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25
(6) Statement of the arrangements made for the supervision of mentally
defective children not in Special Schools
There is an Occupation Centre in Tottenham for mentally defective
children of low grade. This is under the supervision of the Central
Association for Mental Welfare.
By arrangement with the County Authority the same provisions
for medical inspection and treatment, as apply to elementary school
children, are available for children attending this centre.
The School for the Deaf.
The report of Miss Beckingsale (Head Teacher) is as follows:—
The School for the Deaf is certified for deaf, semi-deaf and aphasic
boys and girls. It serves the areas of Tottenham, Edmonton, Wood
Green, Hornsey and Enfield. In addition, pupils are sent by Middlesex,
Hertfordshire and Essex County Authorities. Ambulances convey certain
groups of children to and from their homes. Guides are responsible for
the safe conduct of other groups, while many of the pupils travel
independently.
All the children remain at school during the mid-day recess and the
majority have a two course hot meal which is prepared on the premises.
A charge of 3d. is made for the dinner, except in necessitous cases.
Advantage is taken of the Milk Marketing Board's Scheme, and many of
the pupils have hot milk during the morning. The younger children are
encouraged to have this mid-morning refreshment as many of them start
early from their homes and travel considerable distances.
During school hours the classes are hard at work learning to speak,
lipread, write and read English, and later, when this means of communication
is sufficiently established, they are able to take geography,
citizenship, hygiene and other subjects. The children have physical
exercises with games and country dancing. The girls learn needlework
and cookery. The boys take cardboard work and bookbinding and have
the advantage of a visiting master for woodwork.
The pupils leave school at the end of the term in which their 16th
birthday occurs. Work is found for them so that there is no risk of
their being unemployed and experiencing the bitterness of feeling that