496 REPORT— 1902. 



included in the sanitation of school buildings. We think we have made 

 great progress in five years in these matters. 



(Signed) L. H. Jones, 



SuperintendeMf, of' Instruction. 



'School Hygiene^ in German Training Colleges. 

 Note hy Mr. M. E. Hadler. 



Reference to instruction in hygiene is made in the regulations for 

 Prussian training colleges, botii for elementary and secondary school 

 teachers. In the case of the former it is required that ' in the instruction 

 given to the student as to the administration of his office he shall be made 

 acquainted with the demands of school hygiene.' The secondary school 

 teachers in training are liable to be called upon ' to write short essays on 

 matters connected with the principles of school hygiene.' In neither case 

 is there any prescribed syllabus, and the extent to which such study is 

 pursued will vary with local circumstances. The many excellent text- 

 books {e.g., Eubenberg and Bach, Baginsky-Janke) written in part, if not 

 wholly, by teachers prove the great interest taken in such matters by 

 members of the teacliing profession. Nevertheless there exists in some 

 quarters a desire for the introduction into the training-college course of a 

 much more definite scheme of study. 



Conclusion. 



The information so far collected indicates that scliool autlioiities very 

 imperfectly realise how important for school life is that applied knowledge 

 of the several sciences which constitutes modern hygiene. 



School authorities are content to allow teachers to remain ignorant 

 in respect to this knowledge ; or they are content to accept from them 

 as evidence of sufficient knowledge certificates which guarantee a merely 

 superficial and second-hand acquaintance with the subject, not asking for 

 any assurance of practical insight into or experience of the facts and 

 problems of hygiene in its application to school life. Encouragement 

 should be given to those teachers and school- workers who, learning by 

 the heuristic method by observation, experiment, comparison, and contrast 

 in personal and in school life, are bringing aljout healthier menial and 

 moral conditions in school children as well as better physical conditions. 



The careful consideration and scientific and practical application of 

 health conditions in all arrangements connected with education and school 

 life in elementary and secondary and especially also in public schools is 

 of such vital importance to the effective well-being and progress of the 

 nation that the Committee urge the British Association to memorialise 

 tlie Education Department — 



1. To adopt or recognise some more thorough and practical test of a 

 teacher's knowledge and experience of the application of health conditions 

 in school life. 



2. And further to protect health in school life by making practical 

 knowledge of hygiene as applied to school life an essential qualification 

 for those to whom it entrusts school inspection. 



The Committee desire to be reappointed, and ask for a grant of 1 Ql, 

 in order to continue their inquiry. 



