View report page

39
local voluntary workers, keep in touch with the family, ready to
make suggestions when behaviour difficulties arise. It does sometimes
happen, however, that when a child is first excluded from the
Special School, the parents are unwilling at first to acknowledge
that only his welfare is being considered; they fail to understand
that he will progress further, and be happier, if taught with those
of his own level of intelligence than with those to whose attainments
he cannot aspire. At the Centre the Supervisor's greatest difficulty
is with children who have become most imbued with their inferiority,
whether in their homes or at school matters not; they are the
'solitary' children who sometimes appear to be unfriendly, and
who fail for a long time to respond to any stimulus.
"The Elder Boys' Handicraft Class, held in the afternoons, does
not savour so strongly of 'school.' The youths come 'to work' and
each boy receives 50 per cent, of the profits on articles of his own
making, the other 50 per cent, going towards the cost of spoiled
materials. Pay day is once a month. The chief occupations at
present are woodwork, brush-making, cane-basketry and chaircaning,
as well as manilla rope hearth brushes and rush sink mats.
Goods are made now only to order.
"The Boys' Class meets a very real need; these big lads are not
only definitely unhappy if unoccupied, but they tend rapidly to
deteriorate, whereas if kept usefully occupied they are happy, use
up some at all events of their superfluous energy, and are more
controllable.
"At each Centre the Supervisor will gladly welcome visitors."
17. BLIND, DEAF, DEFECTIVE AND EPILEPTIC
CHILDREN.
(a) The ascertainment of children defective within the meaning
of Part V of the Education Act, 1921, under the above headings is
as near perfection as is possible, owing to the periodical scheduling
which the Attendance Department carry out over the whole Borough.
In this way defective children are known long before attaining school
age, and are dealt with appropriately after examination by the
Medical Staff.
(b) The arrangements made for the supervision of mentally
defective children in Special Schools include the provision of an
Occupation Centre by the Essex Voluntary Association for Mental
Welfare as already detailed under Section 16 (g).
(c) General Review of work of Special Schools:—
(i) Blind School.—Your Committee provide a Blind School at
Wood Street with accommodation for 85 children of both sexes. The