SCHOOL SPORT.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 35, 5 November 1907, Page 6

SCHOOL SPORT.

NEW SOUTH WALES SYSTEM. The proportions to. which school sports have developed of late has led a local enthusiast in the matter to make inquiries in Australia to see if any workable idea could he culled from tho system in vogue in tho Commonwealth. According to a letter just to hand the system in New South' Wales is one worthy of consideration by local educational authorities. Tho Association which controls the school sports in the state in question is officially recognised by the Education .Department, and has full power over all school sports. " That the undertaking is a big oho may be seen from the list of competitions. Three games of football (rugby, Australian, and " soccer") are played, also cricket, tennis, swimming, and other forms of athletics. Last season the Association had entries from 65 teams for the rugby ganlo, 55 for Australian football, and 11 for "soccer." The cricket entries numbered 84 teams. The competitions are conducted on Friday afternoons, and teachers are expected by the Department to accompany the teams. The Department has not laid down a definite rule that teachers must accompany the teams, but it has been intimated at various timer, that such should bo the case, and as a result about 95 per cent, of the teams or squads arc watched by teachers. In the case of swimming the -presenco of a teacher w,ho can swim is compulsory. This, it is stated, caused some difficulty at girls' schools, but tlie difiienlty was overcome by the appointment of a special lady instructor, whose duty it is to teach swimming to the lady school teachers.