[Report 1920] / School Medical Officer of Health, Reading County Borough.

  • Reading (England). County Borough Council.
Date:
1920
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1920] / School Medical Officer of Health, Reading County Borough. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Enquiries by lady Health Visitors are often able to bring to the notice of the Provision of Meals Committee, children who were not in receipt of school meals, and for whom they were necessary. On the other hand, the organisation and the staff of the Provision of Meals Committee has been used to provide meals for expectant and nursing mothers. There are no nursery schools in the Borough, but several of the schools have established nursery classes. The number of children under five in attendance at school on 31st March, 1920, was 676, a number which has since been very considerably increased, The Maternity and Child Welfare Committee of the Corporation have an agreement with the Royal Berkshire Hospital for the treatment of children under five years of age. SCHOOL HYGIENE. In the main features the hygienic conditions of the Council schools are satisfactory. Several of the voluntary schools leave much to be desired. The buildings, being of old type, fall far behind modern requirements in practically every respect, but particularly so in regard to ventilation and lighting. These matters are, I believe, engaging the attention of the managers concerned. The extension of the sewers to Tilehurst has permitted the conversion during the year to a water closet system of the privy closet system at the Council schools there. Attention has been drawn in special reports to certain matters requiring attention, e.g., a more adequate supply of towels in some schools and the necessity for the more frequent cleansing of class room windows. MEDICAL INSPECTION IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. The Board of EducationYequire the medical examination of the following groups of children in the Elementary Schools : — (a) All children admitted to the school during the year. (b) All children between 8 and 9 years of age. (c) All children between 12 and 13 years of age, together with children over 13 years of age who have not already been examined after reaching the age of 12. The above groups of children are classed as “ routine ” examinations. “ Special” examinations are made of children outside the prescribed groups who are submitted for examination by teachers or others on account of some physical defect. “Re-examinations” are made of all children previously found to be defective.