View report page

All children before going on a School Journey are examined
by an Assistant School Medical Officer, as to their fitness to
undertake the journey.
Holiday Camps were held during the Summer Vacation for
boys and girls, at Shoeburyness and Dymchurch respectively.
Here again ail selected children were previously medically inspected
and dentally examined, special regard being paid to cleanliness
and freedom from contagion.
This branch of the Education Committee's activities is not
only greatly appreciated by the children who are fortunate enough
to go, but show results, from the medical point of view, which
make one regret that this scheme could not be still further
extended.
The following extracts from the reports of the respective
Camp Superintendents are of interest:—
Mr. Pannell reports—
"The Tenth Schools Camp organised by the Education Committee
was held at South Shoebury Hall Farm from July 26th to
August 23rd, this being the ninth camp pitched in the same field.
Four hundred and seven boys spent a fortnight in the open-air,
those from the Southern schools forming the first party and those
from the Northern schools the second.
The usual advance party of enthusiastic teachers erected the
canvas and other necessary buildings during the week-end commencing
on the evening of Friday, July 20th.
It would need a lengthy report to describe in detail the many
and varied activities of camp life. The day usually began for the
boys with a shower-bath parade at 7.30. By the time some 200
of them had been through the hot, the warm and the cold showers,
members of the Staff and boys on duty had breakfast ready in the
large marquee. A general clean-up of tents followed this meal,
and a free visit to the canteen for the neatest tent invariably
ensured the duty being well done. The boys were now free to take
part in the games provided—cricket, camp golf, baseball, football
(under Rugby, Association and other Rules) ; parties going into
Southend for the day were provided with lunch , and bathing
organised according to the state of the tide. Inter-tent cricket
and camp golf competitions were arranged and non-athletic sports
held during each fortnight. During the last week arrangements
were made for a party of some 90 boys to go to the County Cricket
Match in Southend at a reduced charge. Each day in camp
brought its own enjoyment as well as its own special difficulties,
for monotony and boredom are strangers to this life. The halfhour
between supper and bedtime was a fitting "wind-up" to the
day's activities, for at this time a short story was read or a "singsong"
arranged on alternate evenings.
163