only themselves to consider and can get about whereever they want. As family responsibilities increase, the inconveniences become apparent; schools, shops, the doctor and the church are all at an inconvenient distance. When the housing problem becomes less acute, this correspondent foresees that such houses will be the first to become a drug in the market. He forgets in his category of defects, the dangers of the street. For people with a young family, we should think that an arterial road was about the last place on God’s earth that they would want to live near.
* ***
The General Secretary of the National “ Safety First ” Association, in a paper read at the Public Works, Roads and Transport Exhibition, reviewed the frequency, cause and prevention of accidents on roads. Last year, 4,886 people were killed and 133,888 injured in 124,287 street accidents, or nearly 400 people killed and injured per day. An analysis of the fatal accidents arising from motor traffic places the blame for 36 per cent, on the drivers and for 48 per cent, on other road users, the remaining 16 per cent, being attributable to faults of the road, of the vehicle, or to weather conditions. Of the 48 per cent, of fatal accidents due to “ other road users,” pedestrians (adults and children) account for 19.9 per cent., but this shows a diminution on the previous year, when the corresponding figure was 23.5. The pedestrian appears, therefore, to be getting more wary, or more responsive to the warnings of the “ Safety First ” Association. It is apparent, however, that it will take time to bring home to the average pedestrian the fact that the roads, dr many of them, are now quite as dangerous as railway lines, which he would hardly think of venturing upon; and that many accidents occur because the pedestrian is quite unable to estimate the speed of an approaching motor vehicle.
.V-
*****
The large proportion of C3 men in our population, disclosed by Army medical examination during the war, led to considerable research and investigation into the causes of this disquieting phenomenon. One result of these deliberations seems to be the growing advocacy of the open-air school, and a number of such structures have been erected during the last few years in various parts of the country. To this class of educational building, The Spectator has recently devoted some attention, understanding by the term the type in which glazed screens or shuttefs occupy one side of each classroom and can be moved back to throw the room entirely open to the outer air. This type of school appears to be favoured in New Zealand, where the greatest progress has been made with the open-air school movement. An objection on climatic grounds is ruled out on the ground that the climate in the South Island of New Zealand is very much like our own, having a mean temperature not more than four degrees higher than that of London. The question, however, does not rest entirely upon mean temperature, but the possession of a regular or equable climate. As, alas, we know only too well, our country has no climate, only weather; and with the thermometer often showing differences of from 10 to 20 degrees in 24 hours, the general relative conditions of the two countries may be entirely different. Years ago, there was a great cult for ‘ ‘ hardening ’ ’ children by constant exposure in all weathers, but as the idea seems to have dropped, we conclude that the casualties made it unpopular. The truth is that even our moist cold air seldom harms people as long as they are sufficiently clad and keep in a state of activity; but the case is quite otherwise when they are sitting still, and school involves a good deal of sitting still. English people have suffered much from the “ fresh air fiend,” with his insistence on constant draughts in a quiescent state, leading to a lowering of bodily
heat, diminished vitality and illness. Moreover, any general rule takes no account of personal idiosyncracies. We have known a few men who could not do brainwork unless doors and windows were wide open; but with the great majority, their mental processes seemed to work best in conditions akin to “ fug.” Even our agricultural forefathers, however active in the open air, seemed to have been as careful of closed windows at night as Harley Street is today. Moreover, this school question raises many serious and practical difficulties. The majority of our schools are, naturally, in the large centres of population, and these, on account of the domestic coal fire fetish get but little sun. Land is costly, and town schools, in consequence, are usually several floors high and not adaptable to the open wall method. Nor could the nation face the cost of scrapping all these costly buildings to erect one storey buildings of the open-air type.
Much might be done, however, to improve the existing type of school by better means of ventilation, and we note that one correspondent of The Spectator draws attention in this connection to the window of the Chaddock Ventilation Co. as having been specially devised to meet this need.
Ridding our cities of smoke; clearing slums; preventing the crowding of homes together; zoning; securing a proper lay-out and orientation of houses; providing more spaces for outdoor recreations; insistence on the adequate feeding and clothing of the children—all these measures seem to us of more vital importance in building up an A1 nation than any set type of building for scholastic purposes.
****
Is the water diviner a charlatan or a medium for the manifestation of some mysterious natural force? Judging from the discussion at the recent Public Works, Roads and Transport Exhibition, science is still undecided upon the point. One is glad to note, however, that the subject is being seriously studied, since only patient investigation by the trained mind of the research worker is likely to elicit the truth. Professor Gregory, from whose paper we give some excerpts on another page, has summarised very exhaustively the history, literature and conflicting opinions concerning water divining, but without reaching any definite conclusion. The evidence for divining is admitted to be overwhelming; but the Professor is inclined to believe that the successful diviner owes more to quick observation and considerable experience in searching for water, than to involuntary response to some external stimulus. He is of opinion that, under some conditions, the diviner would score no greater proportion of successes than a competent water expert judging deliberately from the conditions of the ground. Arguing from this agnostical standpoint, the success of the diviner would be due to innate and acquired ability, and the movement of the forked hazel-twig attributable to some unconscious impulse of the cerebral processes. On this last point, as on many others, there is, however, much contradictory evidence. Successful diviners, simple and unlettered men, of whose sincerity their observers entertained no doubt, have testified that they were unable to control the movements of the twig in the vicinity of running water, even when they consciously tried to do so. Other diviners have dispensed altogether with the twig, receiving the stimulus, if such exists, through their hands. The discussion that followed Professor Gregory’s paper revealed the usual pros and cons, and it is apparent that much more research is still necessary. Meanwhile, most people will probably follow the Professor in thinking that, where the ground affords nothing for the competent water expert to go upon, there can be no harm in letting the water diviner have his empirical (?) shot at discovery.
