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The general health and development of children in these schools has been
good. The outstanding defect shown by many reports is the condition of
their teeth. In one large district the proportion with defects was 33 per cent.
Many parents do not seem to realise the importance of adequate care of the
teeth by daily attention. In some measure it may also be due to defective
feeding, though the appearance of a majority of children does not suggest any
lack in the quantity or quality of their feeding. At several schools milk, a
pint plus a sterile straw, is provided for 1 anna and some 75 per cent of the
children take it.
School buildings have been improved in many places by additions or
alterations. New school buildings have been provided at long last at Dal
-housie where an excellent well lit school room, a suitable cloak room, ablution
room and storeroom have been added. At Cliffden it was hoped to provide
an enlarged school but war has made this impossible.
Drinking fountains and a safe piped water supply have now been provided
in a number of schools, this is an important point in places where the restless
school child requires an ample amount of drinking water.
Lighting in many schools is still far from satisfactory and artificial light
-ing where it exists is poor. Attention is being paid to this point.
Positioning during work is a matter which requires constant care and
efforts are being made to make teachers position-conscious. In conjunction
with positioning during work special attention has been paid throughout
the year to the question of seating of school children. Early in the year a
circular was issued to all concerned giving the points which needed special
supervision as regards size, shape and placing of desks and as regards size and
shape of the chairs, the criterion being comfortable upright posture with
feet firmly placed flat on the ground. It has been found that little difficulty
occurs in obtaining satisfactory results for each child if the school mistress
obtains the co-operation of the M. E. S. to get the right size desks and chairs.
There has been a very marked improvement in the provision of proper desks
and seats for children in our schools during the past 15 years.
C. Child Welfare and Welfare Centres, Indian Families Hospitals
British.—(i ) For British families welfare centres as such do not exist
on similar lines to those enjoyed in the United Kingdom. In India the British
Families Hospital tends to take the place of the Welfare Centre. Children
are seen there, antenatal work is conducted there and the medical officer and
matron are there available for every aspect of the care of babies and children.
(ii ) In the bigger stations child welfare committees do exist and fort
-nightly meetings are held. These are however usually in the nature of Mothers
Union meetings and the principle activities of the movement are the supply
of suitable infant and children's foods at wholesale rates and the provision of
wool and materials to assist the more needy.
In some, baby weighing is undertaken and records kept and lectures and
discussions are held on the various aspects of baby and child management
in an Indian Cantonment.
The work is appreciated and does good, but the amount that is done
depends on the initiative and capabilities of the leading ladies.