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As was mentioned in last year's report, the experiment was tried of
continuing free meals during the holidays. The attendance at the
Centres was good and justified their being kept open. It was felt
that if the meals were omitted during the holiday the children
would return to school less fit to benefit by their education.
The nutrition of the school population of Acton is not bad
as a whole, and in many cases is excellent. Classification of the
nutrition of children depends on what is taken as a standard. If
nothing short of perfection is accepted, then possibly, very few
would pass as perfect, for even in an otherwise nearly perfect
child, it is frequently found that some teeth are defective. It is
perhaps fairer to take the norm for the district and school and
work from that in a classification. It is the aim always to raise
the standard, and it is felt that a greater use of protective foods
in infancy and childhood in the future, should do much to make
perfection of physique a commonplace.
CHILDREN'S COUNTRY HOLIDAYS.
The number of Acton children who have the untiring and
unselfish energy of Miss Stevens, Head Mistress of Berrymede Infant
School, to thank for a country holiday, rises each year. In 1037.
387 holidays were arranged, 210 for boys and 177 for girls. 11
children stayed away for a month, the rest for two weeks.
Owing to expenditure having far exceeded income in 1936,
it was found necessary by the Headquarters of the Children's
Country Holiday Fund, to reduce their grants to local committees.
Acton therefore received railway fares plus £142 only in 1937, as
against £185 in 1936. With parents' contributions this was enough
to send away 270 children only, 100 fewer than in 1936.
As a larger number than ever of applications for holiday's
had been received, great anxiety was felt by the local Committee
as to which children would have to be refused. The Mayor of