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116
10. PHYSICAL TRAINING OF GIRLS.
Below is given the report of the Organizer of Physical Training,
to which the attention of the Committee is particularly
directed.
To the Education Committee. March, 1922.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I beg to submit the report of my work as Organiser of
Physical Training for the year 1921.
The outstanding feature of the work in the Elementary
Schools for the year was the introduction of the daily physical
training lesson. Every class now has a daily twenty-minute"
period devoted to Physical Training in one of its branches. The
general weekly arrangement provides for three physical exercises,
one organised games, and one folk dancing lesson. During the
summer months swimming is included for as many senior scholars
as can be arranged for at the Baths. Thus endeavour is made
to interpret aright the real meaning of Physical Training which,
as the Chief Medical Officer of the Board of Education says,
" means not the old form of school drill, but an efficient system of
education of the body which encourages the concurrent development
of healthy physique, keen intelligence and sound character."
Definite progress has been made during the past year towards
the recognition of Organised Games as a necessary and valuable
part of the training of school children in that Standards VI. and
VII. of sixteen Girls' and Senior Mixed Departments have been
trained in this subject in the public recreation grounds of the town.
The ordinary instruction of the other children in organised games
has been given in the playgrounds as hitherto, but the increased
possibilities of the recreation grounds has been of the greatest
advantage to the older classes.
I submitted a special report in July, 1921, on the working of
this scheme, so would here only repeat my belief that great benefit
both physically and morally is derived from such play.
Miss Palmer, one of His Majesty's Inspectors of Physical
Training, spent several days in Croydon in March, visiting many
of the schools and evening institutes.
Four Inter-form Physical Exercise Competitions were held
during the year at Davidson Road Girls' School, Winterbourne
Road Girls' School, Sydenham Road Girls' School, and All Saints'
Girls' and Infants' School. I also judged the Inter-form competition
at the Selhurst Grammar School for Girls. A demonstration
for parents' was arranged by the Head Mistress of Ecclesbourne
Road Girls' School. Various classes showed physical
exercises, dancing and organised games, and I spoke to the parents
on the aims and effect of the Physical Training given in the school
and the need of suitable clothing for the lessons, illustrating with
specimen garments and shoes.
Thirty Girls' and Senior Mixed Departments attended the
Swimming Baths during the summer. The time-table was so
arranged that, with one or two exceptions, only one school was in