View report page

181
(3) Feeble-minded Children.—Feeble-minded children are those
whose mental defectiveness does not amount to imbecility, yet is so
pronounced that they are incapable of receiving proper benefit from
instruction in an ordinary school. The Authority responsible for the
proper instruction of these children is the Ilford Education Authority.
There were (at the end of 1935) 81 such cases under the age of 16
years known to me, of whom 40 are attending public elementary
schools in the district (3 being in Dr. Barnardo's Girls' Village
Homes, Barkingside); 7 attend private schools; 17 are in residential
schools, and 17 are not at school (11 being over 14 years of age).
All mentally defective children are visited at home by the
School Nurses at least once a quarter.
18, 19, 20. Nursery Schools, Secondary and Continuation
Schools.—Vide Annual Report, 1920.
21. Employment of School Children and Young Persons.
—From special inquiries made at the various schools during 1935, it
was found that 170 children were employed out of school hours.
140 children were submitted for medical examination in accordance
with the Byelaws made under Part II of the Children and Young
Persons Act, 1933, with the following result:—
Medically fit 136
The following are the Byelaws which came into force on 1st
February, 1935.
I.-—As to Interpretation of Terms.
Throughout these byelaws the following words and expressions
have the meanings hereinafter respectively assigned to them, namely
(a) the expression child means a person under the age of
14 years, provided that a person who is attending a public
elementary school and who attains the age of 14 years during a
school term shall not be deemed to cease to be a child until the
end of that term ;
(b) a person who assists in a trade or occupation carried on
for profit shall be deemed to be employed notwithstanding that he
receives no reward for his labour;
(c) the expression Local Education Authority means the Local
Education Authority for the purposes of Section 3 (1) of the
Education Act, 1921.
II.-—As to Employment of Children generally.
1. A child under the age of 13 years shall not be employed.