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81
children were sent to Folkestone, Weston-Super-Mare, and to 20
other places in Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Wiltshire, Somerset,
Warwickshire, Gloucestershire and Norfolk. The cost of sending
a child away for a fortnight is approximately 80s. and the average
amount paid by the parents of these children was 8s. 9d. Only
one child paid the full amount.
The ages of the children varied from 7-14 and it is gratifying
to have to report that the Country correspondents of the Society
have reported excellent conduct of the part of the children, and
in several instances they were spoken of as "an exceptionally nice
set of children." That the children benefited by the holiday is
the unanimous opinion of the Head Teacher of all the schools concerned.
A day in the country often is not of benefit to the children
concerned as the exhaustion of the excitement and long hours far
outweighs the benefit of a breath of sea or country air, and it is
the opinion of the Holiday Fund that a month is too long for any
but delicate children and there is a tendency to get bored and tiresome
towards the end of the time. A fortnight, however, sends the children
back refreshed and exhilarated from their holiday, and the effects
of healthy surroundings,good food and change of air should enable
these children to face the coming winter with more hope of good
health through the cold and sunless weather.
The Country Holidays Fund is most particular about the
cleanliness and freedom from infection of the children who are
sent away. Each child must be medically examined a few days
before going away and each child must be examined for uncleanliness
at least 3 times before departure.
This meant 882 examinations, but in reality nearly 1000
were seen by the school nurses, as those who were found to be unclean
had to be examined again and again until they could be certfied
as clean and allowed to go on holiday. Several of these childten
were not only examined by one of the school nurses, but actually
cleansed by her, so that they should not lose their holiday through
the carelessness or incompetence of their home guardians.
The organisation and carrying out of these 294 holidays
meant a very great deal of work. Miss Stevens, by whose enterprise
and thought, the whole scheme was made possible, acted as
local Secretary and the children of Acton who enjoyed a holiday
last summer have her to thank, for without her no such scheme would
be in existence and without the enormous amount of work she
voluntarily did for it, the arrangements of these holidays would not
have proceeded, as they did, without a hitch.