The Assessment of the Growth of Schoolchildren with Special Reference to Secular Changes

An interesting phenomenon, prominent in the present century, is a secular change in the pattern of growth of schoolchildren.It is usually regarded simply as an increase in the average height and weight of children of school age.This aspect, however, may be misleading and is not altogether satisfactory for comparative purposes.The change was therefore investigated, first in terms of age of attaining a given height or a given weight, and then in terms of rate of growth.This approach leads to the view that the secular change in the pattern of growth is essentially an acceleration. METHODS AND RESULTS Data surveyedThe figures dealt with here have been confined to the measurements of boys in Glasgow and London and two sets of data for England as a whole.In 1905-6 a very extensive survey was made of the heights and weights of Glasgow schoolchildren, the occupation of their parents, the number of rooms occupied and other similar information.The schools from which the children came were divided into four groups.Group A comprised schools in the poorest districts of the city, group B in poor districts of the city, group C in better-class districts and group D in districts of a still higher class, including four out of five Higher Grade Schools.