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classified as "feeble minded" are educable to a greater or less degree. In
cases where the Certifying Officer reports that a child is ineducable on
account of idiocy or imbecility, his report should be sent to the Board of
Education and not notified to the Local Authority until a reply is received
from the Board.
Under section 68 of the Act the Regulations are binding on all local
education authorities; they refer to notification only, whilst "the model
arrangements" are intended for the guidance of these authorities.
Doubtful cases may be tested by a term in a special school, preferably
residential, to ascertain if they are educable or not, or whether they are a source
of moral danger to the other children.
In cases of blind or deaf children, it is advised that the Certifying Officer
obtain the opinion of specialists in cases of an intricate nature.
Besides formal notification under section 2 (2) of the Act, it is suggested
that the County Council should be notified of cases under the age of 7 years.
REMARKS AS TO THE WORKING OF THE ACT.
So the work of the Education Committee that was formerly optional under
the Act of 1899 is now compulsory. Thus the Education Committee must
make arrangements for ascertaining what children in their area are defective;
they must ascertain what children are incapable of receiving benefit, or further
benefit, from instruction in special schools or classes. They must notify the
latter children to the County Council as well as those children who are about to
be withdrawn from special schools or classes on account of age limit.
NOTE.—The Act, however, does not impose 011 the education authority
the duty of providing for the education of children who are capable of being
educated in special schools or classes.
The Education Committee of Edmonton have so far not made any arrangements
for the education of these children, and I can only repeat what has been
said in previous annual reports of your School Medical Officer, that it is highly
desirable for the sake of the children themselves, and for the sake of other
children alongside whom they now have to be educated (as far as is possible) in
an ordinary elementary school, that the Education Committee should consider
the Question of providing special schools, either alone or in combination with the
County Council.
At date of writing it is estimated that there are in this district 34 boys and
14 girls who are considered to be mentally defective attending our schools, and
six boys and two girls not attending school.