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90
Epilepsy.—One case of Epilepsy, that of a girl aged 12, has been
under supervision during the year. This girl was one of tfte f'our
cases reported last year, one of whom has since died from cpilepsy,
the remaining two cases have been free from fits during the year.
SCHOOL FOR MENTALLY DEFECTIVE CHILDREN.
In my Annual Report of last year I reviewed the methods of
dealing with Feeble Minded children in relation to their Education,
and 1 also referred to the formation of "Special Classes" in the
ordinary Elementary Schools for backward and sub-normal children.
A good deal of time and attention was given to this subject by
the Sub-Committee to whom it was referred for investigation, and
as a result of their enquiries the Committee came to the conclusion
that the time was not an opportune one to make any drastic change
in the provisions that were already in force for the education of the
feeble minded.
The Committee were of the opinion that it would be better if
the lower grade cases in the Special Day School were transferred
to Residential Institutions, but owing to the difficulty of getting
children into these institutions, practically all the available places
being filled, they were unable to make a recommendation on these
lines.
The Committee also expressed the view that these lower grade
children were unfitted for special classes in the ordinary schools
and should not mix with the merely dull and backward children.
In the circumstances it was decided to continue the Special Day
School and at the same time to encourage the formation of special
classes in the Elementary Schools for sub-normal and backward
children.
The advantages of such classes were referred to in my las'
Annual Report.