Transactions of the fourth annual conference held at the Milton Hall, Deansgate, Manchester, June 5, 6, and 7, 1912 / National Association for the Prevention of Consumption and other Forms of Tuberculosis.

  • National Association for the Prevention of Consumption and Other Forms of Tuberculosis. Conference 1912 : Manchester, England)
Date:
1912
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Transactions of the fourth annual conference held at the Milton Hall, Deansgate, Manchester, June 5, 6, and 7, 1912 / National Association for the Prevention of Consumption and other Forms of Tuberculosis. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    134/300 (page 128)
    one considers that the gross cost per head per yeai- amounted to h24 11.9. Sd. as against £6 11.9. 4d. in the ordinary school, one cannot be surprised at educational authorities adopting the system of open-air schools, though admirable in itself, somewhat slowly. Speaking from personal experience I learnt so much in the two summers of what might be done with very poor material indeed, given fresh air, rest, wholesome food and even a nninmum of pei- sonal hygiene, that I felt much more might be done with the norma] school-child by open-air conditions, combined with rest, good food and cleanliness as the child^s usual home circumstances. It is rather as a prophylactic measure, therefore, that I would urge the claims o the outdoor school. In my own school, which I dare not label as an open-air school,^’ for fear of frightening people, we nevertheless do enjoy an open-air life to the utmost extent during the summer and earlvautumn. Formal instruction with pen and ink is given indoors, butoral work, hand work, elocution and drill, breathing exercises and Morris dancing lend themselves admirably for open-air tuition, as do language lessons, history, literature and nature stuc y pai And though I neither feed nor bathe the children, nor snbnnt them to medical examination, for the parent who pays for his child s education at a private school would deem such things the grossest interference, yet if increased attendance and greater immunity from colds during the subsequent winter months count tor anj- thing, then I say open-air classes and open-air methods aie worth sometliing. The proverbial and muoh-maligned schoolboy, that “ creeps unwillingly to school, does not do this because he hates lessons. Let him occasionally enjo} the p easan sation of escape from the four walls of the classroom and taste of that greater freedom which can, and should be, giaiitec outdoors Children under these conditions reveal themselves much more; the teacher gets into closer touch win p®' they do with nature. The trees, plants, etc., m the school garde are^not merely observed as in the ordinary botany lesson, but the life-history is followed throughout the year, from the resting bu to the ripenino-of the fruit. And if alanguage lesson be inteiiupte to watch a thrush feeding her young, or a bee sucking honey.