View report page

109
the Education Authority in connection with this, and an account
of the facts and of the proposed remedy will be included in the
report for 1920.
The Committee is also actively interesting itself in the provision
of special classes for mentally defective children, and it is,
therefore, unnecessary to do more than note this need. I would,
however, emphasise the great importance of the establishment of
classes in the ordinary schools for backward children. It has been
universally found throughout the country—and Croydon is no
exception—that in the examination by the medical staff of children
referred for special mental reasons there is a considerable number
of cases where continuous special observation is desirable before a
definite and final conclusion as to the mental grade of the child is
arrived at. At present—with one or two exceptions—there is
nothing between the ordinary school and the school for mentally
defective children. On the one hand, special observation of a
child is exceedingly difficult in the ordinary class, and on the other,
admission of the child to a special class can only be done after
definite certification of mental deficiency. The establishment of
backward classes is, therefore, in my opinion, not only a thing
which will be of very great value from the point of view of the
child involved, but is a really much needed provision.
The physically defective child constitutes the largest group
with which the Medical Staff has to deal, and without forgetting
the need for a very pronounced extension of the existing provision
for treatment (outlined in my special reports on Maternity and
Child Welfare of 5th June and 17th September, 1919) I would
particularly direct the attention of the Committee to the essential
importance of making such provision as (without disturbing the
educational advantages open to the children) will at the same time
provide for them physical conditions antagonistic to the ordinary
illnesses from which so many suffer. Amongst the defects
recorded, for example, are 197 lung conditions—other than tubercle
—anaemias, enlarged glands, bronchial catarrh, enlarged tonsils,
adenoids, pharyngitis, etc.—many of which conditions have their
origin in very simple beginnings such as common colds. The lastnamed
is an infectious disease, and not only common colds, but
practically all of the conditions mentioned will be greatly reduced
in incidence if the public would only realise that open-air conditions
which are used for the cure of many of our worst ills can equally
be used, and to much greater advantage, for the maintenance of
good health and the prevention of the onset of such illnesses. The
Committee cannot too strongly visualise the great boon which
they would confer upon the coming generation if, in a wise