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Cleanliness in the Schools.—Cleanliness inspections were carried out in the schools on 1,074
occasions during the year 1921, the average number of visits paid to each school by the Health Visitors
being 34, and the number of examinations made being 46,010.
Approximately 24,152 individual children were examined and 3,537 individual children, or
14.6 per cent. were found to be nitty or verminous.
The cleanliness inspections held at the schools bring to the notice of the Health Visitor many
cases which would otherwise not be reported, and are the chief sources of information as to the cleanly
or uncleanly condition of the children. They also enable the Health Nurse to keep in touch with
cases requiring constant supervision, and more co-operation is received from parents in their endeavour
to keep the children free from nits and vermin when they realise that by these weekly inspections,
neglect on their part results in a warning notice, and may terminate in prosecution if a certain standard
of cleanliness is not maintained.
Co-operation of Parents, Teachers and Attendance Officers.—As the Teachers, School
Attendance Officers and Health Visitors are all closely interested in the welfare of the school child
on educational and health grounds, the complete co-ordination of these three factors is essential in
any scheme organised for the future benefit of school children, and only with their mutual co-ordination
can the best results be obtained with the minimum expenditure of labour.
To a great extent, the Health Visitors rely on information supplied by the Teachers and School
Attendance Officers, and by visiting the school departments weekly they are able to keep in close touch
with conditions in school children, relative to health. They are then able to carry out their part of
of the scheme by visiting the homes, interviewing parents and explaining what conditions required
attention, how such attention can be obtained, and advocating the need of medical advice when the
condition warrants.
The co-operation of the parent is probably the most important link in the chain, as without
this practically no remedial measures would result. No scheme of work undertaken for the physical
welfare of school children can be in any way perfect, which deals solely with the compilation of numerical
defects and fails to procure the necessary treatment by which the child benefits.
As a result of educational progress in health matters on the part of the parent, advancement
has been made since 1914 in the co-operation given by them in reporting defective conditions to the
School Medical Officer, and also in obtaining the appropriate treatment for conditions when notified
of the fact.
During 1921, 38 per cent. of the cases referred to the School Medical Officers were so referred
by parents as compared with 3 per cent. in the year 1914.
Abnormal Children.—All children thought to be abnormal either as regards their mental
or physical condition, and who appear unsuitable to attend an ordinary elementary school, are
referred to the School Medical Officer for special consideration. Information regarding these children
is received from Head Teachers, Parents, Health Nurses, Attendance Officers, Private Medical
Practitioners, Voluntary Societies, other Local Authorities and Hospitals. Cases so referred are
submitted to a special examination and recommendations are made to the Education Committee
as to the best method of dealing with each case, according to the abnormality found. Instruction
in a special day school or residential institution may be considered advisable or surgical appliances
or treatment in a special hospital may be necessary.
During the year 1921,163 children were referred for special examination, and 115 were examined,
66 were found to be physically defective, 27 mentally defective, 3 blind, 3 deaf, 4 epileptic, 6 normal,
and 6 dull and backward.
Forty-eight were awaiting examination at the end of the year.
Leinster Road Mentally Defective School.—The certified accommodation at this
School is for 100 children, and during the year 1921 the average number on the roll was 87.
As there are 13 mentally defective children at present awaiting admission, full use could be
made of the maximum accommodation if facilities were available for their conveyance to and from
school; but the present School Ambulance service is taxed to the utmost, and no additional children
can be dealt with.
The staff consists of 1 Head Teacher, 4 Assistant Teachers, and 1 Blind Teacher, who gives
special instruction in Braille methods.
The progress made by the children during the year has, with few exceptions, been satisfactory,
the unsatisfactory cases being due to the inability of the children to benefit by further instruction
in a Special School. During the year 4 such cases were referred to the Middlesex County Council
as being ineducable; and 4 cases were also referred who required supervision or guardianship on
leaving school at 16 years of age.
Two children had made sufficient progress to warrant their transference to an Ordinary
Elementary School for their last year, and although backward for their age, favourable reports have
been received of their continued progress.
Instruction is given by the Blind Teacher in Braille methods, and special manual instruction
to two partially blind boys; and, in addition, several exceptional cases who lack co-ordination and
control over their hands, receive constant individual instruction which cannot be given in a Special
School class of 20.
The manual work undertaken has been extended during the year, now that more material
is available. A suitable occupational centre and training department run in conjunction with a
Special School of this description is still very essential.