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41
by the Medical Officers of the Tottenham Education Committee, for the
purpose of examining Tottenham children. Transport to and from the
School is effected by means of Motor Ambulance.
Open-Air Centre, Orchard House.
The school is intended to provide an environment suitable for those
children suffering from malnutrition, anaemia or other physical disability
for which open-air treatment is deemed to be essential. The ground in
which the present open-air centre is placed has an area of one and onetenth
acre, of which two-fifths of an acre is available for school purposes.
The remaining portion is occupied by allotments. Fifteen poles are under
cultivation by the scholars. The structure, used solely for educational
purposes, consists of a wooden shelter, completely open on all sides and
supplied with a concrete floor. Protection from bad weather conditions
is given by heavy canvas curtains extending from the floor level upwards
for about four feet, and above this by hinged shutters, which, on three
sides (south, west and north) may be adjusted to suit the direction of the
wind. The area covered by the shelter is 400 square feet—20 feet each way,
and the seating is arranged so that the children face towards the south.
Battened boards are placed over the concrete floor to protect the feet
from cold. Lighting is natural, but in dark and foggy weather, unequal.
Those children in front receive more than those in the rear benches, as
the roof slopes downwards from south to north, namely from seven to five
feet. A slow combustion stove, placed in the south-west corner, warms
the interior of the shelter in cold weather and is also used for heating
milk, etc. The question of artificial light or, alternatively, of natural
light by means of the provision of a roof window is worthy of consideration.
Seating accommodation is in the form of ordinary dual desks. If
it is desired to have classes in the open sunlight, these desks should be
replaced or supplemented by light movable tables or desks, and chairs.
The playground surrounding the classroom south and west is of clay and
in wet weather is unusable. The children are then more or less confined
to the shelter. Sanitary conveniences have been suitably placed giving
seating accommodation for two. The urinal is satisfactory. Two washhand
basins have also been provided. The centre was opened on 15th
June, 1925, with a roll of 20 scholars, aged 6 to 13 years, and this number
was increased to 32 by 31st December—drawn from the following schools:
Lancasterian Boys' Parkhurst Road Infants'
Coleraine Park Boys' St. Katharine's Infants'
Parkhurst Road Boys'
Each scholar is given one tablespoonful of cod liver oil and malt and one