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95
Treatment.
It is obvious that with the various classes and sub-classes of the foregoing classes of abnormal
child, different forms of treatment are required. In fact each individual child must be considered
from a scholastic, social and medical point of view before any decision can be made. Moreover,
treatment must vary from time to time as a child progresses or proves to be unsuitable for the treatment
originally recommended.
The backward child of normal intelligence and average health requires special attention in the
subjects in which he is specially backward. The backward child who is in poor health requires, in
the first place, to receive the appropriate medical or dental treatment, special attention being paid to
eye and ear, nose or throat conditions, and then perhaps he ought to be sent to an open-air school.
The dull child requires special tuition in a small class and certain children who are mentally
defective within the meaning of the Education Act, 1921, could also be admitted to these classes.
Children who are mentally defective within the meaning of the Mental Deficiency Act, 1913,
and a certain proportion of those who are mentally defective within the meaning of the Education
Act, 1921, must go to a special school, where the curriculum is specially adapted to meet the particular
requirements of these children.
Provision to be Made.
Having regard to the foregoing and the difficulties of certifying a child as educationally backward
by reason of mental defect it would appear desirable to retain one school for the lowest grade of
educable feeble-mindedness, that is to say, for the children who are definitely certifiable mentally
deficient within the meaning of the Mental Deficiency Act, 1913. All other cases might be sent to
classes for dull and backward children to be established in Willesden. Such classes would require
to serve groups of schools and should be distributed over Willesden at suitable centres. Already a
class for dull and backward children has been established at Lower Place School to meet the needs of
that area, and an extension of this principle would appear to be desirable. The exact schools and
centres at which dull and backward classes might be established is a matter primarily for the Education
Officer. If such classes were established those children who in the opinion of the teachers at ordinary
schools appeared to be mentally defective would first be drafted to the dull and backward classes and,
if necessary, be referred subsequently to the Medical Officer for possible transference to the mentally
defective class, by the teachers of those dull and backward classes after they had knowledge of the
child's capacity.
Addendum.
It will be observed that in the foregoing statement I have indicated that in order to be able to
enforce the attendance of a child at a special class or school the Certifying Officer has to certify that
this is necessary by "reason of mental defect," and the crux of the question is as to what is" mental
defect " ?
In this connection I beg to submit correspondence with Mr. Wood of the Board of Education
which states the unofficial view of the Board.
GEORGE F. BUCHAN,
Medical Officer of Health.
To be presented to the Children's Care Committee on 9th September, 1925.
Board of Education,
Medical Branch,
54, Victoria Street,
London, S.W. 1.
31st July, 1925.
Dear Dr. Buchan,
I have been reading your Report for 1924, and am rather puzzled by the three paragraphs on
top of page 9. So far as I understand them your argument is, that a child may be mentally defective
within the meaning of Section 55 of the Education Act, 1921, but that it cannot be sent to a Special
School or class for defective children unless it also can be certified as being feeble-minded within the
meaning of Section 1 (c) of the Mental Deficiency Act, 1913. If this is what you mean, surely you must
be under some misapprehension. If a child is mentally defective within the meaning of the Education
Act you can quite clearly certify it as mentally defective and send it to a Special School, quite regardless
of anything in the Mental Deficiency Act.
I am not writing this merely with a view to criticising your report, but rather to remove the
misunderstanding which, if I understand it right, is preventing you from dealing with some of your
mentally defective children in the way that you would wish to. If I have not understood your report
correctly or there is some difficulty which I have overlooked, please let me know.
Yours sincerely,
(Signed) A. H. WOOD.