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(e) Clothing.—It is pleasing to record that in the Junior and Infants' Schools
real progress has been made in the adoption of a more rational form of dress enabling
movements to be carried out with the necessary vigour and precision. The recommendation
made in our last report that senior children should be encouraged to
change into vests and shorts or knickers has been generally put into effect in spite
of the lack of suitable changing accommodation or provision for the storage of
gymnasium kit.
(f) Shoes.—The generous experiment made last year by the Committee in
supplying 96 pairs of shoes to every school has only served to emphasise the fact
that the only satisfactory solution of this problem is that proper gymnastic shoes
should be regarded as a necessary part of every child's equipment. The discreet
issue of these shoes to deserving cases has presented teachers with a very difficult
problem and many parents who previously were providing shoes now say that they
are unable or unwilling to do so.
(g) Teachers' Courses.—We acknowledge with thanks the continued permission
to hold these classes during school hours. These classes often demand strenuous
physical effort from teachers, some of whom are not accustomed to regular vigorous
activity. We much appreciate the sympathetic attitude of the Committee regarding
the release of teachers to enable them to attend special courses. In order to make
safe and effective use of the extended facilities provided in a fully equipped
gymnasium the teacher will require a high degree of technical training impossible
to provide by means of local courses. Last year 16 teachers sacrificed holidays to
attend vacation courses in physical training and this is a pleasing indication of
growing interest and enthusiasm.
(h) Swimming.—Swimming instruction is rightly regarded as a very important
activity in physical education and we regret that approximately fifty per cent, of
the children leave the Barking schools without receiving swimming instruction.
It is, however, very encouraging to know that definite steps are being taken to
provide additional accommodation and in the meantime we should be pleased if
further consideration could be given to recommendations made last year, viz.:—
(1) To employ at the Public Baths and the Park Pool a qualified specialist
instructor for boys as well as for girls. This would enable units of forty children
to attend the bath in charge of one qualified teacher from the school.
(2) To limit the number of children actually in the water to forty. This is
very necessary in the case of non-swimmers.