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officers, the information so acquired being passed to the school
medical officer, when any subsequent arrangements necessary for
the child's disposal are made.
Arrangements exist whereby exceptional children may. if
necessary, attend non-residential certified schools or classes outside
the district, and 7 deaf and dumb children so attended at Frederick
Road Centre, Custom House, during the year.
The number of blind and deaf children maintained at residential
institutions during the year was 2. The number of blind and deaf
children in this district is insufficient to justify the provision of
special classes for these defects locally.
The number of known epileptics of all grades is 13. Unless
the defect is of quite a minor character (when the child may attend
an ordinary elementary school), epileptic children can only be
satisfactorily educated in special residential schools or colonies.
Where epilepsy is combined with mental defect, the disposal of such
cases is difficult, since few institutions throughout the country
are prepared to receive them.
The question of mentally sub-normal and mentally and
physically defective children was considered at length in my predecessor's
Report for 1924.
During the year, suspected mentally sub-normal and backward
children were referred from various elementary schools to a temporary
class at the Special School, and subsequently after a few months'
observation submitted for more detailed examination by the
School Medical Officer. During the year 8 such children came
before the School Medical Officer, out of which number, and including
those whose period of observation expired during the year, 6 were
certified mentally deficient, and arrangements made for their
admission to the special class for such children.
Mentally Defective Children.—9 children were examined as to
their mental condition during the year, all of whom were certified
educable and arrangements made for their admission to the special
class.