Dirty Children.

Hokitika Guardian, 28 January 1922, Page 3

Dirty Children.

ASTONISHING VICTORIAN INVESTIGATIONS. SYDNEY, Jan. 18. I Some astonishing revelations regarding the uncleanlihess of many school children in all parts of Victoria are contained in the annual report of medical officers of the Victorian Education Department. The officers point out that while the

majority of the children in the schools ucro exceedingly well cared for in respect to cleanliness of skin and clothing a considerable number in every dis- 1 , L'ict showed a shocking condition of ~ neglect. In such cases the skin was ingrained with dirt, and the underclothing, even when it was iiot poor or torn, had probably been worn for many months without washing. This, of course., conduced to the presence of parasites of all kinds. Fleas were particularly common. In view of the possibilities of a plague epidemic that was ! a matter of no small importance. At | first one felt that the mother was de- | serving of condemnation of the sad | state of affairs. It seemed not too j iniicn to ask that the children should | he bathed and washed regularly. In- | quirics as to the date when the child I last had a bath were quite futile—it j had long been forgotten! If one asked jlf they had a bathroom at home a j negative answer was certain. Usually ; the answer would indicate that there j was not even a wash house.

The medical officers also presented a report to the department in regard to attendance defaulters. They pointed out that some of the defaulters were truants, and their dislike to school was often found to be due to a hitherto undctect physical defect, such as deafness or had sight. How, the officer asked, could anyone expect a halfblind or very deaf child to take the same interest in his school work as a

normal child. What to an ordinary child was clear cut and well defined, to him was blurred, and seen or heard only by a definite effort. The child could not make that continued effort for long; ,he lost interest, his attention wandered, he fell behind in his class, was reprimanded for restlessness and laziness, and soon school, with its frequent scoldings, became hateful to him, truancy ensued, and led too often to the children’s court, and later to a life of vice and crime. Included in that group were children unable to profit by attendance at an ordinary school—the feeble minded.