London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

View report page

West Ham 1930

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for West Ham]

This page requires JavaScript

THE SCHOOL MEDICAL SERVICE IN RELATION TO
PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
(3) School Hygiene.
Insanitary conditions arising within the School precincts or
its immediate environment are reported to the School Medical
Officer by Head Teachers as they arise. Structural defects relating
to heating, light and ventilation are referred to the Committee's
Architect, Mr. J. H. Jacques.
"The Architect reports that during the year improvements
were made at a number of Schools to bring them up to modern
requirements, and remove them from the Board of Education's
Black List, as follows :—Colegrave Road, Custom House, Denmark
Street, Godwin Road, Maryland Point, Carpenter's Road.
The improvements generally were to obviate two Classes being
taught in one room, going through one room to get to another,
additional natural and artificial lighting and ventilation, and doing
away with back lighting. Improvements and additions were
also made in connection with the Re-organization Scheme at Credon
Road, Three Mills, Harold Road, Balaam Street, and Stock
Street Schools. Domestic Centres were built at Harold Road,
Credon Road, and Shipman Road Schools, and the Handicraft
Centres at Park School and Shipman Road School.
"The Latrines at five Schools were modernized in accordance
with the programme, which is now nearly completed, the work
consisting of fitting each W.C. with a separate pan and separate
flushing apparatus. The installation of Central Heating to
Schools was continued, and one more school dealt with.
"The Girls' and Infants' Departments of the old South Hallsville
School, built in 1873, have been pulled down, and the Boys'
Department converted into a modern Infants' Department. Hot
water has been provided here for the children's lavatories, also
a drying room for wet clothes, whilst the Babies' Room has a
W.C. and Lavatory basin attached to the room. A 'Medical Inspection'
room is also provided.
"The windows in four classrooms at the new South Hallsville
School have been glazed with Vita Glass, but no positive
results from its use have been noted."
The desks in use are of the modern dual type, and as opportunity
arises box desks are being gradually substituted for the older
children, and chairs and tables for the younger ones. The
schools, classrooms, and cloakrooms are cleansed by an efficient
staff of cleaners, under the direction of the School Caretakers.
Head Teachers attend to the drying of children's clothes as required.
206