Physique and development of boys and girls from different types of school.

Abstract

This paper is a report on certain aspects of a wide investigation into the physique and growth of schoolchildren undertaken from 1945 to 1952, with special reference to age, sex, and social differentia. The particular purpose of this part of the study was to compare the physique of groups of boys and girls from three different types of school representing different socio-economic levels; Group A consisting of children from independent (public or preparatory) schools, Group B children from council schools in the best neighbourhoods of a number of industrial towns, and Group C children from council schools in the poorest (slum) areas of these towns. Material.?It was impracticable to obtain children of these groups by random selection. Schools were therefore selected, in consultation with the Medical Officer of Health of the district, as most likely to be representative of the three groups. In most cases all the pupils of the required ages were measured, i.e. there was no selection within the schools. Ages range from 5 to 18 years for Group A, 5 to 15 for Group C, and from 7 to 14 for Group B. For the present purpose the age group 10 years includes all children who have attained the age of 10 but who have not yet reached the age of 11. Apart from a trial group to determine the most appropriate measurement, some 1,430 independent