View report page

29
Superintendent Health Visitor. All specialist clinic services are
equally available to children under school age; and the dental
service embraces full provision for the treatment of expectant and
nursing mothers. All records made in connection with the supervision
of young children are transferred on reaching school age and
incorporated in a common folder retained with the school health
records.
School Meals and Milk.
I am indebted to the Borough Education Officer for the following
details with respect to meals and milk supplied in schools:—
Meals.—During the twelve months ended 31st December, 1947,
1,542,625 school meals were served, an increase of 210,321 over the
previous year.
This increase appears to be accounted for—
(a) by the raising of the school age from April, 1947;
(b) by the steady maintenance throughout the year of the
proportion (60 per cent.) of secondary school children
having dinner at school, whereas in the previous year
there had been a gradual increase from 45 to 60 per cent. ;
and
(c) by the gradual increase from 40 to 50 per cent, in the
proportion of primary school children having dinner.
No new kitchens have been erected or taken over during the
year, but increased cooking space was made available at the end of
March when the remaining British Restaurants at Devonshire Hill,
Lancasterian, West Green, Page Green and Coleraine Park were
closed. The kitchen at West Green was reduced in size in order to
give more dining space and free the school hall for normal activities,
but the equipment in all kitchens remained unaltered and has
enabled the increased numbers to be catered for.
Milk.
(a) Secondary Schools.—In October, 1946, there were present
in secondary schools 5,542 children, of whom 4,968 (89.7 per cent.)
had one-third of a pint of milk daily, and in October, 1947, 5,946
children, of whom 4,534 (78 per cent.) had milk.