London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

View report page

Croydon 1926

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Croydon]

This page requires JavaScript

370
the care of the orthopaedic surgeon. During 1926, 9 children
were sent to Pyrford, and 11 were admitted to the Croydon
General Hospital.
D.—Orthopaedic Apparatus.
Splints and other apparatus are provided, with appropriate
contributions, complete or in part, by parents, on the recommendation
of the orthopedic surgeon.
E.—Education.
Through its school of 40 places for physically defective
children, in Winterbourne Road, the Education Commmittee is
able to provide for many of these crippled children a type of education
more nearly suited to their needs and capacities than that in
the ordinary school, while the provision of a mid-day meal and the
facilities for open-air work during the summer are clearly to the
benefit of the children. The comments made in a later paragraph,
in regard to the dull and backward child, apply with force to the
crippled child; and attention to the mental attitude of the crippled
child is a factor of fundamental importance in dealing with the
vital effect of the crippling on his character.
OPEN-AIR EDUCATION.
(a) Playground Classes.
A playground class was held during the summer months at
the Infants' Department of the Woodside School, some 30
children selected from those with some physical disability receiving
instruction in a shed in the playground.
I need scarcely say how greatly an extension, where possible,
to other schools of similar arrangements would be repaid, both in
the health and in the capacity for education of the delicate child.
(b) School Journeys.
A large number of the Senior Departments take advantage of
Article 44 of the Code to pay visits during school hours to places
of educational interest. These visits are mainly restricted to
places in the locality, e.g., the Aerodrome, Public Library, Whitgift
Almshouses, the Old Palace, and various industrial works.
Permission, however, has been given during the past year for
educational visits to various places of interest outside Croydon,
e.g., the Zoo, London Museum, etc.
125