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98
"and child, and the expense to the rates of maintaining such
" schools is very small, the lessons given to such children should
" not be of a "formal character, but that the aim of the teacher
" should be to utilise and direct natural tendencies and activities
" rather than to impart definite instruction in any of the subjects
" taught to older children."
The Sub-Committee therefore recommend:—
" (i) That children under five be only admitted to those
schools where a properly equipped baby-room is provided
and only to the extent of the accommodation of such room
" (2) That in schools where a suitable room is available,
baby-rooms, arranged and furnished as at Ingram Road
be provided.
" (3) That the Attendance and School Accommodation
Sub-Committee be authorised to refuse admission to
children under four or under five in any school.
" (4) That in certain schools the experiment be tried of
admitting children under five as half-time scholars for
morning only and afternoon only.
"(5) That no children at present in the schools be
excluded, and that the proposed alterations to the rooms
be made in the next summer holidays.
" (6) That in these recommendations, and in all
questions arising under any regulations adopted in
pursuance of them, the term ' under five' shall be taken to
mean ' under five at the end of the current school term.' "
Recommendation (1) will, if strictly adhered to, remove, to
some extent, the objection as to overcrowding, and the decision to
abandon any attempt to impart formal instruction to the babies
will remove another objection.
'$9 Recommendation (4) obviates the difficulty as to sleep. In
schools where half-time is not tried an afternoon's nap should find
its place in the time-table. One of the teachers has already told me
that she intends trying this.
I would also add that the Council's decision to continue the
baby classes makes it imperative that Article 101* should be
re-instated in the Code, so 'that young infants may be excluded
from school without affecting the grant-earning power of the
department.