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135
County Borough of East Ham Education Committee
TO THE CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE
EDUCATION COMMITTEE.
Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I have the honour to present the Annual Report on the
School Medical Department of the County Borough of East
Ham, for the year ended 31st December, 1937.
There were 16,208 children on the Elementary School
Roll as compared with 16,660 for the year 1936.
The number of routine and special cases of elementary
school children examined, totalled 9,064, showing an
increase on the previous year of 27. Of this total 3,063
were re-examined at the time of re-inspection in the schools.
A routine medical examination of 700 pupils attending
the Secondary Schools has also been carried out. The
inspection included all scholars at the Grammar School for
Boys, but only the Entrants and those up to the age of
14 years at the Grammar School for Girls: the older girls
will be examined early in the year 1938. This arrangement
was decided upon after careful consideration, and
consultation with the Headmistress, in order to facilitate
fulfilment of the school curriculum.
The marked decrease in the number of defects discovered,
in all age-groups, at routine medical inspection, is
an outstanding feature of the year's work and the percentage
of children found to be in need of treatment is the lowest
recorded. This is a criterion of the excellent work performed
at the Infant Welfare Centres, of the popularity
and efficiency of the School Clinics, and of the increasing
vigilance and care exercised by parents, teachers, nurses
and attendance officers.
A complete survey of the School Medical Department,
in the light of the Administrative Programme of