HEALTH OF CHILDREN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20623, 23 July 1930, Page 12

HEALTH OF CHILDREN.

SECONDARY SCHOOL PUPIL 3,

SERVICE OF INSPECTION

EARLY EXTENSION ANNOUNCED,

[nY lELEGRAPH. SPELIATj ]' I'TORTF,TI J "N LLLIXGiOX, Tuesday.

An early extension of the Health Department's medical inspection service to the secondary schools was announced today by tho Minister of Health, Hon. A, J. Stalhvortliv. 'Jlio service now operates in the primary schools, and the extension will take place as soon as financial provision can he made.

Inquiries as to the necessity of the extension to secondary schools were instituted last year. Ihe headmasters expressed themselves in favour of the proposal, and the Director-General of Health reported that there was no doubt a s to the desirability of secondary school pupils receiving regular medical examination. .\t present a small percentage of secondary, school pupils ore examined each year by the school medical officers, arrangements being made by which all applicants for entrance into the teaching profession are examined one- or two years before the teirnioation ot their secondaiy school life By this means unsuitable candidates are rejected at a time when they arc able to devote themselves to preparing for another means of livelihood.

Hie evidence of school medical officers in general indicates that the standard of physical fitness of applicants for entrance to the teaching profession is not as high as it should be. Moreover, the amount of remedial defect found among them is sufficient to indicate that the supervision of the health of boys and girls in secondary schools is inadequate.

By extending the medical inspection to secondary schools, a candidate for entrance to the teaching profession or the public service would be able to produce a record card showing his medical history from the time of his beginning school until the day 01 his seeking employment. The visits of the chief physical instructor of the Education Department to tho secondary schools have led him to the opinion that such medical inspection should be instituted.

SUPPORT FOR SCHEME.

OPINION OF HEADMASTER.

SYSTEM AT GRAMMAR SCHOOL,

"There is no doubt of the value of medical inspection in secondary schools, both to the individual and to the State," said Mr. 11. J. D. Mahon, headmaster of tlm Auckland Grammar School, in discussing the Education Department's decision last evening. " I consider the matter is one which should be undertaken by the istata and is of the gieatest importance," he said.

Mr. Mahon said a physical examination of all the boys attending the Auckland Grammar School had recently been carried out ur.der the supervision of a member of the staff who had beeu specially trained in physical education. Trie weight, height and posture of every boy had been noted ixd compared with those of a normal boy, and for those who required them corrective exercises had been organised.

'Jlio.se boys requiring a medical examination had been examined by a medical committee consist ing principally of old boys of the school practising in Auckland, and the parents had been notified in all cases where defects had been found. " The examination revealed a very high standard of physical fitness among the boys," Mr. Mahon added. " The master who was specially trained in the United Stales considered the results very satisr factory."