A fairly good observation of the eclipse of the sun was obtained this afternoon from Lookout Point, where a small group of observers had a very good view of the middle phase of the eclipse.
The body of the moon was soon quite distinctly moving upwards and covering at its highest point a little more than two-fifths of the sun’s disc. The maximum was reached at 5.30pm, and at 5.50 only a narrow strip was visible on the lower limb — eleven minutes before sunset. At this point of observation the eclipse was not visible for more than 20 minutes. A party of four, consisting of Messrs T. Don, C. Baker, J. Orr, and Rev. A. Don made a trip to the trig station on Flagstaff Hill, and got an uninterrupted observation from 5.18 till 5.35p.m., when a dark bank of clouds intervened. When last seen the black disc of the moon covered to just about half the diameter of the sun. The eclipse just witnessed is known as number 7 to the Saros. It visits the Earth every 18 years, and will therefore appear again on October 1, 1940, when the shadow will pass over Colombia and northern Brazil. In 1958 it will be seen in Chile and the Argentine, and in 1976 in southwestern Australia — 64 years hence.
Sydney in totality zone
The eclipse was witnessed in Sydney in almost perfectly clear weather a few minutes after 4 o’clock, when the greatest phase occurred, only 14 percent, of the sun’s disc being visible. The effect was as of the sun being obscured by heavy clouds. It became necessary to use lights in many business places, but the darkness quickly lifted. For over an hour crowds thronged the parks and streets gazing at the sky through various devices, vendors of which did a thriving trade.
We don’t call them that anymore
A lengthy report was brought before the Schools Medical Officer, Dr Mecredy, at the meeting of the Otago Education Board yesterday morning, and was considered in committee. A summary of the report follows: "There are undoubtedly a fair number of mentally deficient children at present classed as backward in various Dunedin schools. It is highly advisable that special classes should be arranged for them. They retard the normal children with whom they are associated. They do not as a rule receive adequate attention themselves, or if they do it is at the expense of the rest of the class. The work at which they are employed is unsuitable to their mental development. Each school might adopt the plan of having a special small class of defectives in its infant school, but it entails the provision of a suitable teacher for quite a small class of children. Manual work should largely take the place of mental work, and this would entail, in the case of the older children, the provision of equipment for carpentry, gardening, etc. As most of these children will be expected to support themselves on leaving school, it is important that they should be as well equipped as possible while at school. Owing to the distaste of parents for the special school at Otekaike, and also to the small amount of accommodation available, it is difficult to arrange for institutional treatment. A number of children whose IQ is higher, but still sub-normal, also require special teaching as a result of certain moral and mental lapses to which they are liable."
— ODT, 22.9.1922
