The Leas School,  Hoylake

Getting better

contributed by Adrian Stevenson

Inevitably boys could be injured or fall ill during term-time. Serious cases might be cared for in bed in the sick-room, or even in the Sanatorium; mild problems might only involve an "off-games" restriction.

For those confined to bed, there was a graded system of care. There were regular care visits (including night visits) to the sick-room (and to any dormitory converted during an epidemic into an emergency sick-room) by Sister, matrons, other staff or volunteers; there was always a radio (not to be used after lights-out), usually under the control of the patient who had been there longest and was furthest on the road to recovery. There were less regular care visits to those who were confined to bed (for all or part of the day) in their own dormitory; and there was not the same guarantee of a radio.

Anyone confined to bed was encouraged to read, books from the library were brought round; but no school work was required of those absent from their form room.

There was also a graded system of convalescence. First you would be allowed out of bed in your room, perhaps for a limited period to start with. Then, if your recovery had to be gradual, you were allowed downstairs to the Writing Room in the Headmasters' private quarters. The Writing Room had magazines, photograph albums, and 78rpm records - all of these old items ended up rather the worse for wear.

In the next stage of recovery you were back to lessons, but you were classified as an "In": not allowed to venture outdoors - this led to the discovery of those oddly quiet times of day when everyone else was out playing games.

Even when you were not an "In", you might find yourself "Off Games" and/or "Off Swimming": allowed out of doors within the school grounds, but perhaps restricted to walking twice round the cinder-track, or something similar. If you were lucky, you might also find yourself "Off Cold Baths".

Daily management was required: teachers were supplied with lists of those who were absent, "In", "Off Games", or "Off Swimming"; and matrons were supplied with lists showing who was "Off Cold Baths".

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