Royal Earlswood Institution: … … Inspector’s Report: With the report were presented reports of Mrs. Pinsent, a Commissioner of the Board of Control, who inspected the Institution, and of an Inspector of the Board who visited the Earlswood Home at Walton-on-Naze. In her report, Mrs. Pinsent stated that the general health of the patients seemed to have been good. She was particularly pleased to see the very great improvement that had been made in the classification and organisation of the schools. A certificated head teacher had been appointed, and she and her staff were to be congratulated on the marked progress which had been made during the last eight months. There was evidence of much hard work and enthusiasm, and the timetable and syllabus of work showed considerable thought and knowledge of the needs of defective children. She was very glad to observe that a nursery school had been opened, in which 30 children were being trained, many of whom were formerly doing nothing in the wards. This school was well equipped and was staffed with nurses who were superintendent and trained to teach by the head teacher. The boys’ school, which was now used mostly for adults, or boys unfitted to attend the mixed schools, had been reorganised on better lines. Attempts to teach ordinary school subjects had been wisely relinquished, and the boys, most of whom were low grade cases, were learning bed-making, sweeping, dusting, polishing, rug-making, basket work, and spoon and fork cleaning. Since efforts to teach this kind of simple manual work had been more definitely organised, it had been possible to pass on several boys to the various household employments, and even to send one or two to the workshops. She was glad to hear from Dr. Caldecott that there was to be a gradual extension of laundry training for the girls and also a gradual introduction of gardening and other industries. Now that the schools were making such good progress, she felt sure there would be better supply of manual workers when the children grew up, and trusted every effort would be made to break down the prejudice which she was told still existed on the part of parents that manual work was degrading for paying patients. She would like to see a larger number of patients employed in the workshops. The Matron, who was formerly at Starcross had started a class for lacemaking, and she saw four at work who were making good progress, and who appeared to be greatly interested. Others in the same room were doing good needlework. Lectures, classes, and demonstrations had been organised for the nurses and attendants, and it was hoped that many of them would take the Medico-Psychological Examination. Dr. Caldecott had arranged to allow medical students from the London Hospitals to visit the Institution, where classes and demonstrations were held for them. On the motion of the Chairman, the report was adopted.
Transcribed in whole or part from scanned originals: Presented with or without modified text and punctuation. For absolute accuracy refer to the original newspapers. Source: The British Newspaper Archive.
Referenced
GRO0245 Devonport: Ellen Frances Parker: 1866 – 1949