A MISAPPREHENSION

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2736, 3 April 1916, Page 3

A MISAPPREHENSION

CORRECTIVE CLASSES FOR I SCHOOL CHILDREN. I In order to remove any misapprehen- [ sion Which mightypossibiy ariso in the mind of the public out of the statement made by Miss Blackbume in her lecture to tho women teachers of the public schools and the resolution: subsequently adopted by the Women Teachers' Association, the Director of Education desires that,it he clearly understood that tho Department's scheme of physical education provides for "corrective" classes and "remedial" classes for physically defective school children, and also that these classes shall be formed of children specially selected by the medical inspectors, not by the physical instructors. The instructors follow in the steps of medical inspectors to instruct the teaciiers of tho respective schools in'-the forms of special exercises .to be given to these children, in addition to the syllabus of exercises set for normal children. In Wellington this plan has been followed since the schools reopened at the beginning of the year, and the medical inspector, Dr. Elizabeth Macdonald, who was temporarily transferred from Auckland, is still engaged in this work, and also in ■ instructing the student teachers at the Training College in the scientific treatment of physical education and its aims, with special reference to physic-, ally defectivo children. Tho Director regards the work already done by Dr. Macdonald as exceedingly valuable. ,

It is the intention of the Depart., ment that the scheme shall be carried out in the schools situated within'the larger areas of the four principal cities,and also, as far as possible, in the other schools coming within _ the scope of the scheme' which are situated in the other towns throughout the Do-' minion.