WELFARE OF CHILDREN

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 118, 12 February 1920, Page 2

WELFARE OF CHILDREN

I/RCTITTiE BT MR. C. JUf AHAJADASA The Tmvn'Hnli i Concert Chamber was crowded Inst evening, ij-lien Mr. C.Jinarajadasn. M.A., delivered another lecture. The chair was occupied bv the Mayor (Mr. ,T. V. Lnke). "Child' Welfare in a Model Municipality" was the (subject dealt with by the lecturer, who described in interesting detail the childwelfare scheme in actual operation in Bradford. England. The lecture was illustrated by a number of beautiful slides, which served to show clearly the innsnitiifle of the task to which' the. municipality of Bradford has addressed itself in seeking tn- educate children under the best possible hygienic conditions. Mr. .Tinaraiadasa first of all outlined the methods of caring for infants, and then passed 011 to what. was done in the municipal schools. The midday feeding system he showed to be conducted on a thoroughly scientific basis, the meals being distributed from a children's municipal kitchen. Illustrating what was being done in the various clinics to remedy eye, ear. nose, skin, and other maladies, the lecturer 'said Hint if children were thoroughly examined and mode as healthy as possible a good deal of their apparent backwardness would disappear. Instruction in the cleaning of the teeth was a most important part of the school work, nnd children who suffered from dental troubles were afforded the mo-t skilled attention. Digressing- for u moment, Mr. Jinnrajadasa mentioned Ihat in I--'.'.. bv I'uli'Mi Iradirnn, no one was nshnmed of cleaning his teeth—it was almost a public performance. 'nY e methods of co-ordinating child-welfare in lir.i.'ford could not be anything el«e but successful, because bv giving the ie •■■nnns-bimios of the scheme tn the citizens they became personally involved. There were certain definite schools to which children suffering, from heart disease were sent and besides open-air schools for delicate children, there were oilier educational institutions for cripples (he deaf and dumb, and the blind, at which lessons were taught under conditions that were attractive to the pupils and in no way irksome. The consequence w<u? that children handicapped by certain ailments were not kept at home but were educated under conditions to suit their weaker health. The open-air schools were doing especially good work and tho children worked outside in all kinds of weather. When the atmosphere was cold they were wrapped in blankets, but still did not go indoors to work. And why should children not do more study in tlrc open-air?" asked the lecturer. In soma lands high windows were (reeled at the schools in order that tho children could not look out, but j in America it had been found that'eonI tinuous study in one room tended to promote short-sightedness in children, so there Ihe schools were being built with lower windows in order to allow the children to look out, and tiius preserve the focus of their eyes. Mr ilinarajadasa coiuteiniod the practieo oi' compelling children to sit for hours at : a time on hard tcliool benches, and I argued, that their mentul and physical ! development was retarded thereby, the , conditions bcin" too cramped. ' The 1 lecturer concluded by describing tiic I methods of instructing girls in domestic duties in Bradford, and said that they j received suitable instruction which would | fit them for becoming good future "lothere of