The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1916-11-02
SIXTH or CHILDREN OF
GREAT BRITAIN UNFIT

London, (by mail).-The surprising
revelation that at least one sixth OF
England's 100000 school children are
so physically or mentally defective or
diseased as to be incapable of deriving
reasonable benefit from the education
which h state proyidcs.' 10 made In
q report just issued by the chief med
zeal officer of the board of education.
The report has aroused great inter-
est and has come as a shock to the pub
lie generally. The Manchester Guar
dian says that the report SHOULD AVA
ken fears as to the nations future az
sharply as would news of a disastrous
defeat of our arms" IL makes the point
that the waste referred to is prevent
able and that while IL is being lessened
by better housing. better labor condi-
tons and purer and cheaper food, to-
get1er with ampler medical facilities
and sounder ideas in education and hy-
giene, that the nation moves with in
credible slowness.''
Sir George Newman, the chief medi-
cal officer, at the conclusion of his
report, indicates hat q complete scheme
Is now practically ready that will en-
able the state to take entire charge OF
the child. mentally, physically and NOR
ally, with a view to preventing in flu
ture a repetition Of reports as disap-
pointing as that just issued. The trans
formation Is to be accomplished
through the aid OF several agencies. The
local education authorities, through
their school medical service, nave es-
tablished a system of remedy and anne
Iteration. Education committees, o
tors, nurses n thousands OF volun-
tary workers compose a cooperative
system designed to save the child, The
system is to extend from schools for
mothers to the home and from welfare
centers to Juvenile employment. In his
report, Sir George Newman says:
Eight years work has brought to
light a large mass of physical defect
and disease, varied in character and
widespread, most of it preventibie. In
regard to the data thus provided wa
can form two general conclusions. First.
not less than ESQ., 900 children are seri-
ously crippled, invalided, or disabled;
not less than 100000 school children
are sc physically or mentally detective
or diseased as to be unable to derive
reasonable benefit from the education
which the state provides. IL this fig
ure be considered merely from a fnan-
cial point OF view and quite apart from
the disease, suffering and premature
death entailed. II will be seen that the
state Is not getting adequate returns,
on physical grounds alone. for a sub
stantial part of its expenditures on eie-
mentary education.
Consideration Of the situation seems
to indicate that the physical welfare.
and in part the education, of the child
Of school age is dependent upon ante
school conditions; and dependent also
upon postschool conditions. In other
words, IL we are determined to rear q
healthy and virile race Of high ca
paclty, we must, from a physical stand
point, begin earlier n continue later
than the hitherto accepted period Of
education, What Is needed. indeed, In
an effective supervision and a sound
and practical training OF the body from
the end of infancy to adolescence. It
IS said sometimes that. in the interest
OF economy, the state annot affors
such a complete scheme. My sabmis-
sion Is that, In the interest of economy.
the state cannot afford to neglect q
complete scheme"