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104
pupils in attendance at school received a midday meal. Towards
the end of the year the daily average number of meals being
served in all maintained schools and Further Education Institutions
in the Borough was 5,753.
Despite the shortage of labour and materials it is satisfactory
to note that some progress has been made with the Committee's
proposals to provide separate kitchen and dining huts at most
schools in the Borough. A new servery and scullery was built
at Masons Hill School and taken into use in September and a
combined kitchen and dining hut has been erected on the site of
Keston C. of E. School. These buildings were completed in
November. At the end of the year the foundation works for
a kitchen and dining hut at Princes Plain County Modern and
Primary Schools were well under way and it is hoped that before
the end of next year several more huts will have been erected
and taken into use.
NURSERY SCHOOLS.
There are no important changes, extensions or curtailments
to report.
EMPLOYMENT OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PERSONS
80 children (58 boys and 22 girls) were examined by the
School Medical Officers in respect of fitness for employment out
of school hours. Fit certificates were issued in all cases.
JUVENILE DELINQUENCY.
During the year 84 children appeared before the Court; an
increase of 6 over 1946. The prevailing types of offences with
which they were charged were larceny (51) and store-breaking
(11).
PHYSICAL TRAINING.
Report of the Physical Training Organiser.
General.—In recent years there has been a steadily growing
realisation of the importance of physical activity in the education
and development of the children and youth of this country.
The approach to this question in our schools has given rise to
considerable changes in the teaching of physical education which
is now much more in line with the prevailing informal approach
to the teaching of all subjects.
The formal aspect of gymnastics and physical exercises that
has prevailed for so many years is now gradually disappearing
from the teaching of all branches of physical training in the
schools.