London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972

View report page

Croydon 1926

[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Croydon]

This page requires JavaScript

375
Union Fete on Saturday, June 20th, while several hundred boys
and girls from Croydon schools took part in the Folk Dance
Festival arranged by the East Surrey branch of the E.F.D.S., at
South Nutfield on Saturday, July 10th.
Visits were paid to the Women's and Girls' gymnastic classes
in connection with the Central Polytechnic and Evening Institutes
throughout the season.
Eight girls' schools held school camps at Pilgrim Fort during
the summer, and from some schools a second partv was sent later
in the season. One school arranged a very successful week-end
camp for old scholars.
Corrective Classes have been held in seven girls' schools
during the year. One class had to be discontinued after the
summer vacation owing to lack of a suitable room, and another
class was closed temporarily owing to shortage of staff, but has
now been resumed satisfactorily.
Thus it will be seen that Physical Education in the elementary
schools of the Borough is slowly but surely progressing towards
that wider outlook which refuses to regard it as merely a subject
in the school time-table, but recognises that it forms an integral
part in the development of every child, and that "mental education
can but be accomplished only when physical health and
development are satisfactory." We are striving that physical
training shall become a living force in the schools and an equipment
for after life. I am glad to record here my thankful appreciation
to all—Baths superintendents, the officials of the East
Surrey branch of the E.F.D.S., and the various branches of the
C.E.S.A.A., and, very emphatically, to the teachers in our schools
—who are aiding me to this end.
MAY APPLETON.
(b) Physical Training in Boys' Departments.
I am indebted to Mr. Drew, Assistant Inspector of Schools,
for the following statement:—
(i) The allotment of time devoted to physical training
on the time-tables of Boys' Schools remains substantially the
same as in the report for last year. It has been found
possible, however, during the last school year to include a
daily physical training period for certain classes which
130