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The following year's annual report gave some details of the size of the problem and a
first classification of the disorders:
Total Boys Girls
Stammering 625 473 152
Other defect of speech 1,939 1,135 804
The children were grouped by ages (infants, intermediates and leavers) and it was noticed
that in both sexes stammering was most frequently found in the oldest age group, leavers
(0.88 per cent. boys and 0.24 per cent. girls). The number of children recommended for
treatment for stammering was 14 boys and five girls and for treatment for other defects
25 boys and 14 girls. A note in the 1913 annual report states that seven children seen by
the otologist were physically defective, 'mostly cases of cleft palate requiring lessons in
articulation'. The need for some special provision for these children was being made clear
and by 1914 plans began to take shape. Much thought was being given to the question
at this time and the following extract from the 1914 annual report is a summary of the
state of affairs then:
'From time to time attention has been drawn to the need for special educational
treatment for children suffering from stammering and schemes have been drawn up for
the opening of experimental classes, but up to the present none of the schemes has reached
maturity.'
The first advance came in this year when the Council arranged for students in training
colleges to have some teaching in the theory and practice of speech. It was St. Thomas'
hospital which made the first practical advance in the field of speech therapy for schoolchildren,
for at this time the hospital' established a speech clinic for the treatment of schoolchildren
suffering from defective speech, including stammering, post adenoid conditions,
respiratory defects and general nervous conditions'. This clinic was conducted by Miss
Fogerty. The number of children reported as stammering was 559 and the proportion of
boys to girls was about three to one (419 boys and 140 girls).
Cautious experiment—In the latter part of 1915 the Council decided to add articulation
for stammerers to the list of subjects which might be taught in evening classes and two
classes were opened in the autumn term. These two classes for adult stammerers, taken
by teachers of the deaf using oral methods, proved to be successful and it was decided
that they should be kept going, but as a result of the experience gained it was thought
that more effective work would be done if treatment were started at an earlier age. A
suggestion was made that one or two visiting teachers should be appointed to attend in
each district once or twice a week and give instruction to children who would attend at an
elementary school in the district; this would be in addition to the clinic at St. Thomas'
hospital which continued to treat schoolchildren.
A survey of leavers from the ordinary schools was made in 1916. This showed that
0.5 per cent. of boy leavers stammered and 0.5 per cent. had other defects of speech;
in girls 0.2 per cent. stammered and 0.4 per cent. had other defects of speech. Speech
defects were noted as being more common amongst the children in the special schools
for the 'mentally defective', 4.5 per cent. of whom had some defect of articulation.
First development—Arrangements were made in 1917 for an experimental class in
remedial exercises for stammering children from elementary schools. This class was
conducted under the auspices of the Westminster Health Society. The class was very
successful and was continued, with growing success, in 1918. As a result of this class the
Council decided in 1919 to start a number of classes itself. It was estimated that about
1,000 children would need treatment in the proportion of three boys to one girl. Teachers
were asked to report on the nature of the speech disorder and to classify each case as
acute, moderate, or slight; 914 children were notified, 682 boys and 232 girls. The age
distribution is of interest:
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