MORE THOROUGH

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21227, 25 September 1940, Page 8

MORE THOROUGH

PHYSICAL TRAINING WELFARE OF SCHOOLCHILDREN MINISTER DETAILS PLANS (By Telegraph.—Press Association) CHRISTCHURCH, Tuesday A change in the system of medical inspection and care of all schoolchildren and greatly-improved physical training are two of the major features oi educational reform planned by the Government under the guidance of the Minister of Education, the Hon. H. G. R. Mason. Details of what the Government is now doing and intends to do to improve the welfare of the children in its care in all schools throughout the Dominion were given by the Minister to three schools he visited in Cnristchurch today. The Minister explained that every endeavour had been made by the department to have free issues of milk for children in all schools. This had not yet been accomplished, but was a long way toward achievement. •Where fresh milk was not available malted milk was given and had proved a good substitute. Careful tests and examinations had been made of the effects of the milk issue, •it was no longer a matter of opinion but had definitely been proved that clAildren were very much better through being given milk. More Dental Nurses More dental nurses were being trained, the Minister said, in the new training school recently opened in Wellington. The dental services now available swere extensive, but had to be improve d, and soon there would be considerably more nurses to attend to the denial treatment of a great many more', children. The Minister emphasised that the department he controlled intended to improve v«ery greatly the facilities for physical training of all schoolchildren. All Governments had beer, definite about the necessity for extensive physical training, he said, but the present Government had come to a 'decision to bring about great improvements in the system. Excellent physical drill was going to be a bigger feature for all children in the .near future, and it would not be long', before they had speciallytrained teachers, who would see that all children were made physically fit and fine specimens. Both boys and girls would' benefit. The Minister said he had seen something of the new methods and he was sure they would delight children of all ages. More Thi. toush Inspection Mr Mason saU that the existing system of mediU’a* 1 inspection of children in schools "was not universal or as systematic it ought to be. It had been decided t*o improve the system, and in the neat' future there would be such a close sc heme of inspection that it would be impossible for a child to escape obserx ation who had any discoverable de> ect that could be put right by medic, d care. The Minister expressed his p. leasure {hat the Government had bee) f able to restore grants to kinderga ’'tens. Those institutions, he said, • were doing fine service in giving chile t ren as early attention as possible.