GIRLS IN POOR HEALTH

Taranaki Daily News, 17 June 1933, Page 7

GIRLS IN POOR HEALTH

NAPIER HIGH SCHOOL. “TOO MANY LATE NIGHTS.” \ ■ Napier, June 13. Malnutrition and the general ill-health of pupils of Napier Girls’ High School caused members of the Napier Secondary Education Board concern at its meeting this evening. The principal, Miss D. M. Arthur, said that Miss Hetherington, the secondary schools’ inspector, commented during her visit that the physical and nervous condition of the girls was noticeably poor. “I asked her if she considered the position worse in other schools she had visited this year. She said that although it was noticeable elsewhere she considered it very much more so here.” Miss Arthur submitted the following figures as approximating to the conditions she had been able to verify, the roll number being 230: —Girls who are obviously anaemic or suffering from malnutrition, 22; suffering from nervous strain, 18; recently suffered a severe illness or in definite bad health, 25, including seven suffering from heart strain; fathers unemployed, 31; no fathers and whose mothers are earning very little, 7. Mr. W. E. Barnard, M.P., ■ said the report disclosed a very serious state of affairs, to which the attention of all members should be directed. It was disquieting not only to the board, but to the whole community. Even allowing for the effects of the earthquake, there seemed to him far too many unfit girls at the school. It was disturbing to find one-tenth of their number obviously suffering from anaemia or malnutrition.

Miss Arthur said she thought a number of the day pupils had far too many late nights. “The parents of these girls do not see that their children go to bed as early as they should,” she said.

The secretary, Mr. W. L. Dunn, said quite a number of day pupils were going out to dances until very late hours, which was not at all good for them. The board decided to appoint a committee to investigate the whole position.