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8
Washing
facilities
Among the amenities which are being introduced under the new standard
planning in schools for older children are gymnasia completely equipped and provided
with changing rooms supplied with shower baths. This provision brings in
train a greater amount of ablution. It necessarily follows that additional provision
of towels is required.
In the course of a survey reported in the Annual Report for 1936 (Vol. III, Part
II, p. 8), I referred to the experimental use in course of trial of paper towelling in
schools. Thirty-two head teachers have made this experiment and their opinion of
the suitability of paper towelling for general use in school is practically evenly divided
for and against.
Paper towels are far more hygienic than are the roller towels hitherto in general
use. There are, however, disadvantages in their use: (i) high cost, in spite of saving
on laundry expenses; (ii) difficulty of storage; (iii) difficulty of disposal of used
towels ; (iv) interference with drainage of basics by accumulation of wet pulp; and
(v) especially in cold weather, the difficulty of drying the skin thoroughly.
Although paper towels are not very suitable on the above grounds for universal
use, it should be possible for them to be requisitioned for occasional purposes such
as use by the visiting staff of the school medical service.
Another experiment is being made at some schools with small linen towels
prepared for the use of individual children. The towelling, 18 inches wide, is supplied
in long lengths, and the head teachers obtain the co-operation of the children's
mothers in making the towels, and in having each towel washed weekly.
At one school where this is being done, the school doctor reports:—
The scheme for supplying each child with an individual towel is working well. The parents
readily co-operate in washing the towels, and the majority are presented cleanly washed every
Monday morning, apart from a few stragglers who bring their towels on Tuesday. The children
are very enthusiastic and the general standard of hand cleanliness has been raised considerably.
It is considered that the provision of individual towels, with the co-operation
of parents in making and washing them, gives the best promise of a solution of the
towel difficulty.
It has been decided that paper towels for occasional use, such as by school
doctors, dentists and nurses, should be added to the school requisition list, and
that as an experiment for one year towelling for individual towels, soap, and
hooks for hanging individual towels should be supplied to the public elementary
schools.
Paper handkerchiefs
An experimental issue of paper handkerchiefs was made to six infants' schools.
The head teachers reported that the result was successful. The school doctors also
carefully watched the experiment and their reports were uniformly favourable.
The disposal of used handkerchiefs, which threatened to be difficult, was solved
by the issue of large paper bags in which the soiled handkerchiefs were placed, container
and contents being burned by the schoolkeeper at the end of each session or
day.
A fear that the issue of paper handkerchiefs would deter pupils from bringing
their own proved to be unfounded; one head teacher reported that it proved an incentive
rather than a deterrent.
The Education Committee has, as a result of this experience, approved in principle
the inclusion of paper handkerchiefs and container bags in the requisition list.
Medical inspection
The foundation of the medical work in the schools continues to be the periodical
examination of the children in certain age groups prescribed by the Board of Education.
By agreement with the Board, so far as London is concerned, the age groups
selected are four. These are (1) all children on first entrance to school, (2) all
children in their eighth year, (3) all children in their twelfth year, and (4) all children
in the term before that in which they normally leave school. Elsewhere in the
country generally the age groups, as prescribed by the Board, are three, viz., entrants,
children aged 8 and children aged 12.