London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Walthamstow 1958
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Walthamstow]
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42
"The greatest problem was found to be the placement of those
children who were so heavily handicapped, often with more than
one disability, as not to be employable in any ordinary sense and
unlikely to be made so by any vocational training.
"Arrangements have since been made for all handicapped
pupils to be notified to the County Welfare Officer before they
leave school so that the size of the problem can be assessed and
suitable provisions made by the County Welfare Authorities.
"It is hoped that arrangements will be made in the near future
for the establishment locally of a workshop where these young
people can be given some work, even if only of a recreational
nature, and can enjoy the stimulus of companionship, which is
denied them so long as they remain home-bound."
Special Schools.
(a) School for the Deaf.—Mrs. L. Corner, Acting Headmistress
from 1.9.56 to 21.4.58, was succeeded by Mr. K. S. Pegg, appointed
22.4.58 as Headmaster of the William Morris School for the Deaf,
who reports as follows :—■
The roll at the end of the year was as follows :—
| Class | Grade | Age Range | No. on roll | conoGEnital | Acquired | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hereditary | Kernic-terus | Prematurity | Unspecified | Post Men | Other | Aetiology Unknown | |||||
| M. | F | ||||||||||
| 1 | Reception | 3-7 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | — | — | 3 |
| 2 | Deaf | 8-11 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | — | 3 | 1 | — | 1 |
| 3 | P.D. | 7-12 | 5 | 6 | — | — | — | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| 4 | Deaf | 9-11 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 2 | 2 | — | — |
| 5 | Deaf | 13-15 | 5 | 2 | — | — | — | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 6 | P.D. | 12-16 | 6 | 6 | 1 | — | — | 4 | 5 | 2 | — |
| Totals | 27 | 25 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 17 | 12 | 5 | 10 | ||
Catchment Area.—
Barking 2
Barkingside 1
Chadwell Heath 3
Chigwell 1
Chingford 1
Dagenham 1
Edmonton 1
Harlow 3
Hornchurch 1
Hutton 1
Ilford 7
Leyton 5
Loughton 4
Nazeing 1
Purfleet 1
Romford 6
Walthamstow 5
Wanstead 1
Woodford Bridge 4
Woodford Green 2
Cheshunt (Herts.) 1
"A number of hearing aids were supplied to children attending
normal schools, and in some cases children attended once or twice
a week for auditory training or practice in lip-reading. It is hoped
that, in the near future, it will be possible to help more children in
this way.