View report page

70
Schools. The others attend the ordinary school, where they make
more or less progress depending on their mental capacity and the
attention or particular care which the teachers are able to devote
to them in the class with normal children.
Perhaps the total number stated, 28, is too low an estimate
of the elementary school children who should be specially cared for
on account of their feeble-minded condition. The number depends
much on the observer who is apt, when no special provision is made
for the education of such children, to classify as border-line cases
those who might otherwise be classified as feeble-minded. A
definite classification however is not essential under the present
circumstances for all border-line children are kept under medical
supervision in the same way as feeble-minded children, and are
specially examined each year to ascertain their mental progress.
The question of the special education of feeble-minded children
was considered by the Education Committee on account of the
offer by the Acton Education Committee to accept a certain number
of defective children from Ealing into their Special School. A
report on the subject was submitted to the Education Committee
as a result of which it was decided to adopt the principle of establishing
Craft Classes as recommended in the Report. The Report was
as follows:—
REPORT TO THE EDUCATION GENERAL PURPOSES SUB-COMMITTEE.
Mentally Defective Children.
In view of the offer of the Acton Education Committee to accept
ten children from Ealing into their school for mentally defective children,
it seems desirable that the Committee should have in writing not only a
short account of what is at present the exact procedure in Ealing with
regard to mentally defective children, but also my suggestions for dealing
with the education of those who still remain in our schools and are not
receiving any special education.
A complete record is kept of all mentally defective children who
would, if they were normal, attend a public elementary school. The
head-teachers inform me at once of any suspected mentally defective
children who are admitted, and the school attendance officers bring to
my notice any children over 5 years of age who are suspected of being
mentally defective and who are not attending school. All these children
are specially examined as soon after as possible.
In addition to these children, all who are backward at school to
the extent of two or more years are examined to determine if they are
mentally defective.