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various sections of the Croydon Elementary Schools Athletic
Association mentioned further on in this report, and the many
hours of after-school time devoted to the teaching of games, swimwing
and dancing.
The co-operation of the parents in such matters as school
dress, suitable, shoes, etc., is slowly being gained, and it is
encouraging to note the interest taken whenever opportunites occur
of witnessing physical training demonstrations such as school
sports, swimming galas, etc.
The second Children's Country Dance Party was held on
Saturday afternoon, September 6th, on a much larger scale than
that of last year. Seventeen Girls' and Senior Mixed departments
were represented, and all three halls at Winterbourne School were
used. Three hundred and thirty girls took part in the Country
Dances, and during the afternoon demonstrations of country,
Morris and sword dancing were given by the winners of these
classes at the Croydon Musical Festival.
All the Girls' and Senior Mixed departments, with the exception
of St. Joseph's and Shirley, attended the swimming baths
during the summer season. Emphasis this year has again been
given to the fact that the object of these swimming lessons is to
teach as many girls as possible to swim, if only a few strokes,
rather than to coach a few children to gain special certificates. The
returns at the end of the season show the gratifying result that
five hundred and twenty-nine girls learned to swim for the first
time during the season. An interesting feature in the certificate
returns is that on the whole those schools gaining the most certificates
are those with the greatest proportion of novices taught to
swim, thus showing that the training is really scientific and efficient
When it is remembered that nearly every swimming class contain?
at least thirty children and that many schools have to include two
or even three consecutive batches of children in the period of one
hour allotted to them, it will be seen that much hard work has been
accomplished. The secretary of the swimming section of the
C.E.S.A.A. has furnished me with the following details of the certificates
gained by the girls during the season:
Croydon Elementary Schools Swimming Association
Certificate (30 yds.) 230
London Schools Swimming Association Certificates
(50 yds.) 198
Elementary Life Saving Certificates 38
Advanced Life Saving Certificates 30
Royal Life Saving Society's Bronze Medallion 3