MEDICAL INSPECTION.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1869, 1 October 1913, Page 8

MEDICAL INSPECTION.

1 \ POSITION IN THE SCHOOLS.

HEADMASTERS PERTURBED.

A deputation from the Headmastors' Association appeared l before the Wellington Education Board yesterday afternoon to voice ail objection to a phaso of the medical examination of school children and to raiso strong objection—not to tho principle of tho scheme, but to the extra work placed upon the school staffs. The deputation consisted of Messrs. W. T. Grundy, C. Watson, and Clias. Barry. At the .outset Mr. Grundy made it clear that the headmasters approved of tho inspection! as carried out by medical practitioners, who appeared from time to timo and examined the children. Wliat was objected to was tho work, which had to bo undertaken by teachers from the beginning of the present year. Since then tho regulations ' required that they should examine every child in the school and report on certain matters. This it was found took up a great deal of time, caused ' much trouble, and interfered with the ordinary school work. Mr. Grundy brought to the meeting samples of cards that had to bo filled in, and he explained that it took from 15 to 20 to fill in particulars regarding one child. When there wero 700 or 800 pupils in a school it meant a great deal of time would bo taken up with this examination, and the other work must suffer. The Headmasters' Association had formed the opinion tha't tbe system involved an unauo amount of work as far as the teachers were concerned, and they considered it was of very little practical value. They thought tho system should be done away with, but that the inspection by medical officers should continue, the teachers being instructed to bring'under the notice of the medical officer such children as were physically or mentally defective. Mr. Watson said ho had made use nf an hour every week for six months on tho inspection, but the classes at his school wore not .yet finished. He considered tho cards, when fillcd.in, were of very, little use. The doctor would not take them, so who was going to take them.? . As an indication of how serious was tho matter of timo involved he mentioned that one school had suspended all other work for a fortnight to complete the inspection. Mr. Barry produced a table showing how the inspection had progressed in various schools in the district. In only two schools had the examination been completed. In one case, pupils of the Sixth Standard only had been inspected. Sir Walter Buchanan asked what became of the cards when they wero completed. \ Mr. Grundy replied that the masters put them in their cupboards and they were there yet. Ho did not know what would eventually become of them. The chairman (Mr. Kobert.Lee)' said tho board was interested in the statements that had been made, and the association had done tho right thing in bringing tho matter under notic'o. The board would discuss the recommendations and make representations in the proper quarter. Messrs. Moss and Hogg expressed the opinion that tho instructions regarding tliis medioal inspection should have been sent through the board and not from the Department direct to the headmasters.

After brief discussion it was decided that the iriatter be referred to the ohairman, the town members and tho inspectors to : report to the nest meeting. _____