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103
This question is one full of difficulty, but also one of
extreme importance. It is obvious to anyone, that to try to
educate a child whose physical and mental powers are
impaired by lack of food, is both a cruelty to the child and
serious waste of money and effort on the part of the Authority.
In the opinion of many this is not a matter affecting
Ilford very much, and I was rather of that opinion myself
until at the end of the year I visited one of the schools, the
one with the largest proportion of poor children, and the
Head Teacher happened to be making out a list of children
for some assistance in the way of feeding, I was rather
astonished at the number, and asked to see the children.
On examining them there was no doubt that they were in
a lamentably deficient physical condition. I went through
the Boys' and Girls' departments, and in all saw 70 children
out of a roll of 432 who were in this state. I then obtained
a list of the names and addresses of these children. Some
of the homes I visited myself, the Health Visitor the remaining
and larger number. Now the mere fact of these children
being in this condition seems to me to call for action on
the part of the Education Authority, whatever the cause on
the part of the parents. However, below I quote some of
the conditions found.
Stanley Road.—Respectable people. Father out of work for
several months. Mother docs a little cleaning. Six
children. Moved from Spencer Road, now in three
rooms, short of food for some time.
Camden Terrace.—Father a painter, out of work some time.
Six children. Mother does some washing. Very
poor.