View report page

10
or treatment in a special hospital may be necessary. During the year 1920, 162 children were referred
as unsuitable for attendance at an ordinary elementary school and 103 of them were examined. 41
were found to be physically defective, 28 mentally defective, 11 dull and backward, 9 epileptic,
6 blind, 6 deaf and 2 normal. 59 were awaiting examination at the end of the year.
Leinster Road Mentally Defective Day School.-—This is the only day school provided
in Willesden for mentally defective children since Leopold Road M.D. School was closed in 1917.
The certified accommodation is for 100 children, the average number on the roll being 87. The
Staff consists of one Head Teacher, three Assistant Teachers, and one Blind Teacher, who gives
special instruction in blind methods. The progress made by the children during the year has, with
few exceptions, been satisfactory. During the year 1920, four children were notified to the Middlesex
County Council as being incapable of benefiting by further instruction in a special day school and
were excluded from further attendance to await transfer to a special institution, and two cases due
to leave on reaching 16 years of age were also referred for institutional care. Instruction is given
by the Blind Teacher in Braille methods and special manual work to certain children with progressive
eye disease and a few exceptional cases. Three cases of letter blindness are showing definite improvement
after Braille instruction. Many of the children attending this school reach a certain mental
age in school attainments, but show no further progress with prolonged teaching. These children
are still capable of benefiting by practical instruction and becoming more skilful in occupational
work. It is therefore satisfactory to note that the scope of the manual work done here, which during
the war was very restricted, has been extended during 1920. More specialised work in manual and
occupational trades, however, should be undertaken so that the boys and girls unable to compete
mentally with normal children, may be given a better opportunity oj: becoming proficient in some
trade or work likely to be of use to them, and so enable them to become self-supporting citizens after
leaving school. The school is visited each week by one of the Medical Officers for the re-examination
of selected cases, each child in the school being examined once during the year and a report made
as to its progress. During the year 1920, 84 mentally defective children were re-examined.
Furness Road Physically Defective Day School.—This was the only school in Willesden
for cripple children until 13th December, 1920, when Leopold Road Physically Defective Day School
was opened. Furness Road is certified for 60 children. The work and health of the children during
the year has been satisfactory, but under improved conditions, better results could be obtained
both physically and educationally. The accommodation at this school, which would not be considered
good for normal children, is poor for physically defective children who, in the majority of
cases, have been semi-invalids up to the time of admission to school, and who are consequently of
inferior physique and have less stamina than the average normal child. Games, exercises and outdoor
occupations likely to be beneficial to them cannot be undertaken owing to lack of suitable recreation
ground. The best results, both mentally and physically, can only be expected from these children
when they are suitably fed and educated under open-air conditions in surroundings which will give
them all the requirements essential for a healthy life. Better facilities are urgently required foi
the teaching of handicraft work to both boys and girls whose choice of employment on leaving school
is limited owing to their physical defect. The school is visited every fortnight by one of the Medical
Officers for the re-examination of selected cases, each child being examined at least once during
the year. 105 children were re-examined during 1920, and the parents notified in all cases where
defects were found requiring attention.
Leopold Road Physically Defective Day School.—Owing to the number of physically
defective children in Willesden for whom no accommodation could be found at the Furness Road
Physically Defective School, the Education Committee decided to utilise the Leopold Road Special
School which had been in disuse since 1917 as a second school for physically defective children. Consent
was given to the repairs and alterations required to make the building suitable for cripple children.
The school consists of two large classrooms, and is certified to accommodate 40 children, but arrangements
could only be made to admit 20 children when the school was opened on 13th December,
1920, owing to lack of available ambulance transport to convey the children to school. In order
to convey these children to Leopold Road Physically Defective School, an extra journey is made by
one of the school ambulances after the children have been carried to Furness Road Physically Defective
School. This of necessity means that the school is unable to commence the morning session
until 10.45 a.m. and the afternoon session does not close until 4.30 p.m. As there is only one teacher
attached to the school, it has been necessary for teaching purposes to admit only children up to 7 or
8 years of age, older children with a prior claim being passed over to await a vacancy at Furness
Road Physically Defective School. The appointment of a second teacher is dependent upon an
improved ambulance service, and until this is provided, no further use can be made of the accommodation
available. A trained nurse, who is also a certified masseuse, has been appointed as nurse ambulance
attendant, and is responsible for the physical care of the children during school hours. When
specially ordered by the Medical Officer who visits the school every fortnight, massage is given
regularly to certain cases, and absence from school to attend Hospitals for this form of treatment
is thus avoided.
Open-Air Education.—A Sub-Committee was appointed by the Children's Care Committee
during the year to visit various Open Air Schools. This Sub-Committee issued an exhaustive report,
which appears in appendix G of this report. The education of the Physically Defective child is now
a compulsory duty of the Education Authority, and the recommendations of the Children's Care
Committee were as follows :—
(a) That a day open air school to accommodate 240 physically defective children be
established in Willesden.