SCHOOL CHILDREN'S HEALTH.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 50, 1 March 1922, Page 6

SCHOOL CHILDREN'S HEALTH.

HOT WHAT XT SHOULD BE. SCHOOL DOCTOR'S REPORT. The general health of public school i children was dealt with in a report by Dr. H. A. Daviee, senior school medical officer, which came before the Auckland Education Board to-day. The report stated that lectures had been given in all centres where it was possible to get a few people together and it »as found that parents who have some special reason on account of a known defect in their children frequently made us« of the opportunity to consult the school doctor. In urgent cases the nurse, or sometimes the doctor himself, made an immediate visit to the house. Considering the natural advantages under which the children of New Zealand lived and the general well-being of the population, the condition of the children was found not what it should be. Undoubtedly there was a good deal of over-work in the country, and too many visits to picture shows in the towns. Small children were selling papers early and late and also sweets in picture shows. "With regard to backward children it appears to mc to be a mistaken policy to do more than try to teach them as much of the three R.s as possible (I mean the sub-normal children) and as they will never be more than the hewers of wood and drawers of water, keeping them at school often in standards far in advance of what they should be, only retards those children with a high mental capacity—and upon whom the State will depend for its welfare. A great deal more could be done in organising school' lunches, tooth brush drill, etc., if the teacher's time was not so filled up. In addition, I understand the schools are understaffed and the classes far too big. The work of the school nurses, often! under difficult and trying conditions, is most satdefactory/ They are persistent in their efforts to persuade parents to take their children for treatment and frequently accompany children to the hospital when the mother is unable to do so. The work at Myere School is of the very best and children with defective speech have been cured or improved to the delight and surprise of the parents. It is regretted that the school is unable to cope with the great amount of work which confronts it, and of course, it is able to deal with a case only here and there of those living outside the city.