The use of shower baths in schools in England and on the Continent / by Frederick Rose.
- Rose, Frederick.
- Date:
- 1906
Licence: In copyright
Credit: The use of shower baths in schools in England and on the Continent / by Frederick Rose. Source: Wellcome Collection.
Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.
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![r> The State made elementary education ctnnimlsorv, and undertook its direction, l)ecause the majority of parents were unable to provide tin* elements of instruction wiiich every member of a civilised community ought to j)oi;sess. Kor similar reasons physical exercises, manual training, and domestic economy were included. One of the things still wanting is systematic and jjractical instruction in the caie of the skin, the great regulator of the body. It is not generally recognised that the skin not only serves as a protective cover to the body, but is, in its functions, just as important as heart, lungs, and kidneys . further, that the care of the skin is most important during the years of growth. The second objection, that of want of time, can be easily met. One of the striking alvantages of shower baths is the comparative rapidity of the washing operation. W’liere a school is ])rovided with a shower bath installation of about 40 to 50 douches, no more than *25 to 30 minutes per week are necessary for the bathing of a whole class. Where the children attend a shower bath centre, more time will be recjuired according to the distance. An installation of about 40 to 50 douches is im])erative for a centre, in order to enable a whole class to bathe at once, and thus save time and any dislocation of school work. In the case of schools with a smaller installation of from 10 to ‘20 douches any dislocation of the instruction can be avoided by carrying out tlie bathing during the hours devoted to writing, drawing, or drill, or similar work where the thread of the instruction is not atTected by the temporary absence of }>art of the class. A great obstacle which stands in the way of the intro- duction of shower baths must also he mentioned. It is the present legal inter|)retation of “education” with regard to the lawful e\|)enditure of ])ublic money on its behalf. This obstacle must be surmounted or modified in some manner, and that without much further delay. In eon- nection with this. Part 111., Clause 35(b) of the new Kducation Pill is of im]>ortance. ” The |)owers of a local education authority under Part 111. of the Kducation Act of 11)0*2 shall include :—(b) Power to make such arrangenient as shall be sanctioned by the Board of Kducation for attending to the health and physical condition of the children <‘ducated in ])ublio elementary schools.” 1 trust that this clause of the Bill will beeome law. and that this great obstacle to the introduction c»f i)ressing](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b22449516_0008.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
