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formers of the highest quality. Though it is true that genius
will out in sport today, champions are produced because
the facilities exist and were provided by the wise fathers of
previous generations.
Secondary Schools.
There is little change to report in the secondary schools,
and until gymnasium or games halls are made available to
counteract the vagaries of the English weather, the schools
will not gain the value of continuous training because there
is not enough covered space for many of the activities that
are the foundations of good games playing.
All the boys' schools are using weights as a means
of intensive training and this is one activity which has not
suffered from space shortage. There is no doubt that the
strength produced makes many a gymnastic skill easier to
acquire.
The girls' work continues to suffer from lack of continuity
of instruction. So many of the young women teachers
marry early and leave the profession after one or two years
to have families. In the case of many other subjects, several
of the teachers on the staff are by training qualified to take
over the work of say the English department, but few indeed
are the women teachers able to take in like measure the work
left by the departing P.E. specialist. This poses a problem
which is almost insoluble unless a new approach is made to
women's physical education generally. It should be desirable
to train every women teacher at secondary level in some
branch of this subject, so that come what may the girls are
not left without instruction. Where the staffs of girls' schools
are stable, excellent work is produced.
It is pleasing to note that one of the Borough's Girls'
Secondary Schools produced the All England Junior Girls'
Badminton Champion.
1. Youth Work.
During the year much interest has been aroused in the
Duke of Edinburgh's Award and the Bexleyheath Boys'
Brigade achieved fame by getting the first Gold Medal in
Kent, and in addition the boy was honoured by being presented
with it at the Palace. Two other Golds will follow, while
in addition four Silver and seven Bronze medals have been
gained. Other Youth organisations have begun their schemes
and the future promises well in this direction.
The Kent Youth Committee have made available for a
small charge lightweight camping equipment for the purpose
of making expeditions and many demands for the equipment
have been made from units within the Borough.
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