608 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION I. 



school organization will take account of these biological facta, and 

 avoid, as far as possible, intensifying educational work {e.g., by severe 

 examinations) at the period of physiological high pressure. 



Similarly, the requirements of compulsory physical training in con- 

 nexion with the Defence Scheme require to be laid do\STi with due 

 respect to these developmental physical conditions. 



There is reason to beheve that puberty occurs at an earlier age in 

 parts of Australia than in Northern Europe, that is, at the time when 

 the organism is at a less mature stage of growth, and, therefore, liable 

 to be more profoundly affected by this development. 



v.— THE SCHEDULE AND METHODS OF MEASUREMENT. 



The Schedule is in card form. On one side the particulars personal 

 to the child — his family and environment — on the reverse his dimen- 

 sions in successive years, are to be recorded. 



Either the Metric or the Enghsh system may be used so long as the 

 unit is indicated. The former is preferable, and comparative tables 

 are appended for conversion of English into Metric. 



The details of the method of measurement are given under the 

 heading of Instructions. They accord with the standard methods of 

 the British Anthropometric Committee. 



(a) Special reference may be made to the method of chest 

 measurements. The British Anthropometric Committee, after a full 

 consideration of the different levels employed by various observers, 

 selected the level at the junction of the fourth rib-cartilage with the 

 sternum as the line along which the measurements should be taken 

 for reasons which are stated in full in the Report of the Proceedings, 

 1907. 



Teachers will be able to take and record the exact heights and 

 weights by following implicitly the printed instructions. The time 

 occupied in weighing when a spring seat-balance is employed is about 

 twenty seconds, or three children a minute. Thus a class of 40 children 

 is weighed in, say, fifteen minutes. When steelyard machines, with 

 loose weights, are used, the weights can be more rapidly taken by 

 roughly grouping the children according to size and weighing them in 

 succession, inasmuch as less changing of weights is involved in this 

 procedure. 



The chest measurements should be made only when the services of 

 an observer skilled in the technique of such measurements as school 

 medical ofl&cers, physical trainers, &c., are available, or when the 

 method of making them is thoroughly understood. 



It may be suggested that the required measurements could be taken 

 once in a year in connexion with the physical training periods. 



