View report page

63
The last two years have shown a very definite advance in the quality of the work in junior
schools. Elementary rhythmical exercises are more frequently employed than was formerly
the case, with the result that greater range of movement is obtained and the various exercises
have thus become more beneficial. Group work is often seen in the top classes and a determined
and most successful effort has been made to show that the ten-year old child is quite capable
of playing effectively the more simple of the free team games.
Three main factors have contributed to this advance: (1) A growing volume of knowledge
on the part of the teachers of the essentials underlying a good physical training lesson. (2) A
feeling that the child of about 10 years of age is now in the top form of the school, and top forms
are expected to produce a high standard. (3) The praiseworthy desire to ensure that the
product leaving the junior school and passing on shall be a credit to the school. This feature is
far more marked than was the case when the children were merely promoted to a new class in
the same school.
Whilst many schools now give the equivalent of a daily lesson, others still lag behind in this
respect. In such cases it is, as a rule, the lower classes in the school which suffer most. The
top class usually receives three syllabus lessons, a games lesson and a swimming lesson weekly,
but in the lower classes it is sometimes found that nothing is given to offset the games and swimming
of the older children. Definite progress can, however, be recorded and it is confidently
anticipated that, as time goes on, a daily lesson for all juniors will be the accepted rule.
Senior
schools.
The conditions of a senior school are specially favourable to a broad and generous physical
education, since the school is free from the pressure too often exerted on the curriculum and
time-table of central and secondary schools by the requirements of external examinations and,
undisturbed by such influences, the senior school can adapt its course to the needs of children
between the ages of 11 and 14 years.
A daily lesson should thus be the aim of every senior school and when the great issues at
stake are more fully realised, and when the value of exercise as an outlet for the emotions
(particularly at this period of a child's life) is considered, the desirability of this provision will
be evident. The programme in the summer might embrace three syllabus lessons, one games
lesson and a visit to the swimming baths each week: whilst in the winter four syllabus (or three
syllabus and one dancing) and one games lesson might be substituted.
At present the times devoted to this branch of education vary very considerably. Whilst
some schools approximate very closely to the daily lesson, others fall far short. As with the
juniors, it is common to find the top classes receiving three syllabus, a swimming and a games
iesson weekly, whilst with the lower classes, for whom accommodation may not be available for
organised games and swimming, the average provision lies between three and four lessons weekly.
Furthermore when, as is the case with many schools, swimming is discontinued at the end of
the summer season, arrangements are not always made to replace it for the winter months with a
period devoted to some other branch of physical education.
The Board of Education has so far been able to do little to clarify the position with regard
to the nature of work expected in senior schools and the onus has been thrown on the local
education authority. In the case of the boys, the Board has indicated that suitable material
may be found in the Reference Book of Gymnastic Training for Boys. As it was unreasonable
to expect the teacher of general subjects to select suitable material from such a comprehensive
text-book primarily designed for the specialist teacher who has a fully equipped gymnasium at
his disposal, a pamphlet, dealing only with the appropriate material, has been drawn up which
has been issued to all teachers who have attended the special senior school classes.
The case of the girls' schools is even more difficult, as no official indication whatsoever of
the scope of work required has been given by the Board. Doubtless in due course an official
syllabus, applicable to the country at large, will be issued and it is hoped that this will not be
long delayed.
The past two years have witnessed a steady advance in the quality of the work in the boys'
schools. The teachers in the senior schools have joined the special evening classes which have
been organised in large numbers, and have to the best of their ability carried back into the
schools the more advanced work acquired. Some measure of rhythmic work is now employed
and greater freedom and range of movement are thus being achieved. The general activity work
shows considerable improvement, particularly in respect of the jumping activities and team
games of the free type.
The work for senior girls has hitherto been based on the 1919 syllabus, supplemented by
material given at teachers' classes. This is not satisfactory, as only those attending the classes
have, or generally even know of the existence of, the newer type of work. As a revised syllabus
by the Board of Education has been expected for some time now, it was not considered advisable
to provide the senior schools with "The Supplement for Older Girls" which has been issued to
the central schools, as the tables there include the use of apparatus.
In these circumstances it is natural that there should be gaps in the work, and there is no
chance of these being filled until a new syllabus is provided. In some instances the newer type
of work is well understood and a high standard of performance is reached. In other cases, however,
while the girls are given much more active lessons than formerly, a very limited range of material
has been covered. The playground games lesson figures on the programme much more frequently
now, and this side of the work is distinctly improved. The lessons are better planned and coached
and more worth-while games are played.
E 1