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School is a very real reason of many parents in refusing to allow
their children to obtain the advantages therein.)
The children in this Centre are all short-sighted or have some
other defect of sight which makes it necessary to take general care
of their eyes, especially while they are growing.
About two-thirds of the children are simply short-sighted,
while the other third suffer from defects due to accident, congenital
causes and scarred eyes, from disease in infancy. All of these,
however, see too well to be provided for in a School for the Blind;
while their weak eyes would be liable to be strained if they were
forced to do ordinary School work.
There are two small classes, under the skilled supervision of a
Lady Teacher and her assistant, and individual attention is given.
Books, pens and pencils are forbidden; large, printed sheets
and blackboards, together with crayons, take their place. Each
child has its own desk and miniature blackboard, and does its
writing at arm's length. The teaching is specialised and interesting,
and it is wonderful how much can be attained.
The class is under the management of the Wood Green Local
Education Authority, but children are received from the neighbouring
Districts of Hornsey (6) and Tottenham (10).
(c) Deaf and Dumb School.
This belongs to the Tottenham Local Education Authority, and
we send 9 boys and 2 girls.
The teaching here is even more intricate than in the Myopic
Class, and depends upon the fact that the children are taught to both
appreciate the sound of the voice by means of lip-reading, and then,
by constant practice, to make sounds required in speech associated
with certain words and things. Great success is attained in time,
but only by continued, personal, and patient training by the
Teachers. It is hard work.
(d) Mentally Defective Children.
I have carefully examined 37 children sent to me as dull and
backward by the Head Teachers of the various Schools, and have
reported thereon. In most cases, it has been found that the retention
in ordinary classes is advisable—that is to say, they are more
likely to fit themselves for life by mixing with ordinary children
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