Caring for the Children

Hokitika Guardian, 24 January 1923, Page 1

Caring for the Children

DP. ADA PATERSON DESCRIBES

NEW METHODS.

Al CKLAND, Jan. 22 Parents who reently raised objections to compulsory toothbrush drill in schools, on the ground that its enforcement was the business of the parents rather than of the teachers, will probably be surprised to learn something of the methods now being employed by the educational authorities of the large cities in England and America, an interesting description of which was given by Dr Ada Paterson, School Medical Officer, of Wellington. Dr Paterson returned by the Makura last week from a twelve months’ trip abroad, in the course of which she learned many interesting things about the way in which the old system is being ‘‘scrapped” for modern and progressive methods. She spoke of schools in England and Scotland, where children are not only taught to clean their teeth, but where they are washed and bathed, where h•:L- meals are served in the school diningroom from the central municipal depot which turns out thousands of dinners every day, where attendants accompany little scholars to and from school, and where they are put to lied for a rest period every day immediately alter lunch. The latter procedure is no part of the curriculum of ordinary public schools, but of special schools for ailing children to which a hospital department and clinic is attached. These are but a few features of the now system which aims al building up (he bodies of weakling children, and developing to the fullest possible extent the faculties of the .subnormal. Of course, ii is all costing an enormous amount of money, but it is considered that the results entirely compensate tor the expenditure.

“Much as we have .-p ;, iif mi education in Now Zealand, we have not even begun to approach the standard of expenditure that now no nius in Britain,” remarked Dr Paterson. “Money lor all these innovations is found by the municipalities, supplemented by a State grant, and the results are certainly proving very benefieiai to the children. The authorities receive ~pl ndid help from an organisation o| voluntary women workers, known as the Invalid Children's Aid Association. Some of them work ill clinics attached to the school'. some give hdp in homes when mothers are worn out and unable to carry on, while others volunteer for secretarial duties. Thun, again, they do all kinds of work in the schools themselves, such as washing and bathing

little ones, assisting the school medical officer by following lip ilis work in Lhe homes, and seeing that 1 1 is instructions are carried out. They arrange country holidays for little town children ami see iha.l l key < Main proper food and -.-lot hing.'” Tl.o development of open-air schools

was dwelt upon ill an interesting manner I>v- Dr Paterson; Glasgow was " ...I lioned as having a particularly fine v| ; .- r/' building capable of adjustment iiuv vagary of wind and weather, and ,iv. vide,! will, heating apparatus for winii I- use. the eliildivu al these schools also being provided with wraps for cold days. !i : -1 ditlg of resl periods for dolica o , hiidri-M v.as a teal me of school Mo-oh greatlv impivs-c-d the doctor, ■j 1] ,o -con two or throe hundred little ones lying outside mi verandahs on, i ie.nr reli'liei ill weather far more s -vere than anything we experience in Nev, Zealand." -he said, “and they ceriah.lv appeared In lie h-eiiefit illg by it The t -i-ribl" housing conditions of the real liuliisirial cities of England are havo-g t hoir i ll'o, t on the childhood of the nation, and lb - aiuhmiiies are i'li'iv alive to ibis p- -ik They cannot immediately relieve I lie position with regard : , ho" iug. so the-.- uro doing all they tan D mhl. .o ii • o-. i 1 -(reels by giving the cl ddreu lie !:—l ruiidit inlliv po isib-ie in their si iiool litc, with clean-iir-ss. plenty of i'resh air, and whole-. .'!1>ItlOll.