View report page

sent to a Special School for Deaf Children where she would
learn lip-reading," with the result that on the same day the
Clerk was directed to make arrangements for her to be
admitted to a suitable school.
While preparations were being made pending her
removal to a Deaf School, that she might be taught needlework
at which she was becoming particularly proficient, the
child attained fourteen years of age, and the mother insisted
on removing her from school.
A member of the Care Committee called upon the mother
to see what could be done for the child, and was practically
told to mind her own business.
Five cases are at the Deaf and Dumb School at Margate,
one of whom was kept back for a time 011 account of ill-health.
Four of the children are reported to be making excellent
progress; the fifth, who was for some time in our Special
School owing to difficulty with the parents, is much older,
and the report of him is that he is "still backward, though
some progress is being made; would have done better if he
had entered earlier."
One case, owing to extensive Choroido-retinitis and
Optic Atrophy, was recommended for a Blind School, but
owing to the onset of paralytic symptoms the matter could
not be proceeded with. One case was recommended for a
Special School for Progressive Myopia, and the Committee
tried to make arrangements with the London County Council
for his admission to one of their Schools, but owing to
pressure on their accommodation this was impossible.
In another case the parents applied to the Education
Committee to contribute towards his expenses in a Special
School outside the Borough, but as the boy was a very marked
case of Mongolian Idiocy, I could not advise the Committee
to be responsible for any expenditure, as the boy was quite
ineducable.
One physically defective boy lias been sent to the Dartmouth
Home for Cripple Boys at Blackheath, as he is quite
unable to use one arm, the muscles of the upper arm and
shoulder being useless as a result of Infantile Paralysis.
1.—"Open-Air School."
This matter has been under consideration by the Committee
on several occasions and, owing to the very high price
of land and the restricting covenants on practically all the
available land in the district, it is impossible to deal with this
matter by erecting a separate school, and the Committee propose
to erect one on the roof of the new Garfield Road School.
102