Source Date: 1921

Source Origin: History SG

Source Type: Written Source

The main health issues of school children reported in 1921 were dental cavities, visual defects, anaemia and malnutrition. Tooth decay was the most common health issue detected, affecting 84 percent of school children. This led to an investment in toothbrushes for students and daily tooth-brushing drills. While a decrease in dental cavities was reported in the years that followed, many children were still affected due to the lack of dental facilities. In 1947, the school dental service was established to handle the dental health of school children, with the appointment of the first dental officer for schools in 1954.

The teenagers were restricted to stay indoors for their leisure and recreation activities. It is evident in the line’ Before the war, patrons at Happy World were kept enthralled by an east-meets-west mix of entertainment: cabaret, ronggeng, bangsawan, wayang, movies, gaming, sport matches, stunts, circus and shopping. The fees to these recreations were affordable, even to youths.’ It is because there were many Japanese outdoors patrolling around and teenagers were afraid to trigger the Japanese soldiers as they might endanger their own lives if they do so. Hence, the teenagers had not much fun due to scared of the Japanese soldiers patrolling around.

    Recreation for the teenagers, such as theme parks were replaced by other facilities. This is evident in the line’ During the Japanese Occupation, the Japanese turned all the Worlds into gambling farms, encouraging Chinese businessmen, like the Shaw Brothers, to run the parks as gambling dens. As these dens were precluded from raids, the bright lights at the Worlds continued.’ There were lesser recreation for the teenagers as their places where they spend their leisure time gave way to other facilities. Thus they have less recreation and leisure activity and time.