Document B

Transcript

Small hospital beds are used, and these are very clean and bedding is good. There is good provision for keeping the children’s clothes, and each girl has her own washing basin and jug in the bedroom. A room with one bed has been set apart for isolation purposes. This can be locked off from the rest of the house and reached by a separate staircase from the ground floor.

On the ground floor are a classroom, equipped with desks and blackboard, a play room with toys, both of them sufficiently large for the number of children, and a dining room with 4 tables which will just hold the children comfortably. The house is centrally heated and there is constant hot water in the bathrooms, of which there are two. There are 4 water closets, 2 on the upper floor and 2 on the ground. The whole house is well furnished, homelike and very clean and well kept.

At the time of the visit the younger children were playing croquet in the garden, the elder ones being taught by a sister in the classroom. They are already able to count well in English.

I had a certain amount of talk with the Basque lady who had organised the children to help in the housework. She spoke enthusiastically of their happiness and general comfort.

All food is cooked in the kitchen of the Training College and is sent over in hot covered dishes. Cocoa and coffee are given to the children instead of tea, and food is provided which approximates as much as possible to their home diet.

« Return to Living under canvas

Report of Roman Catholic Training College, Southampton. Date of visit: 4th June 1937. MH 37/324

  • What parts of life in the home are discussed? E.g food.
  • How well does it seem children are being looked after?
  • Does anything surprise you about this document? If so, what?