[Report 1950] / School Medical Officer of Health, Glamorgan County Council.

Glamorgan (Wales). County Council. nb2014013905.

Date:: 1950

Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1950] / School Medical Officer of Health, Glamorgan County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

14/48 (page 12)

(b) Blind and Partially Sighted Pupils. As the Committee is aware, Glamorgan pupils within this category are educated at the Bridgend Residential School for the Blind, which provides accommodation for blind or partially sighted pupils from the whole of Wales. The Kindergarten extension, which was nearing completion at the end of the year, will have accommodation for 15 children of 5-8 years of age, but there is no reason why blind or partially sighted children should not be accepted at the age of 4. The following is the report of Mr. Hewitt, who was the Principal of the School for the Blind, Bridgend. | His untimely death in the early part of 1951 means that this is his last report and tribute must be paid to I him for his outstanding work and endeavour on behalf of his school since its inception. Much of the undoubted success of the School at Bridgend has been due to his enthusiasm and unbounded energy “On the 21st January the School celebrated its coming of age. This was done in the true traditional style with everyone assembling outside and a pupil officially opening the School with the words ‘Let there be light.’ The staff and pupils were very pleased to have the School Committee with them on this occasion, when a most interesting programme was arranged in which the various classes , gave items in which they paid tribute to the School and those who were responsible for its being, j With the exception of a few minor ailments, the health of the pupils on the whole has been excellent. On the 25th February, Matron E. E. Jones resigned due to ill-health. As there was no response to the advertisement for a successor to Matron Jones, Miss R. R. Thomas, B.A., veryi kindly assumed the duties of Acting Matron up to the end of the year. Miss Thomas is the senior Mistress at the School and we were more than pleased with the admirable waj^ in which she carried on with the duties of Acting Matron. The many visitors included those from the various Universities and Training Colleges in the country. Social Service Groups, as well as visitors from overseas. Miss N. Owen, the blind Music Mistress, left in April after giving valuable service since the opening of the School. She has been succeeded by Miss O. Lewis, who is also blind. It is gratifying to note that all the pupils who have taken Music Examinations during the year were successful in' getting through. Two classes have been formed especially for the retarded pupils. As the classes are smaller than the usual, pupils are able to have more individual attention, and it is indeed encouraging to > note the progress of some of these children. The three main events of the year attained their usual standard (Eisteddfod, Sports, and Christmas Concert).” ■ (c) Maladjusted Pupils. “The Lindens” Hostel at Penarth has continued to function and, as must be anticipated, has had! its successes and failures. The staff of Whitchurch Mental Hospital have continued to give their valuable services—Dr. J. P. Spillane the visiting psychiatrist, Mrs. A. M. Jones the psychologist and occupational; therapists. 4 he excellent liaison between the Hostel and the Child Psychiatric Out-patient Department, of the Cardiff Royal Infirmary has been maintained. This type of hostel is still in the experimental stage. Following admission the behaviour of childrenj lias improved, but one cannot help wondering whether such hostels are treating the symptoms rather than the “disease.” The experience at “The Lindens ” shows that the maladjusted child is the result of an unsatisfactory home background. When at the hostel the child improves but eventually he must return to his old environment and if nothing or little has been done to treat the underlying cause at the same time, then the chance of a relapse is great. It is essential, therefore, that contact must be retained with the cliild’s family. Tins is almost impossible when the child comes from a distance.