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be forgotton that many of the children come from poor homes
where the conditions do not make for cleanliness, so that it is
absolutely necessary that the missionary work should be begun
at school. Lessons on the care of the teeth must, of course,
in order to be effective, be supplemented by the use of the
tooth-brush in the home, but I am afraid it is often neglected.
We still seem to have a large number of mouth-breathers
among the children, and wherever possible I have impressed
upon the parents that such a condition is very probably the
result of nasal obstruction of some sort. The careful teaching
of physical exercises in the schools must have an effect on the
children in improving their carriage and physique, and
thereby inducing them to take a more wholesome view of life.
As in previous years, I have pleasure in submitting the
following comments on the various headings in Schedules B
and C, which are appended to this report:—
CLOTHING AND FOOTGEAR.
The general appearance of the children in the various
schools has been on the whole very satisfactory. Naturally
one comes across individual cases of insufficient clothing and
faulty footgear. In many of these cases the children come
from poor homes, the parents not being in a position to obtain
the necessary clothing. In a few cases the general untidy
condition has been due to neglect of the parents to give the
necessary attention required, particularly ae regards the
mending of the clothes. Some parents also dress their children
in an unsuitable manner without proper regard to the
climatic conditions which prevail at the time. Every effort
is made by the Teachers to see that the children come to
school clean and properly clad, and special attention is given
to see that the footgear is sufficient. Some of the schools have
a fund whereby they are able to supply boots in necessitous
eases, but it is pleasing to note that suoh funds have not been
much called upon during the past year.