A GOOD PASTURE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 717, 18 December 1933, Page 7

A GOOD PASTURE

LEARN TO STAND STRAIGHT AND HOLD UP HE HEAD. Lon^on, October 27. Great stress is laid on the importance of good posture in a revised syllabus of physical training for schools issued by the Board of Education. '"Correct posture," it is stated, "is necessary for good health and for complete physical devolopment. It makes the body more useful, skilful, and beautiful. It helps to produce self-respect, and therefore self-con-fidence. "The child who has learnt to stand straight and hold his head up has, other things being equal, a hetter chance of making his way in life than his stooping, weak-kneed brother." It is pointed out that in many schools .as many as 75- per cent. of the children not only stands badly, but have one or more of the minor deformities commonly-' associated with halpositions. Such gaes as "shinty," "hurlyhurly," and "skittle ball" are involved by the Board of Education as means tc the platonic ideal of "Gymnastic for the sake of the soul." They are three out of a list of some 80 games recommended for use in schools — iand the plantonic ideal is introduced by no less an authority than Sir George Newman, C'hief Medical Otficer of Health to the Board, in a foreward to the board's new syllabus of physical training. Both for Soul. Harking back 2000 years, Sir George quotes with approval Plato's ' statement that "the conduct of a man in his xereeise is a very important tests of character; and those who estahlish a system of education in music and gymnastic in Plato's sense of the terms."' Apart from physique it is urged that properly conducted exercises also develop a cheerful spirit, the qualities of alertness, decision, and concentration, and perfect control of mind over body. The new syllbaus is the first innovation of the kind since 1919, and is primarily intended for children between the years of 5 and 11. It contains the fullest particulars not only of such. old favourites as "French and English," and "hop scotch," but of literally scores of "approved" games of which' the vaerage reader will never have heard. In short, it is a complete manual of children's entertaniment. Similar deseriptions, accompanied by 107 illustrations, are given of an even larger number of physical exercises, and 18 complete lessons are outlined for the guidance of schools.