
children at kelbourne
kelbourne school, glasgow, which educates both
spastic and aphasic children, is the first school of its
kind to be administered by a local education authority.
its aphasic department, largely experimental in nature,
contains children aged three to eight.  in the spastics
department there are 45 children with severe physical
handicaps and their ages range from 3 to 16.
the school, which celebrated its golden jubilee last year,
has its origins in the maryhill hall public school for
defective and epileptic children which opened in 1907
with 12 pupils in premises of which, as an h.m.i. reported
four years later, 'it was impossible to speak favourably'.
the report continued, 'a public hall, used frequently in
the evenings for public entertainments, lacking proper
cloakrooms, bare in appearance, and generally comfortless,
should not be used for this purpose'.  the inspector's
words did not go unheeded and seven years later the
children were transferred with others to the new buildings
of percy street special school.  in the 1950s the name was
changed to kelbourne school.
between and through two world wars the school
provided education for physically and mentally handicapped
children but in 1955 a new unit was added and
spastic children were admitted for the first time.
gradually the emphasis shifted from children with other
physical and mental handicaps to the cerebrally palsied
and finally the entire building became available for
spastics.  two years ago the aphasic children joined the
school.  miss e.f. hamilton is the headmistress.
