Minor accidents are an everyday part of
school life and today every incident is logged. In the early years of
Dolphin Lane School however, only the most serious accidents were recorded.
The school had been open two and a half years before its first accident was
thought serious enough to note. On that occasion T.T. aged 6 years – ‘fell
from a desk and bruised and cut his ear.’ The injury was
sufficiently severe for the child to be seen by a doctor and for a report to
be forwarded to the Education Office.
Shortly after another child ‘fell from desk bruising his head’,
while the following winter G.T. was injured ‘whilst sliding in the
playground’.
A much more serious playground incident occurred in May 1933. While
playing ‘Release’ two boys collided … ‘and both sides received nasty cuts
– W.M. to fore part of skull and D.N. to eyebrow of left eye.’ With the
consent of the parents both boys were taken to a local doctor ‘who
inserted stitches’.
It was certainly not only the boys who were accident-prone. I.B. managed
to fall over in the cloakroom, breaking her arm, and soon afterwards M.P.,
in class 3/3, … ‘fell from desk onto a radiator and cut her head.’
Her injury was severe enough for her to be taken to the doctor.
The only school based accident recorded during the war years was that of
an infant girl who fell over and broke her arm. A post - war accident
reported by Miss Hood noted,
"…two boys collided in the playground near the centre shelter during the
morning recess. G.C. received a bump on the forehead and R.S. a badly cut
lip. Both boys received first aid treatment in school . R.S. was taken home.
…The boys mother later took R. to the hospital where one stitch was
inserted."
The incidents noted by Miss French, when she became the Head Teacher,
were also relatively minor injuries – P.S. cut her finger and needed three
stitches, while G.M. tread on a rusty nail and required clinical treatment.
These injuries paled into insignificance when compared with the tragic
accident of Henry Hemming on 29th January 1948.
Henry … ‘age 11years, acting as milk monitor, was run over and killed.
He was hanging on the back of a Birmingham Dairy Co. milk lorry’.
The inquest, held at the Coroner’s Court in Newton Street, returned a
verdict of ‘Accidental Death’. On returning this verdict the City Coroner,
William Davidson J.P., added the rider …
‘Head Teachers are to be informed children are not to be allowed outside
the playground’.
Alan Taylor recalled this incident … ‘I was in the junior school at
the time when one of the pupils ……was riding on the back of a milk float
outside the school when he fell off and was run over and tragically killed;
the whole school turned out for the funeral cortege, which was routed past
the school’.
Such a serious incident needed, and received, the attention it deserved
from the teachers, H.M.I. and local Education Officers. When it seemed this
sad incident had been concluded, but certainly not forgotten, Mr Sutton was
served with a solicitor’s letter … ‘claiming damages in respect of a
loss of expectation of life’ … citing a … ‘ lack of proper and
continuous supervision’.
As the claim was made against the Head Teacher the Education Authority
offered no direct support, advising instead that the matter be dealt with by
the Union; in this instance, the N.U.T.
With the help and support of this professional body it took three months
for an agreement to be reached with Henry’s parents. A relieved Mr Sutton,
who had had this terrible tragedy, and its aftermath, hanging over him for
such a long time was informed by letter -
‘I …… have the pleasure to inform you that it (the claim) has been
settled by the Insurance Company representing the Dairy Company, the Union
making a small contribution towards the settlement, without admission of any
liability. You will, therefore, not be further troubled with the case’.
This tragic event was exceptional; as was the way it was eventually
resolved. Today, however, in a society that seems increasingly keen to look
for blame, invoke legal action and claim compensation, a risk assessment
policy and the recording of all incidents and accidents, rather than just
the most serious ones, has become a vital and necessary part of a school’s
daily routine.
