456 » REPORT— 1903. 



on questions on the general problem of school hygiene not dealt with ih 

 the previous year. The Sub-Committee on the Essentials of School Build- 

 ings have furnished a report which forms Appendix I. in the present re- 

 port of the Committee. The report thus received forms a condensed 

 resume of the subject of a very practical character. It may be regarded 

 as a contribution toward the realisation of the proposal that a short 

 practical treatise should be drawn up by the Committee. Its conclu- 

 sions are of a general character and are applicable to all classes of school 

 buildings. 



The Sub-Committee on Eyesight in School Children has dealt with and 

 reported on (a) the causes of defective eyesight in school children, and (6) 

 the conditions requisite for preserving eyesight from injury in school life. 

 Besides dealing with general principles involved, it makes some practical 

 recommendations of much importance. One of these is that it should be 

 required that school books should be ' passed ' in respect to their typo- 

 graphic standard and quality by some recognised hygienic authority before 

 being adopted in schools. 



The necessity for a very considerable eye-working distance in all the 

 exercises and instruction imposed upon young children is a condition 

 which lies at the root of school hygiene. 



The report of the Sub-Committee forms Appendix II. of the present 

 report. 



The Sub-Committee that undertook the collection of information 

 regarding the question of need for appointment of women-inspectors to 

 schools has gathered valuable evidence. The general line of their inquiry 

 was directed to obtaining authentic instances of reforms that would earlier 

 have gained attention had the school where the reform was needed been 

 visited by a competent woman-inspector. The report given forms 

 Appendix III. to the present report. Considering that in school life 

 the two sexes in about equal numbers are engaged in teaching and being 

 taught, the inspection should, it is obvious, theoretically fall under the 

 charge of men and women in about equal extent. What the report of 

 the Sub-Committee does clearly show is that such a division of the 

 responsibility is practically demanded because in certain respects inspec- 

 tion by women -inspectors possessing the necessary qualifications and 

 training as indicated in the report is the most likely to ensure satisfactory 

 control and prompt remediation of certain difficulties. 



APPENDIX I, 



Notes on the Essentials of School Buildings, 



In drawing up the following remarks upon school buildings in relation to 

 health the Sub-Committee had before them the regulations issued by the 

 Board of Education both for elementary and secondary school buildings. 

 As these are open to anyone, and give a large amount of detailed instruc- 

 tion as to the planning and fitting up of both classes of schools, it seems 

 better to the Sub-Committee to confine themselves to some general 

 observations applicable to all classes of school buildings, avoiding aa far as 



