On This Day, 20 March 1918

Birmingham Mail

Wednesday 20 March 1918

MEDICAL EXAMINATION OF CHILDREN

THE ADVANTAGES OF OPEN-AIR SCHOOLS

In his report of the work of the Birmingham School Medical Service established by the Education Committee, the Temporary School Medical Officer, Dr. Lewis Graham, states that during the year 40,321 children were inspected, and children had been treated at dental clinics and at clinics for ears, eye diseases, skin diseases, and other complaints. Included in the defects found were 1,290 of vision, 686 of nose and throat (567 tonsils or adenoids), and 2,202 of teeth. The ophthalmic surgeon, Mr. Beaston Hind, mentioned that a number of cases were referred to the classes for the partially blind, and says there is need for a centrally-situated school for the partially blind, as the Whitehead Road and Edgbaston schools are not at all accessible to many needing this special teaching.

The excellent work accomplished by the Open-air School is referred to, and it is stated: – “When it is understood that hardly a child in the Open-air School would be in attendance at an ordinary school, whereas by means of the Open-air School the child is enabled to benefit in health and at the same time receive education, the doubtful on this question will perhaps recognise that it is not a fad, but, on the other band, that it is a boon and a benefit to the community. Furthermore, during the severe epidemic of infectious sickness, at the beginning of 1917, when many schools had upwards of 50 per cent. of their scholars absent on account of infectious diseases, not 1 per cent. of the children attending the Open-air School contracted infectious sickness, although they were exposed to the same infection as the children attending ordinary schools, inasmuch as they live at home and thus mix with children from the ordinary schools. The scholars of the Open-air School are also debilitated, and might be considered more liable to contract disease than the normal children attending the elementary schools.” It strongly recommended that, at an early date, open-air schools shall be in operation in different sections of the city. As well, it would be of great service if one or more class-rooms in each school could be converted into an open-air class-room by having an outside wall removed. Thus many children that are not strong enough to stand the ordinary closed classroom of an elementary school might attend school and be educated.