SWIMMING IN THE SCHOOLS

Hokitika Guardian, 4 February 1929, Page 7

SWIMMING IN THE SCHOOLS

C( >N FEI iEX (’ E IN WEL LINGTO X. WELLINGTON, Feb. I. The educational officers of the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Assoc in lion held a meeting in tin-Clyde Quay School to-day. Mr K. O’Neill, lion, secretary of the N.Z.A.S.A., was no miiiaied chairman of (he conference, and .Mr H. R. Fisher (Wellington) secretary. There were also present Messrs H. E. Longwortli (director of physical training for the Education Department.). A. R. Knight (Otago), I/. Brighton (Auckland), W. Carlton (South Canterbury), 11. !e This (Hawke’s Bay), and I). Vo it eh (Wanganui). Concerning instruction, it was stated that experts were of various opinions as to the host methods to he employed. Rome advocated the breast stroke, while others, perhaps the majority, were in favour of the crawl. Mr Longwortli emphatically stressed the point that breathing must be natural and not strained, as was inevitably the ease with the old form of crawl. Continuing, he said that no matter what style was employed, breathing was the first consideration, as otherwise the results would he injurious to the body. A remit was put before the meeting and passed that “a child should ho taught a. stroke for which it was most adapted, and further, for purposes of preliminary instruction the dog paddle is most suitable.” The method of allocation of the Davies Shield was generally held to he most satisfactory. After discussion a motion was put forward by Mr Knight that “It he awarded on the largest number of learners’ certificates earned in proportion to the average school attendance of Standards IV., V., and VI., excluding proficiency and merit certificate holders, and those who, for special or medical reasons, are debarred from swimming. Any children qualifying for learners’ certificates to he included without any reference to the average attemlai #:e of lower standards. AH le Bas seconded the motion, and it was carried. Regarding the issuing’of certificates, Air Brighton moved, and it was agreed, that a further certificate he struck for those holding 880 yards certificates, who in a season instruct five, not previously being able to swim, to gain learners’ certificates. Attention was next drawn to the method of allocation of the special certificate. for schools. Tu accordance with Mr Lougworth’s advice a remit was passed to the effect, that “It he awarded to schools gaining 2/5 per cent and over, and to schools gaining over 75 per cent a framed certificate he awarded, the method of computation to be on the same basis as at present.” The following remit was passed: “That an officer be appointed under the control of the Education Department for the organisation and instruction of swimming to teachers and pupils in the schools of the Dominion, such au officer to work under and in conjunction with the Director of Physical training, the number of physical instructors to he increased in order to carry out the instructions of the above suggested officer; further, that the Education Board ho empowered to avail themselves of the opportunity of utilising the services of the present educational officers by having the power to relieve such teachers of their school duties during part of February in each year, in order to further the work of the suggested Departmental officer in charge of school swimming.”