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Schools.
The Public Elementary Schools consist of 40 Council
Schools, 13 Non-Provided Schools, 2 Higher Elementary Schools,
and 2 Secondary Schools, affording, in the aggregate, 67,968
scholars.
In addition, there are two Schools for Mentally and Physically
Defective Children, two Centres for the Deaf, one Open-Air Day
School, one Residential Open-Air School, and two Nursery
Schools, each to accommodate 120 children.
The School Medical Service is administered by the Chief
School Medical Officer (who is also the Medical Officer of Health)
with a whole-time staff of 6 Medical Officers, 5 Dental Surgeons,
28 Nurses, and 9 Clerks.
The Schools are, with several notable exceptions, fairly
modern, substantially built buildings adequately supplied with
water, and provided with sufficient surrounding air space, moreover
their general cleanliness is satisfactory. Cloak-room accommodation
is very limited in some Schools, and more efficient heating
is desirable, and several latrines need re-modelling.
With a view to checking the spread of epidemic disease it
has been the practice for many years for the Medical Officer
of Health, on receiving information of the occurrence of infectious
disease in the family of a scholar, to send a red-coloured Notice
to the Head Teacher of the School attended (Day School and
Sunday School) recommending the exclusion of children coming
from the infected home. The 'Red Notice' is subsequently followed
by a 'White Notice' freeing the family from quarantine on the
completion of the necessary isolation and the official disinfection of
the premises. Each school is provided with a supply of disinfectants
for general or special use by the Education Authority.
It was not found necessary to order the closure of any School,
or part of a School, on account of infectious disease, or for any
other reason.
The water supply at all the Schools is taken from the mains
of the Metropolitan Water Board, and no complaint has been
received as to the quality of the water.
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