View report page

246
really made good in after life. Childhood is the great growing
period. Nutrition is a subject of fundamental importance and
should always be of concern to parents, doctors and teachers.
There is much ignorance among parents on the subject of
economical and valuable catering, and it is submitted that good
would be done by a course of theoretical and practical instruction
to all scholars in their final vear, on this subject of vital importance.
It cannot be repeated too often that unsuitable, badlychosen
food may cause as much malnutrition as too little food.
A growing child needs fresh food; development will not progress
satisfactorily on a diet of tinned goods, bread and tea.
Table IV. gives the results of an enquiry made to ascertain
the average heights and weights of all children examined at
routine inspection of 1931. The full value of this table will not
be obtained until similar records for ten consecutive years have
been analysed; when this is completed the rate of growth can be
followed, so far as Croydon children are concerned, throughout
school life.