby-road and Essendine-road schools,
and has compared the rate of growth of the children with that of poorly nourished
children retained in the ordinary school, who were given milk in school on the doctor's
advice. This report is printed under " special enquiries " on page 85.
Barby-road
and Essendine-road
open-air
classes.
School journeys.
In 1934, 407 school journeys were made (compared with 358 in 1933), and the
children taking part were medically examined in all cases before departure. In all
13,569 children were examined (the corresponding figure for 1933 being 12,185);
and of these 72 were excluded as unfit to take part in the journeys on various grounds,
including the following (the figures in parenthesis refer to the year 1933):—otorrhœa,
7 (10); infectious disease or contacts, 4 (2); tonsillitis and kindred ailments, 12 (9);
temperature, 11 (11); personal hygiene, 2 (0); skin diseases, 14 (14). Several
children were provisionally rejected on grounds connected with personal hygiene
but were subsequently passed after visiting a bathing centre. Separate figures
are given on page 51 respecting the school journeys from open-air schools for
tuberculous children.
Physical education.
Complete particulars of the arrangements for physical education in the London
elementary schools were given in the last annual report. The organisers report
biennially.
In January, 1934, a circular was issued to all schools drawing attention to the
Board of Education's syllabus of physical instruction for schools, 1933, and explaining
its use.
Mention has been made (page 8, of the advanced provision for physical education
now being included in plans of new and remodelled schools. Formerly the standard
rules for playgrounds merely gave the area of the playground, viz.: 30 square feet
for older children and 16 square feet for infants. This took no account of the shape
of the playground, and it was found that, although the requisite area was provided,
the shape of the playground was often such as to render much of the space useless.
The new standard planning adopted by the Council in 1934 takes into account the
lay-out of the playground as well as its area. The new standard is: shape to permit