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140
rity, on the place of the father in the home, discussions on relationships
with girls, on the need (or otherwise) to keep fit and so on,
Once a permissive and sympathetic atmosphere has been created,
the discussion can then be widened to such subjects as nutrition,
budgeting, accidents and other interests embraced under the broad
title of social and preventive medicine. Most teachers already make
some effort to prepare their pupils for their future as adults. The
function of the health department team is to bring in their more
expert knowledge on particular subjects, and so to assist the teacher.
A few schools have asked for supplies of posters and leaflets
on particular topics such as personal hygiene and smoking. There
is no doubt that with encouragement, more head teachers can be
persuaded to display posters of interest to children."
Hygienic Conditions in Schools in the Division. — Mr. S. R. Daly,
Chief Public Health Inspector, reports as follows: —
"The sanitary arrangements at the various schools throughout
the Borough have been under constant supervision by the Council's
Public Health Inspectors, and the standards have not been greatly
improved. Hot water for hand washing is supplied to internal
conveniences but the old, badly constructed and unsuitably orientated
external conveniences have cold water only, a factor bearing hardly
at all on hygienic education of school children. It is high time that
all school sanitary conveniences were placed indoors even in the
older schools, for hot water should not be the prerogative of pupils
in new schools only.
Inspections have revealed sanitary and other defects in school
buildings and these have been referred for action. In most cases
long delays occur in providing remedies and in some cases they go
without reparations at all. The reason is that enough money is not
available for the Divisional Executive for all the improvements;
nevertheless it bodes ill for effective sanitary administration when
an Education Authority fails to or delays to effect remedies for
faults which call for statutory sanctions on private property owners,
particularly in Offices and Shops under the Act of 1963 and the
Food Hygiene Regulations in so far as food premises are concerned.
School Meal canteens and kitchens are carefully inspected and
there is still an absence of adequate hot water for washing up
utensils and dishes, in one case arising from an insufficient heating
appliance.