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431
The children who are about to enter these schools are
examined specially before the schools open. The second examination
takes place during the second quarter of the year, and all
scholars who are in their third year and due to leave at midsummer
are then examined. At the latter examination the headmaster
may submit as "specials" any scholars who exhibit features
of some ailment or of retarded progress. At the request of
the headmaster special arrangements may also be made for the
examination of such children.
The routine procedure of following-up by nurses' visits
and by re-inspection by the assistant school medical officer, is the
same as in the case of the elementary schools. The Authority's
specialists, school clinics, and arrangements for the operative
treatment of tonsils and adenoids are available where necessary.
Scholarship children. These children have a medical
examination before they take up their scholarship. The schools
at which such scholarships are held are The Grove Central
School, The Russell Central School, The West Ham Secondary
School, The Plaistow Secondary School, St. Angela's High
School for Girls and the West Ham High School for Girls. A
few boys hold their scholarships at St. Bonaventure's.
Results of inspection. Table XXIX gives the results
of the inspection of children at these various schools. It will be
seen that there was some slight variation in the frequency of
defects in different schools, but that in several cases this can be
accounted for by the small numbers of children examined. The
percentage of defects found at the Plaistow Secondary School is
definitely larger than that found in other schools. This comparatively
high percentage is due mainly to the fact that defects in
the girls in this school were much more frequent than in the boys.
On the whole there is no marked difference in the frequency of
defects in boys and in girls respectively in the other schools.
With reference to individual defects it will be seen from
Table XXX. that defective vision was by far the commonest. This
condition was present in 12.0 per cent. of the boys examined, and
in 17.1 per cent. of the girls examined. The frequency of other
defects is shown in the table. None of these was sufficiently common
to warrant any mention.
It will be realised that no definite conclusions can be