BACKWARD CHILDREN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22262, 9 November 1935, Page 21

BACKWARD CHILDREN

NECESSITY FOR A HOME WORK AT SCHOOL IN NEWTON The effort being made by the Auck-land-Federation of Women's Institutes to have a home,for backward children established in Auckland was referred to by the president, Mrs. S. Phillips, at the annual council meeting of the federation in the Lowis Eady Hall yesterday,. - ... - . -I The president utated that the Education Department had been approached in regard the matter and the department had said the establishment of such a home would cost from £lb,ooo to £20,000. "K that sum were required for anything else it would be found," Mrs. Phillips said. "All we are asking f or is a simple home where the children can live and whare they can also take advantage of the Street school." The institutes were prepared to help financially and in other ways if such a home could be established, she added.

A brief outline of the work being carried out at the Belgium Street school was given by Miss F. Waddingham.. secretary of the Institute for the Cure of Backward Children. The speaker said a class wasi formed in February, 1933, mainly by ex-teachors and social workers. - So great was the success of this class and so sincere the gratitude of the parents of? the children that the Education Department had been approached, with the result that the school in Belgium Street, Newton, had been handed over to ■ the band of women and one paid teacher had been provided. Tho sdiool was opened last March, and in addition to the paid teacher there were about 10 voluntary workers. The class had begun with four pupils, but to-day there were nearly 30 with an average daily attendance of 22. The principal aim of the school was happiness, continued the speaker, it having been found that the children responded quickly to a bright atmosphere. They were found to be exceedingly fond of music and were most responsive to it. Music, therefore, had a large part in tile daily curriculum. Many of the children were gradually being taught to read and write, while many who, on first being admitted to the school, were unable to speak, had now a large vocabulary. "In every case we have taken there has been a definite and real improvement, in the child's mental state, Miss Waddingham said. "If only there were a home where the children could live, our work would not bo nearly so inadequate and limited. At present we can reach only the children who live in Auckland."