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All mentally abnormal children, other than those who have been notified to the Local Mental
Deficiency Authority, are re-examined frequently and in any case not less than once in twelve
months.
Psychological cases, as I mentioned last year, keep dropping in and present their problems
for elucidation.
One of the most interesting was a small boy, a very bright lad whose father was connected
with the scholastic profession. The family had recently come into the district to live alongside a
school. The house had been taken in this situation by reason of the fact that the boy could not
hold his water day or night. He wetted his bed at night, he wetted himself during the day.
Shortly after their arrival in the new house the character of the school was altered to that
of a Junior Mixed School, and the boy, therefore, had to be transferred to a school a mile-and-ahalf
away. The father was seriously upset by this and wanted a medical certificate that the boy
might remain at the original school in spite of his age. The father alleged that it was quite
impossible for the boy to travel even the 'bus journey and stated that whenever he took him out in
a motor-car he had constantly to stop for him to empty his bladder, in fact, from the father's
description, it would appear that the unfortunate bladder was almost canine in character.
I refused to grant a certificate and took the boy in hand, first making arrangements with the
teacher at the school where he was transferred, to allow him, at first, to leave the room if
necessary.
Once a week the boy came up to me for a therapeutic interview. Not only did the father
write to the Education Secretary saying that he entirely disagreed with me, but that he had taken
the boy to a local doctor who was prepared to support him in his request that the boy be allowed
to attend the school close to his home.
In spite of the father's protests, and the medical certificate, the boy attended the school to
which he had been transferred, and as a result of psychotherapeutic measures for three months, I
was satisfied that his condition as far as enuresis was concerned, both nocturnal and diurnal, was
completely cured.
In this case, the boy's real trouble was the domination of the parent.
At the end of 1934 there were 34 children being maintained by the Education Committee
at institutions outside the district.
One was in a school for Mentally Retarded Blind Children, four were in Schools for the
Blind, and two were in a School for the Partially Sighted. In addition to these 7 children who are
in Special Schools, we have 28 children attending elementary schools in the area who suffer from a
high degree of myopia. Thirteen of these have been supplied with special desks. Each of the 28
children has special consideration at school, and the Heal Teachers and Class Teachers are supplied
with instructions as to the best position for the child in the class-room; the type of work that can
be allowed, etc. The teachers are asked to pass the leaflet of instructions on as the child is
promoted.
Four of the children have vision so defective that in accordance with the Board of
Education's definition in Table III., they must be classified as partially sighted. These four
children should be in a special school or class for such cases.
Nine children were in a school for the Deaf.
Four were in schools for the Mentally Defective.
Five were in schools for Epileptics.
One was in a Residential School for Cripples, and one was at the Royal National Orthopaedic
Hospital's County Branch, Stanmore.
Six were at Residential Open-Air Schools.
One was at a Residential School for children with Heart Disease.
In March the Committee came to an arrangement with Dr. J. D. M. Cardell, whose qualifications
are in accordance with Circulars 1353 of the Ministry of Health and 1431 of the Board of
Education, to act as Consulting Ophthalmic Surgeon and Certifying Officer in cases of blindness.
No child of school age, however, was certified blind during the year.
14.—FULL TIME COURSES OF HIGHER EDUCATION FOR BLIND, DEAF,
DEFECTIVE AND EPILEPTIC STUDENTS.
Nothing has been done under this heading by the Authority during the year.
15.—NURSERY SCHOOLS.
There are no nursery schools in the area.
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