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One child was ineducable, two partially deaf, four had very
slight residual hearing and thirteen were totally deaf.
In May, 1949, the ineducable child was transferred for trial
to the school for the educationally sub-normal, but was found to
be unsuitable there also. When this child was removed a partially
deaf boy of six years was admitted.
In September, 1949, a totally deaf boy of eleven years left
to go to the Royal Schools for the Deaf, Margate, and a totally
deaf boy of three years was admitted in his place.
The roll remains unaltered at twenty.
In January, 1949, Mrs. Corner commenced duties here as
assistant and in September Miss Bridget Read joined the staff as
an uncertificated teacher. She is gaining experience before going
to college in September, 1950.
Dr. Francis Clarke, the Ear, Nose and Throat Consultant,
made examinations in March and October. Dr. Watkins visited
the school in March and examined all the children.
During the year six children have received Medresco Hearing
Aids, and on the whole they have been satisfactory. In some
cases there has been a marked improvement in speech. The smaller
children find the standard insets rather large and uncomfortable,
and when they are ill-fitting the subsequent noise is very distressing
both to the wearer and to the people around him.
Moulded insets will, I hope, replace the standard ones in time,
and should prove much more satisfactory.
The percentage of attendance has been high all through the
year, reaching 100 per cent. one week and over 90 per cent. quite
frequently. There has been very little illness indeed.
(iii) School for the Physically Handicapped.—Mr. G. M.
Williams, the Head Master, reports as follows:—
This year the work of the school was greatly aided by the
abnormally fine summer and the long spells of dry weather, which
enabled us to take full advantage of 'Open Air' conditions. The
general health of the children was amazingly good, and a high
average attendance was reached.
The new pre-fabricated dining room and kitchen unit was
completed towards the end of the year. This should prove to be
a valuable addition to the premises.