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300
1 girl; Barclay Blind School, Brighton, 2 girls; Abbotskerswell,
Devon, 1 boy.
St. Luke's Special School For Partially Sighted Children.
At the end of the year there were 33 children in attendance.
Of these, 25 were cases of myopia, 7 were non-myopes, and 1 had
myopia combined with other ocular defect.
The curriculum is that usually laid down for the myope and
the partially sighted, respectively, but is under constant review,
and changes are introduced according to experience. Both boys
and girls have attended domestic science classes, and the system
of mixing the children with those in the ordinary elementary school
for certain lessons, has been continued. Again physical exercises,
suitably restricted for certain children, are in regular use, with a
noticeable improvement in carriage and posture.
Nominally the myopes leave school at 14 years of age, and
the others at 16, but no strict rule can be enforced, and much
depends on the type of cases and the earning capacity. The Head
Teacher is alive to the need for supervision in the selection of jobs
and for after-care, but this is often difficult, especially with the
dull child from a poor home. The subsequent ophthalmic supervision
of the children is assisted by the circumstance that the
Ophthalmic Surgeon to the School is also the Ophthalmic Surgeon
attached to the Mayday and Croydon General Hospitals.
The erection of new permanent premises on the existing site,
consisting of a Hall, two classrooms, staffroom and medical inspection
room, was commenced in December last, and it is anticipated
that they will be ready for occupation by the Whitsun Vacation,
1937. Temporary accommodation is being afforded in the Technical
School, Thornton Heath.
Deaf Children.
Nine boys and 7 girls are resident at special schools for the
deaf; 1 boy attends a special day school. The institutions which
these children attend are: Royal School for the Deaf, Margate, 8
boys and 7 girls; Balham L.C.C. Day (Deaf) School, 1 boy, at
Hearnville Road ; Anerley Deaf School, 1 boy.
Epileptic Children.
Three boys and 2 girls are resident at the Lingfield Epileptic
Colony.