View report page

10
Particularly important is the presence of the parent at the entrant examination,
and that this is recognised by the parents themselves is shown by the fact that no
less than 90. 8 per cent. of parents attended at this time.
Least satisfactory attendances by parents are at the leaving examinations of
boys, when only 31.5 per cent. were present, although 47.9 per cent, attended in
the case of girls. The hatred of boys of this age of being thought to be still attached
to their mothers' apron-strings is well known, and the mothers are, no doubt, sternly
warned off by their adolescent male offspring.
Refusals of parents to submit children for medical inspection are so few in
number as to be almost negligible. During the year 1937, the parents of 41 children
(18 boys, 23 girls), being 17 less than in 1936, refused to allow them to be examined
by one of the Council's assistant medical officers. Six objections were subsequently
withdrawn, and in 9 instances medical record cards were completed by a private
medical practitioner.
Children
referred for
treatment
The number of children in the three prescribed age groups who were referred
for treatment for defects other than malnutrition, uncleanliness and dental disease
was 20,119, or 15.3 per cent. This number does not include those who were at the
time of inspection undergoing treatment.
For the convenience of workers engaged in following-up the children found
defective, an easily recognisable sign was originally used to indicate those who were
in need of treatment and were not getting it. It was a signal for action.
When the Board of Education asked that children suffering from defects requiring
treatment should be separately stated, the fact that all records of children
referred for treatment were already so marked seemed to give a ready means of
complying with the Board's desire.
The Board has, however, now intimated that they desired that all children
under treatment should be included with those referred for treatment, since that is
the practice of other authorities, and this will in future be done. Consequently,
the percentage of 15.3 which has been almost a constant for some years, may be
exceeded in future returns.
The analysis immediately following in accordance with the practice of preceding
years is confined to the three "statutory" age groups, viz.: entrants, intermediates
(age 7), and children aged 11. The health of the leaving children will be
separately considered afterwards.
The state of
nutrition of
the children
The nutritional state of the children has been well maintained. The returns
made from reports of school medical inspections show no significant alteration from
those of the previous year.
In view of the importance now attached to nutritional surveys, the figures will
be set out and discussed in a later section of this report devoted wholly to a consideration
of this and cognate conditions (p. 18).
Cleanliness
Personal hygiene is the second of three great indices—nutrition, cleanliness,
clothing—by which social conditions and their improvement can be assessed.
In 1937 the percentage of children in the three prescribed age groups found free
from traces of nits or pediculi in the hair at routine medical inspection was 97.4,
being identical with that in the previous-year, and compared with 97.0 in 1935. For
some years past the condition of the hair of the 12-year-old girls has been taken as the
criterion of cleanliness, and it has been pointed out that there has been a gradual
improvement from 67.2 per cent. free from all traces of vermin in 1913 to 75 per cent.
in 1923, 91.9 per cent. in 1930, and 93.5 per cent. in 1931. This figure was still further
improved in 1932, when the high level of 95.8 per cent, was obtained.
In the year 1934 the percentage of 11-year-old girls (who now take the place of
the 12-year-old group) entirely free from vermin was 94.8. This percentage was
raised to 95.1 in 1935, 95.7 in 1936; and 96.1 in 1937, thus establishing a new high
record.