COMPULSORY SWIMMING

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3012, 24 February 1917, Page 6

COMPULSORY SWIMMING

FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN N.Z. SWIMMING ASSOCIATION'S IDEAS ThqJOpuncil ot tho Now Zealand Amateur "Swimming Ussocition has issued a circular in which it suggests that proficienoy in swimming and lifesaving be mado compulsory in the public schools of tho Dominion. The folI lowing is suggested as a basis upon which to work :—

I. Tho compulsory teaching of swimming and life-aavim» to children at all schools, directly or indirectly under State control,'' where facilities for instruction are within easy reach. Exemption can be granted to such special cases as may be brought before tho headmaster.

11. All teaihors earning tho Government capitation to be able to swim, both with the breaßt-stroke and the back-strolce, and to hold tho clemeut-aj-y certificate of the Royal Life-Saving Society, so that they may be able to give adequate instruction in swimming and life-saving, and to bo able to give lectures thereon.

111. That swimming and life-saving bo placed on the syllabus for students at training colleges and at training camps. _;■■_.. IV. Capitation to 'be paid from Standard 111 upwards. ' V.' That the Government appoint a duly quallEed instructor in swimming and life-saving on eiinflar lines to those existing in Victora.

With regard to Clause II (the sooioty states) it might prove advisable for the N.Z.A.S.A. to issue a certificate denoting a certain proficiency to foaohers of swimming, the examinations' for which to be held under the control of the local centres. At the present time a number of schoolmasters in the Dominion recognise the great value of swimming, and insist upon the pupils under their caro taking the necessary instruction. Unfortunately such teachers are in a minority, and this important subject should not be loft entirely to the discretion of the headmaeter. Although the N.Z.A.S.A. had early Tecognisod tie value to tho children in learning to swim, and has encouraged them by the issue of graded certificates, yet the number issued is altogether too 6mall when compared with the number of children attending the schools. Certificates have been issued'as follow: — 1200 in 1912, 1100 in. 1913, 1560 in 1914, 950 in 1915, 2228 in 1916. There wore in Now Zealand at the end of 1915, 2338 primary; schools, with, a, to^al' of 183,214 pupils, of whom 72,135 wore in Standard 111 and overThe number of swimming classes held was 257, aru increase of three classes over the year 1914. It is probable'that the average number of children in a class would be less than 20, but taking this number, the total would be 6140 children for which capitation would bo paid by the Government. This total only represents about 7 per cent, of the children'old enough to be taught. It would appear, therefore, that 93 per oent. of the chddren in Standard 111 and upwards are.quito neglected. The number of certificates issued' 6hows that only from 1J per cent, to 3 per cent, qualify for the association's certificates. ■ '■ .. i number of schools and classes held in each district is as under:— . •■ , No. of No. of. • Schools. Classes. Auckland ...V. 645 44 Taranaki 103 . — Wanganui _ 216 36 ' Wellington 174 28. Hawko's Bay .:;....,...... 147 6 Marlborough 98 4 Nolson 128 . 16 Groy ....'• 33 • — . Westland- ..--.. 3!) 3 North Canterbury 226 61 South Canterbury ...... 86 4 Otago 257 50 'Southland ;'... 186 5 Totals .2335. .257 ' Tho number of children medically examined by the Medical Inspectors was 17,138, of whom 12,002 wero examined at tho routino examination only. Of the latter 13.4 per cent, had stooped shoulders, 5.7 per cent, curvature and 5.6 por cent, flat chests. Dr. Bakor, North Canterbury, personally examined over 5000 ohildren: 23 per cent, had obstructed respiration and 22 per cent, had physical deformitieS| such as spinal curvature and stooped shoulders. Dr. Paterson, Medical Inspector for Otago and Southland, roported that the exercise of swimming is a splendid preventive of deformity, which is much rarer among swimmers than non-swinimers.; Tho inference to be drawn from a. comparison of these two reports is that swimming tends both to prevent and to cure physical deformities. In Australia the value of swimming exercises has long been reooguised, and in no other part, of the world does tho-.art receive such.general and generous assistance. The < teaching of swimming in the publio schools of. New South Wales has been done on a largo scale for many years, and grows greater overy season,- so that to-day it stands as an object losson to all couutrios. In Victoria a director of hygiene,' Mr. Frank. Beaiirepairo, has been appointed to pay particular attention to.the teaching of swimming to'teachors and children. . '

The number of lives lost each year in Now Zealand by drowning is very largo. For a period of ten years ending 1911, 1737 .lives wore lost, of whom 80 per cent, could not swim, and a large majopity of these fatalities could very probably have been prevented.

In Duncdin iu 1912 schools were circularised, when it was shown that less than 5 por oent. of tho able-bodied children could swim. ' ,

We are. now experiencing a period in our national history in which it was never more imperative that the future parents of the nation should- be free from bodily defects, and in possession of strong and vigorous physical and mental quaTrUes, to enable tliem to repair the ravages of war and maintain the British Empire on a stronger and higher plane. ' The ground-work of this ideal can only be commenced and contiuued by seeing that the children in our schools have the advantages of a healthy childhood.

Medical men havo reported, as the result of years of observation and experience, that swimming prevents and also remedies physical defects, and there can be no question as to the healthy and attractive nature of swimming as an .oxercise and a pastime. "For these and the other'reasons set forth," concludes tho report, "the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association asks that favourable consideration be given to iliese suggestious, and as t*i'e lmpomnco of tho subject is sufficient in the interests of the community to warrant action as soon as possible, we ask that a Government officfaTbe appointed whose duties would he to organiso swimming and'lifc-sav-' ing throughout Now Zealand on tho lines shown in this report."