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37
(c) Central Boot Fund Committee.— The Honorary Secretary,
Mr. A.J. Blackhall, has very kindly sent the following account of
the work of the Boot Fund during 1930:—
"The fund was inaugurated in 1911, when 170 pairs of boots were
distributed for the year. Since this period the demands on the Fund
have increased to such an extent that during the past seven years,
from 1924, when the Fund was revived after the Great War, 4,888
pairs of boots have been distributed at a cost of £1,962 7s. 5d.,
averaging roughly a distribution of 666 pairs of boots each year at
a cost of £280 6s. 9d. The number of pairs of boots distributed
during 1930 was 635, at a cost of £253 Is. 8d. The fund derives its
income from proceeds of Concerts. Dramatic Performances, Donations
etc., and the boots are supplied under contract with local firms.
The aim of the fund is to provide boots for all necessitous school
children, thus relieving the anxiety of many parents where prolonged
periods of unemployment have made it impossible to get boots for
their children, and, at the same time, enabling scholars to attend
school who would otherwise be unable to do so if the fund had not
existed.
"The Committee is composed of members appointed by the
Walthamstow Education Committee with additional representatives
from local organisations in the Town.
"Every precaution is taken in seeing that only the most deserving
applicants receive assistance, each case being investigated by the
Attendance Officer for the District. Forms are filled in for each
application, which are placed before the various Attendance
Committees appointed by the Walthamstow Education Committee.
These forms are kept for future reference."
(d) The Honorary Secretary for the Mental Welfare and After-Care
Committee, Mr. L. A. Bristow, has kindly supplied the following
report of his Committee's work during 1930:—
"This Committee is a voluntary organisation and its chief work
is to keep in friendly touch with scholars when they leave the
Shernhall Street Special School, and to give them any help and advice
that may be needed. An annual re-union Social is organised to
further our efforts in this direction. We also work in close cooperation
with the Essex Voluntary Association, and carry out on
their behalf the visiting of Defective Children who have been placed
under Statutory Supervision.
"Many of the cases on our visiting list are urgently in need of
Institutional care, and have been for some years. There is a great
lack of institutional accommodation and we have made special
efforts on behalf of these cases, some of whom are a danger to themselves
and others."