View report page

87
use could be made of the playground for class work, and of parks and
open spaces for nature study and other suitable lessons the
Committee have under consideration the provision of light furniture in
certain cases where there are classes of backward children who derive
great benefit from open-air work."
Unfortunately, in some of the playgrounds, the close proximity of
w.c.'s and urinals to the covered shed makes the latter practically
impossible to use in the manner suggested.
9b. School Journeys.—There was one school journey during
1920, towards the expense of which the Committee granted £100.
Thirty-four children from the Myope Special School spent a fortnight at
Tankerton and this outing was a success from all points of view.
There have been no school camps, nor open-air class-rooms during
1920. The same applies to day open-air schools and residential openair
schools.
10. PHYSICAL TRAINING.
The School Medical Service is not associated with the work of
physical training in the schools, and there is no Area Organiser of
Physical Training.
11. PROVISION OF MEALS.
The School Medical Service is not associated with the above: it is
directly under the care of the Education Committee. There were 1,570
free meals given during the year to December 31st, 1920.
12. SCHOOL BATHS.
There are no school baths, but all the senior children in the schools
have the chance of learning to swim at the Public Swimming Bath
and a large number each year gain a swimming certificate.
13. CO-OPERATION OF PARENTS.
This is, in the majority of cases, afforded us willingly; only a small
percentage refuse the routine medical inspection, and the majority are
anxious to have defects remedied; this applies more especially to
defective sight and enlarged tonsils, and adenoids, but the parents are
not so anxious about dental defects; this, however, will probably be
better as time goes on. Practically, however, the same percentage of
those referred received treatment, namely, 78 per cent. for sight, 73 per
cent. for tonsils and adenoids, and 78 per cent. for teeth, bat this latter
figure includes those children who were brought directly to the Clinic
for aching teeth or a gumboil.
As stated previously all parents are invited to be present at medical
inspection and the percentage attendance varies from 70 per cent. in
the case of infants to 30 per cent. in the case of the elder boys.