PHYSICAL TRAINING.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1107, 21 April 1911, Page 3

PHYSICAL TRAINING.

fr__ FEEE EXERCISES DISCUSSED. The proposed change in the system of physical drill in the public schools, which was recently proposed by Ma'or M'Donald, Commandant of the School Cadets, was further discussed on AVodncsday evening by the Teachers' Institute. The'chair was - occupied by Mr. Geo. Flux, president of tho institute. , , Mr - Ballachey said that it seemed to mm that tho apparatus could not haro any of. the ill effects which had been su*psted. Tho'clubs and dumb bells were g ?™, tho .boys something to ?, !' although the weight was practically ■ 'i_-i •? v} it would be a mistake to prohibit the use of clubs, ctc., entirely. He- could not see. why they should bo' limited to free exercises, although they all recognised ths value of them. He moved: ~ That [it-is not desirable-to-iabahdon the use ■ of such simple apparatus as . is now used in our schools/' -ff 18 P, hai , rman .seconded the motion. . Mr. Cowles said, he was entirely, in .accord with the-new idea's,-not as a drill" , t'af a training. The whole thing had been" the subject of a close study by experts at Home, and it was agreed that, the use of apparatus was' not as benohcial as the, tree exercises. Experiments v Inch-ho had carried out with his boys with a home-made stethoscope,showed the heart to be normal at the start, but after live minutes exercise with dummy rifles ■ S5" b °.Ts heart registered normal' lho others, saul Mr. Cowles, were all to Pieces, the hearts beating fast and irregularly. It was a fact that the use of appliances led. to a hard stiff muscle, but what was wanted was a soft pliant muscle. The hard-muscled man did not last as long as the soft-muscled maii In his opinion physical-drill'should be regular and moderate, the best exercises being swimming running, and walking. Whilst he did not think the board -should piolubit the use. of apparatus, he thought it should be done away with for training. £li\ Cowles characterised parallel bars, horizontal bars, and Koman rings as instruments of' torture. ■ Mr. Darroch said "he had always regarded- physical '• training as next in importance to moral training. All the drill that- we had done with apparatus had not narmed tho children, as we had not gouo to an excess -in- the development of muscle. He thought they should, give the same consideration to organised games as ■ tlioy- did to physical training. ~: Oil the suggestion of Mr. Erskine, the motion was remodelled to read as under :— "That while admitting the value of free exercises, this institute is of opinion that it is not desirable to prohibit the use of such simple apparatus as. is at present in use in the schools." The motion, as amended, was than put and carried. - Mr. Ballachey moved— That this institute is wholly in accord .with the proposal to form classes of instruction for male teachers in physical drill, provided that the board has submitted to it satisfactory evidence that the proposed instructor is specially qualified to teach -the sub- ' ject efficiently." Mr. Darroch seconded the motion. Ho thought there-should Ijb two experts—a male and a female. A lady member remarked that the drill ' the boys .now had to take was too much for them, .-\fter it they were quite ex- 1 liausted.' The motion was carried. resolutions was also car- . ! n fhe opinion of 'this insti- ' tutel it is desirable that a specially qualified woman should bo appointed cla-* women teachers' /ho suggestion that- teachfolidav to tho ° f their s,lmmcr noiiuay to the training camp, and thVr they be given leave for a further week it was decido.l that the instituto was 'of opinion that 1,0 general leave could hi granted as proposed without entirelv Hi-: organising the work of many of the'large S 'f ?E tl nec essitating the closing of some of the smaller ones. Mr. Darroch moved— Thai in the opinion of tho institute it 1., desirablo that organised games should be recognised as being of the Mm'giisr*" lb * ~" r