OPEN-AIR SCHOOLS

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20177, 4 March 1931, Page 8

OPEN-AIR SCHOOLS

EXPERIENCE IN LONDON. HEALTH OP CHILDBED ' improves. "The change in official opinion in England <ojen>air a&tyls & fltpfciii&/! and it ougs *to haw. influefce t ajse»„ •where, " & CoJqohaun in-J & letter just Irtceiyed in, Chrjsrtehurch. who ia Jhrieritus Profesaor'pf Medicine .in ttye Pnivprsitfy J»f CJtago, is now resident an Londqn. "Hte 'interest in open-air schools .is well knbwa,and he was one -ofthe" delegates to the B.M.A. Conference, held in' Christchurch last yoar,.who visited the Fendalton School/ Jp. his letter, ,Dr.( , Colquhooii- enclosed a catting irom London Star** 10th, from which the follawing-iis tracted: — r ,< v Among the happiest London air sehoQltn ajjojir dfetrfet Of th# East End, mile other* have been complaining of the cold,l9peH ( this woek", tho pppnair sohoolehildranhavß been ire filing" in it, n»4 : «ven a coding* pf enow pn the floor pf their open-air da-* room made not the slightest" ">difter«nSe 'to;, their lessons or happy mode ■of living., When tlw flrst thejr marily'-buttoned l up their 1 overcoats, wrapped ruga 1»r blankots roqnd their 1 legs, and carried on with their lessons. • S 4 „ \ K *- ! *"'- V:* When writing essays or aritjunetic become imjH>ssit>!le because hand* and fingers, & little drilling pr. running exercise was - prescribed -by; their five or ten minutes warming np they wore back at their desks tingling with wartnth afed vitality. 2To Man Alarm. schools.have Twofcen down ju&MB of pamntn. who retarded the first experimental qehools with 4ng of aUrm nnd Enspifeion. •-■' ■" > '• In the; early, dfcy*;4i*ny mothers, against - medical advice, refund to allow thei* delieato eliildren to attend the schools for fear pf them catehinc' their rof cold" . and other i»sßttter however, the, patent? pfdeiiflato ahildren realise the enomous benefits of the op<jn>air treatment,? While .fresh air and' sunihiae are regarded' a»the ahiof healers/the delicate attendingthe«« r are' ala* subject tp a, jpeoial diet, which includes a daily jiufpbf milk.for every child, plenty of meat ;»na titjkWmf; tables, and,bread and,'better. The result has been remarkable ' increases m weight as well as atrengtii and vitality In the children. <Theshildren aro weighed every weeU.'and startles tlvat t&te average ""in'* crease ydar pf pupfl* in jUndoa Council ppea-air gcltpolg is sbont sib, as against betwen 4lb and 81b average jnomse in chUdren attending, the ordinary eleinentary schools .' of London, s ■ ' 1 ' V ' ' ■ ' r> , ' '-X ' All New Schools Open-ur Schools. The provision of open-air foc delicate fnd ftianiic boyn and girla in the East-End and other jiarts pf Lon-' don by the London County Council education anjborities h»s iad remarkably beneficial.results 'on,this,children the'Bi-1 folves, and indirectly .t« the f pupils ofall other London County Council schools, ' * \ > *' - > ,' ' For all the latest Ldndrin" County Council schools are being built on the open-air >prfn«aple, gheltera _■ (md' glass windows, insteadoo f stuffy brick class-rooms, * and the lighting heating