SCHOOLS AND HEALTH

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10956, 19 July 1921, Page 5

SCHOOLS AND HEALTH

‘ EXAGGERATED NONSENSE’ MINISTER FOR EDUCATION AND MR BLACK MORE. CRITICISM NOT' JUSTIFIED. The Minister tor Education (the Hon. C. J Parr) lias replied, in a letter to the chairman of tho Canterbury Education Board, to the recent strong condemnation of New Zealu-id school I'U.iS .i ugs by l>r." (1. J. Black more i,inrector cf Tuberculosis Institutions in North Canterbury). Dr. Rlackmore. who characterised the existing buildings as gaol-like and breeding-places for disev s,'. advocated open schools. CRITICISM NOT JUSTIFIED. ’’Dr. IStackmore’s wholesale condemnation of our schools :ss gaol-like, overcrowded, and disease-breeding -is not justified (declares the Minister). Our now schools are as healthful as any in the world. They are re-ally fresh-air schools, because every room has crossveinilitton, with large, movable windows permitting <r current of fresh air through tile room all day long. Moreover, every classroom is designed to get the sun during tho day. It is true that some of the old schools have indifferent lighting and ventilation. We are, however, curing their mischief by remodelling old schools where the timber is sound, so as to give first-rate light and ventilation. ‘•Obviously no State system could afford to scrap 1000 buildings because they are old-fashioned, when most of them can be greatly improved. It is a fact, notwithstanding l>r. Blaekraore, tha: overcrowding occurrs in comparatively few schools in New Zealand. Out of 2406 primary schools, 2000 provide over 12 square feet pupil, 350 average about 11 square feet per pupil, and there are only 72 in uie Dominion with less tbjn 10 square feet per pupil, there being eight in Canterbury, five m Otago, and 50 in Auckland. In many Australian States the schools average only about -i square feet per pupil- Twro plans of new schools being erected by the London Countv Council —the greatest education authority in the Empire—are now before me. They she: that in an infant school they give 9.2 square feet, and, in a large primary school just being erected, 10 square feet per child. Thus, compared with other countries. New Zealand is by no means behind. NOT DISEASE-BREEDERS. “To charge the schools with being tho main' disease-breedera amongst children is exaggerated nonsense. If, instead of railing at the schools, doctors -WrouH acknowledge that improper feeding—too many sweets and elushy foods, unsuitable clothing, and poor living are tho main causes of wretched tcoth_, adenoids, anaemia, -and stunted infant growth, they would get nearer the truth, blow many bedrooms wheiv children bleep get sunlight and fresh air every day? Too often parents neglect these things. Doctors sometimes are in this respect sinners inAtheir own homes ? However, now that we have secured the services of Dr, Truby King, we hope to carry the gospel of health and prevention into every home m New Zealand. OPEN-AIR SCHOOLS. “Dr Black more wants all schools to be open-air institutions, but no educationist of any standing will agree with him. An open-air establishment is excellent on a calm, summer day, but in driving sleet and heavy winds it is impossible. Most open-air schools are really sanatoria for selected children suffering from son*ttrational defects and undergoing special treatment—educational progress being in a great measure subordinated to improvement m physical condition. In these openair places, the children have special clothing and ‘eskimo’ suite. There is no doubt that such places are excellent for anaemic, tubercular children. But for tha normal, average child the policy everywhere is in -the direction of adopting structural features of dpenair schools to ordinary school buildings, thus combining the advantages of trie, usual modern class room mid the openair school. We are building this sort of classroom in the Dominion to-day. Further, in nearly every school many classes are taught in the open air on very fine days.”