THE COMMON TOWEL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20968, 3 September 1931, Page 8

THE COMMON TOWEL.

USE IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS.

DISCONTINUANCE DESIRED.

POSSIBLE MEALTH DANGERS.

" A very desirable move but hardly practicable," said tlie chairman, Mr. A. Burns, at a meeting of the Auckland Education Board yesterday, when advice was received that the headmaster of the Ponsonby School sought to have his pupils bring towels to school, thus, doing away with the common towel. A lettcv was received from the school committee asking for the board's views upon the following circular which the headmaster had submitted 'to it for approval: "Dr. Wilson, medical inspector of schools, reports that the Health Department forbids the use of common towels for pupils as being partly responsible for the spread of skin troubles. Parents are asked to supply each child with a piece of cloth to be used as a towel. This towel should bo suitably marked and regularly washed." The views of the Health Department were set out in a letter received from Dr. T. J. Hughes, medical officer of health. The letter stated: " The department believes that the common towel may cause the spread of disease and it recommends its discontinuance everywhere. At the same time the department has no legislation empowering the discontinuance of its use. It has been done away with in many hotels and clubs and on trains separate towels, often of are substituted."

Mr. VV. J. Campbell said that a request for individual towels would cause a good deal of trouble in the school. " They will probably be used for about a month," said Mr. E. C. Purdie. It was decided to forward the department's letter to the school committee.