DAMAGE TO HEALTH

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 78, 1 April 1936, Page 5

DAMAGE TO HEALTH

UNSUITABLE DESKS. GASES AMONG SCHOOLBOYS. NAIL-BITING COMMON. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this clay. Instances of underweight and undergrowth children who passed from the primary schools into Wellington College this year, and cases of defective physical development among boys, were given by the headmaster, Mr. W. A. Armour, to the Wellington College Board of Governors "yesterday. Mr. Armour stated that as a result of an examination conducted by tlio teacher of physical training among the new pupils it was found that there were many instances of underweight and undergrowth due to malnutrition. In about 50 per cent of the cases the general posture was defective. Taking obvious cases only, it was found that there were 17 cases of slight curvature, 24 cases of round shoulders, and 19 cases of flat feet. It was rather extraordinary to find no fewer than 32 cases of biting finger nails, a pernicious habit, which might be attributed to some form of nervous derangement. He felt that much damage to the physical and general health of many boys was caused by the unsuitability of the desks at which they had to sit, both in primary and secondary schools, and insufficient supervision among teachers regarding the posture assumed by pupils in the classrooms. The chairman, Mr. G. Mitchell, reported that a conference had been held which had been strongly of the opinion that the Government should provide suitable physical instructors for primary schools, such instructors to be solely charged with the physical development of scholars. They also suggested that physical instructors from the colleges should collaborate with representatives of the Education and Health Departments, with a view to adopting a common policy in regard to colleges. Desks unsuitable for the bigger boys attending colleges should be replaced by tables and chairs, and lockers should be brought iiicO use. The report was adopted by the board.