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in the matter, the Conference will undoubtedly be productive
of good. Already I have received enquiries from three
other Boroughs as to the provision of beds at Peppard
Sanatorium.
School Attendance Medals—Proposed Abolition. I have
frequently had to call attention to the fact that children
attend school when they are suffering from some form of
illness, and that these attendances were to a large extent
the result of the encouragement of the School Authority by
giving medals for regular attendance. The Borough Council
recommended the abolition of this system in 1907.
The Education Committee of the London County Council
has now issued the following report:—
On the 23rd July, 1907, we submitted a report stating
that we had considered on the one hand the abolition
of the system of the award of medals for
regular and punctual attendance of children attending
the Council's schools, and on the other its
retention and extension to non-provided schools,
and had decided to recommend the abolition of
the scheme. The Council on 8th October, 1907,
after considerable discussion, referred back our recommendation
with instructions to report as to
amending the rules, and as to the possibility
of extending the medal system to the non-provided
schools.
Subsequently on 2nd March, 1909, we again reported
on the subject, pointing out the absurdity of the
regulations as they affected absences for infectious
illness and again recommended the abolition of the
medal scheme. The Council on 16th March, 1907,
however, a second time referred our recommendation