* ***
The General Secretary of the National “ Safety First ” Association, in a paper read at the Public Works, Roads and Transport Exhibition, reviewed the frequency, cause and prevention of accidents on roads. Last year, 4,886 people were killed and 133,888 injured in 124,287 street accidents, or nearly 400 people killed and injured per day. An analysis of the fatal accidents arising from motor traffic places the blame for 36 per cent, on the drivers and for 48 per cent, on other road users, the remaining 16 per cent, being attributable to faults of the road, of the vehicle, or to weather conditions. Of the 48 per cent, of fatal accidents due to “ other road users,” pedestrians (adults and children) account for 19.9 per cent., but this shows a diminution on the previous year, when the corresponding figure was 23.5. The pedestrian appears, therefore, to be getting more wary, or more responsive to the warnings of the “ Safety First ” Association. It is apparent, however, that it will take time to bring home to the average pedestrian the fact that the roads, dr many of them, are now quite as dangerous as railway lines, which he would hardly think of venturing upon; and that many accidents occur because the pedestrian is quite unable to estimate the speed of an approaching motor vehicle.
.V-
*****
The large proportion of C3 men in our population, disclosed by Army medical examination during the war, led to considerable research and investigation into the causes of this disquieting phenomenon. One result of these deliberations seems to be the growing advocacy of the open-air school, and a number of such structures have been erected during the last few years in various parts of the country. To this class of educational building, The Spectator has recently devoted some attention, understanding by the term the type in which glazed screens or shuttefs occupy one side of each classroom and can be moved back to throw the room entirely open to the outer air. This type of school appears to be favoured in New Zealand, where the greatest progress has been made with the open-air school movement. An objection on climatic grounds is ruled out on the ground that the climate in the South Island of New Zealand is very much like our own, having a mean temperature not more than four degrees higher than that of London. The question, however, does not rest entirely upon mean temperature, but the possession of a regular or equable climate. As, alas, we know only too well, our country has no climate, only weather; and with the thermometer often showing differences of from 10 to 20 degrees in 24 hours, the general relative conditions of the two countries may be entirely different. Years ago, there was a great cult for ‘ ‘ hardening ’ ’ children by constant exposure in all weathers, but as the idea seems to have dropped, we conclude that the casualties made it unpopular. The truth is that even our moist cold air seldom harms people as long as they are sufficiently clad and keep in a state of activity; but the case is quite otherwise when they are sitting still, and school involves a good deal of sitting still. English people have suffered much from the “ fresh air fiend,” with his insistence on constant draughts in a quiescent state, leading to a lowering of bodily
heat, diminished vitality and illness. Moreover, any general rule takes no account of personal idiosyncracies. We have known a few men who could not do brainwork unless doors and windows were wide open; but with the great majority, their mental processes seemed to work best in conditions akin to “ fug.” Even our agricultural forefathers, however active in the open air, seemed to have been as careful of closed windows at night as Harley Street is today. Moreover, this school question raises many serious and practical difficulties. The majority of our schools are, naturally, in the large centres of population, and these, on account of the domestic coal fire fetish get but little sun. Land is costly, and town schools, in consequence, are usually several floors high and not adaptable to the open wall method. Nor could the nation face the cost of scrapping all these costly buildings to erect one storey buildings of the open-air type.
Much might be done, however, to improve the existing type of school by better means of ventilation, and we note that one correspondent of The Spectator draws attention in this connection to the window of the Chaddock Ventilation Co. as having been specially devised to meet this need.
Ridding our cities of smoke; clearing slums; preventing the crowding of homes together; zoning; securing a proper lay-out and orientation of houses; providing more spaces for outdoor recreations; insistence on the adequate feeding and clothing of the children—all these measures seem to us of more vital importance in building up an A1 nation than any set type of building for scholastic purposes.
****
Is the water diviner a charlatan or a medium for the manifestation of some mysterious natural force? Judging from the discussion at the recent Public Works, Roads and Transport Exhibition, science is still undecided upon the point. One is glad to note, however, that the subject is being seriously studied, since only patient investigation by the trained mind of the research worker is likely to elicit the truth. Professor Gregory, from whose paper we give some excerpts on another page, has summarised very exhaustively the history, literature and conflicting opinions concerning water divining, but without reaching any definite conclusion. The evidence for divining is admitted to be overwhelming; but the Professor is inclined to believe that the successful diviner owes more to quick observation and considerable experience in searching for water, than to involuntary response to some external stimulus. He is of opinion that, under some conditions, the diviner would score no greater proportion of successes than a competent water expert judging deliberately from the conditions of the ground. Arguing from this agnostical standpoint, the success of the diviner would be due to innate and acquired ability, and the movement of the forked hazel-twig attributable to some unconscious impulse of the cerebral processes. On this last point, as on many others, there is, however, much contradictory evidence. Successful diviners, simple and unlettered men, of whose sincerity their observers entertained no doubt, have testified that they were unable to control the movements of the twig in the vicinity of running water, even when they consciously tried to do so. Other diviners have dispensed altogether with the twig, receiving the stimulus, if such exists, through their hands. The discussion that followed Professor Gregory’s paper revealed the usual pros and cons, and it is apparent that much more research is still necessary. Meanwhile, most people will probably follow the Professor in thinking that, where the ground affords nothing for the competent water expert to go upon, there can be no harm in letting the water diviner have his empirical (?) shot at discovery.