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103
I always like to see the teachers interested on this point. In
children the relation between the three factors—age, height
and weight—is of more importance than merely considering
any two of them, in fact, no proper conclusion can be arrived
at otherwise. Table I. will be found of very great interest in
this connection, as side by side with the figures referring to
Finchley children I have placed the averages which were
obtained by Drs. Glegg and Tuxford from actual figures supplied
by School Medical Officers relating to over half-a-million
school children. They also extracted the figures so as to get
averages for Urban and Rural Districts, and also for
different areas, and they are to be congratulated upon such
a useful piece of work. All the children were weighed under
the same conditions, and a very reliable standard has beep
obtained. It is particularly interesting to observe that
Finchley children of all ages are in almost every instance
taller and heavier than the average, and although Drs. Glegg
and Tuxford show that the children in the Southern Counties
are also heavier than the average, the Finchley children are
appreciably higher than even these. The numbers of Finchley
children from which averages are taken are, of course, few,
but in future it will be possible to compare increasing numbers
each year.
From all the above considerations I am strengthened in
the belief that the general nutrition and physique of the
Finchley children is good. I attach great importance to the
excellent teaching of cookery and the comparative value of
foods which is now included in the school curriculum. The
table showing the comparative heights and weights of school
children in different areas of England is so interesting that I
have obtained Dr. Glegg's kind permission to reproduce it.
General Defects Discovered.
Table III. sets out the number of children examined in
the course of routine inspection in the various schools and
departments, and the number of children found with certain