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Included in the number receiving milk were certain
children to whom it was supplied at the cost of the
Education Committee. The Education Committee do not
provide what are usually called meals but provide milk for
school children under vSections 82—85 of the Education
Act in suitable cases where the family circumstances are poor.
The suitability of the case is judged according to Circular 1437
of the Board of Education in which it states that the powers of
the Local Education Authority "are governed by Section 84
of the Education Act which only contemplates the provision of
free meals (including milk) for children who are unable by reason
of lack of food to take advantage of the education provided for
them," and further, that "the Board consider that the selection
of children for free meals should be made by a system of medical
.selection by the Authority's Medical Officers and for this purpose
they would regard it as proper that children should be selected
who show any symptoms, however slight, of subnormal nutrition."This Circular was further explained by Circular 1443 of the Board
which states that in their view "provision may properly be made
for any child who shows symptoms, whether educational or physical,
however slight. "The latter circular, while still placing the responsibility
on the medical officers of selecting the children to have
free meals (including milk), rendered their task easier since it
allowed them, in the absence of physical signs, to have recourse
to the reports of the teachers on the educational evidence of subnormal
nutrition.
The number of children supplied with milk under Sections
82—85 of the Education Act, 1921, during the year was as follows :
Number of children for whom a supply of milk was
approved, 1st January, 1935 896
Number of children for whom a supply of milk was
approved, 31st December, 1935 986
Daily average number of children who received a supply
of milk 825
Total number of bottles of milk supplied 167,441
Cost of milk supplied £349