[Report 1921] / School Medical Officer of Health, Salop / Shropshire County Council.

  • Shropshire (England). County Council.
Date:
1921
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1921] / School Medical Officer of Health, Salop / Shropshire County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    4/38 (page 2)
    9 AREA COVERED BY THE SALOP LOCAL EDUCATION AUTHORITY, NUMBER OF SCHOOLS, DEPARTMENTS, AND CHILDREN ON REGISTER. The area covered by the Salop Education Authority comprises 858,277 acres, and had a population at the 1921 census of 211,946. It is co-terminous with the Administrative County with the exception that the Borough of Shrewsbur}^ is not included. The number of schools at the end of the year was 291, comprising 353 departments. The number of children on the registers necessarily varies from time to time to some extent. On December 31st, 1921, it was 32,067. HYGIENIC CONDITION OF SCHOOLS. The reports of the Medical Inspectors show that there is much work waiting to be done to bring the Schools up to a reasonable standard of fitness. Only the grosser cases so far have been reported for action. There can be no doubt that the children are suffering in many ways, and it is hoped that in the near future a determined effort will be made to put the Schools in a really good condition. Besides the lighting and ^Tntilation of the school rooms, the provision of satisfactory desks, and of proper cloakroom, lavatory and sanitary accommodation, there is the question of the provision of satisfactory playgrounds, of a supply of pure water and suitable facilities for drinking at an}^ time. A suitable playground is essential for physical instruction and for games. A field should always be obtained where possible and games organised for the children. The school playground is usually the only place where children get the opportunity of playing, particular^ in rural districts where houses are scattered and the children only come together when at school. Fev/ things are more necessary for the true education and physical welfare of these children than provision of satisfactory grounds and the playing of games under proper tuition. This is a part of the education and welfare of the Elementary school child that has been much neglected in the past. (See also chapter on physical training). The provision of a satisfactory water supph^ with proper facilities for drinking and the encouragement by the teachers to drink at the proper time is also a matter of great importance to the health of the children. At present children drink all sorts of concoctions brought to school in bottles, and owing to absence of facilities, many of the children undoubtedly do not drink sufficient water or drink at the proper time. ARRANGEMENTS MADE FOR MEDICAL INSPECTION. ^Medical inspection of elementary and secondary schools throughout the whole County with the exception of the Borough of Shrewsbury, has been carried out by six whole-time officers, who are engaged about one-third of their time n maternity and child welfare work. In addition to medical inspection one of the officers now undertakes the work of oculist for those districts where there is difficulty in getting the children to the Shrewsbury Eye, Ear and Throat Idospitah Routine examinations have been made at the ages of 5, 8 and 12, and in addition the children under five and all children brought forward by the teacher or nurse ha ve been examined. The children found defective on previous occasions are re-examined at each ins])ection until declared well. School Nurses.—Eighty-six part-time nurses have been employed in connection with 231 school departments ; 77 of these nurses are working for Associations connected with the Shropshire Nursing Federation, 3 are nurses employed by other Associations or by private persons, 2 are working on their own account, and 4 are employed by the Lady Forester Trust in the Borough of Wenlock (school nursing by the Trust given up from 31st July).