Physical Training In Schools

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 151, 14 July 1937, Page 7

Physical Training In Schools

NATIONAL POLICY IS NEEDED Scheme Should Be Under Qualified I»structors NAPIER PISCUSSION "Obviously a national policy of physical training is reguired, with preliminary training of experts, if vre are to fpllo'vy the lead of the Old Oountry in trying to bnild up a dtter nation," commented the principal of the Napier Boys' High School, Mr. W. % Toster, inareport to the Napie? Secondary Eduaction Bo^rd last evening. The hoard passed a resolution urging upon the Education Department thp necessity of a proper physical training seh?me fpr school children. The report by llr. Foster was that the system ypas l&rgely that used in the aiilitary forces and was earried out chiefly by fqur masiters and partly in connection with the training of the cadet corps. The training aimed at tho developnjent o# eharacter, production of physical and jnental alertness, and bQdily fitness in hamonious proportion, The syllabus was that set out in the t&bles of exercises of the New Zealand Military Forces, 1933, the exereisCa being carefuily progressive, with attention to all parts of the body. On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of e&ch week, Mr. Foster added, 15 minutes of physical drill under the four masters was taken, g,nd on Friday 10 minutes, Each Mond&y 15 minutes of physics?! drill was taken during the military drill period, and on every fourth Monday 40 minutes of masged physical drill was taken under the comipand o| the pfficer-in-charge of the cadets. Thus 70 minutes of physical drill was taken each "yyeek, with 20 minutes extra every fourth week. Work of a Specialist. "In addition," continues the report, "l Shojjhi l&Q to add that, in my oplpion,- while vepy_ nseful work is being done by individual masters, the system is uet so gatkfactory as when we had a physical instruptor whp tpok' each class for pne period a week. We can mahe PQ attepipt at -remedial workj such is the task of a specialist. It is interesting to.note that.a great deal of attention is being paid to physical instrucfeion in England at the prpeejit timo. Not only are many schopls advertising for phyT sic'al training experts, . bnt. there are estdblished colleges for. training these experts. It is rather curious that. wncn we had an expert at our school, the department looked somewhat askance at hdg appointment on the grounds that it was better for the boys to do a littlo physical drill each day under their form masters rather than one period a week under an. expert. However, sinee Mr Sherning's departure, the work has been done by mcmbers of the staff. " Another interesting feature of the stress at present being'laid on physical education is the statement by Er. Norwood, headmaster of Harrow, that one full period should be devote'd each day, not each week, to physical training and xernedial work. In the Times Educational Supplement I have seen only one warning issuedt and that by a doctor to the eflect that it seemed to him qujte easy tp pverdo the physical exercises if the question of proper feeding did not at the sauxe tiipe receive adequate attention. "To sum up, I ,am convinced that, while effective work is being done, a special expert cpnld do work covering a wider field and therefore more valuable than,we can do at present. Obviously a national policy of physical training is required, with preliminary training of experts, if we are to follow the lead of the Old Country in trying to buikl up a fitter nation." At tho Napier Girle' High School, pupils had 45 minutes each week, said the report of the acting-prineipal, Miss A. M, Anderson. A short period only of this was devoted to fplk-dancing. The girls wero ingtructed under the Swed'sh system as a^iopted fpr women and taught jn Great Britain. "The structural aspect," stated tho report, ' ' 8mbraces the development of a poised carriage through the harmonious development of tho muscle groups caysmg the differeut parts of the bodv to staud in correct relation with one anotiier. Emphasis on the Qxoportance of a good carriage while marching and while walking is made, "In the acsthetic aspect, the exercises are choseu with a view to developmg a serise of beauty. Muscle kolu ti on and economy of power aro trained by giving first of all a ropetition of simpie movements which are gradually. increased in difficulty as control and precisian of movement are attaine-3. Ehythmical exercises are given to train the sense of rhythm and assist in the attainment of ease and graco. Eelaxntion as studied," "There is a great deal of room for improvement in the matter of phyical

training," commented Mr G. B. Mcnzies, a member of the board. "Tho question aifects not only this district but New Zealand as a whole, and 1 would like to seo a more direct and concise manner of physical training introduced in the schools. "In other countries," he added, "d 'great deal pf tinie and money is being spent on physical instruetion, and I am o£ the opinion that we should not lag behind, and that we should endeavour to obtain the services of an expert from oneof these countries. In this manner the Government would eave a large amount of money that is now spent in hospital expenses, If we can bring up a healthier and more virile race we can see that hospital expenses are considerably reduced. &ound Instruetion Needed "It has well been said that sports develop only one or other portion of the body, and for this reason 1 should like to see a really sound form of physical ,-nstruction adopted — we need physical instruetion in our schools a? much as we need mathematical instruetion. 1 hope that the board will send forward a recommendation to the department asking for a higher degrep of physical training in the school of New Zealand. ' ' Mr D. B. McEae mentioned that tho Governrnent was now engaged in bringing forward a scheme for physical training which would do exactiy what Mr Menzies wished. "We could well take up with that a little of the time spent ~ in forming x'ours, which apart from teaching diseipJine does little physical good," ho said, "We could cut out a lot of that tommy-rot that is no good at all." Dr. Harold Berry emphasised tho neej. for a preliminary medical examination of a thorough nature to ascertaiu whether it was advisable for tho pupils to have physical training. The resolution was as follows: "That this board is of the opinion that tho timo has arrived when more attention shpuld be devoted t>o the physicai training of children attending all schools and more direcfly those attending the secondary schools, and for the purpose of this training the pupils sii^uld be previously medically examined and graded foj* their training; and urges the department to make provisicn as early as possible ±or the supply of fully-qualiiied instructors to give efiect to a full scheme of physical Iraimng." The support of other boards is to be siught.