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Story: Child and youth health

Medical examination at Belvue School, 1970

Medical examination at Belvue School, 1970

School children were examined by doctors employed by the School Medical Service from the 1920s. This girl was a pupil at Belvue School in Newlands, Wellington, in 1970. The doctor is checking her heart beat, watched over by her mother (seated).

Using this item

Archives New Zealand – Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga

Reference: AAQT 6401/A94,245

by J. Waddington

Permission of Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga must be obtained before any re-use of this material.

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How to cite this page

Kerryn Pollock, Child and youth health – Primary health initiatives, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/30333/medical-examination-at-belvue-school-1970 (accessed 25 June 2026).

Story by Kerryn Pollock, published 2 May 2011.

Comments

Susan muir
10 December 2017
This photograph brings back horrible, terrifying memories of waiting in line to be the next victim having to remove our clothes except for underpants and get stared at by a teacher and public health nurse and asked questions. My mother was never present at any of the sessions and I don't know if she was asked. I was loved at home and had a safe and nurturing home life but I have never forgotten the sickening feeling of those horrible physical medical examinations. I think our public health system needs to apologise for putting innocent and vulnerable children through terrifying ordeals especially without the presence of their mums or dads. The other terrifying ordeal was having our hair searched for nits--- with no privacy.