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PHYSICAL TRAINING IN SCHOOLS.
Detailed reports have been presented by the Assistant
Inspector of Schools and the Organiser of Physical Training to
the Education Committee, and the following is only a precis of
these reports.
Boys.
The chief event of the year has been the adoption throughout
the Borough of the New Syllabus of Physical Training, recently
issued by the Board of Education. It has stimulated renewed
interest in the subject, and the teachers generally have appreciated
its wider scope and the opportunities presented to the children
for increasing their powers of self-control. During the year four
demonstrations of the new work were given in various parts of
the Borough, and were well attended by Head and Assistant
Teachers. Discussions were held later regarding many theoretical
and practical points of the new scheme of instruction.
Each Senior School has at least one member of the staff who
is qualified to teach the use of the portable Swedish apparatus
with which every Senior School is now equipped. By far the
greater part of the physical training is in the hands of these
specialist teachers. In those cases where playground lessons are
taken by the class teachers, the guidance and inspiration of these
more highly qualified teachers are extremely useful.
Generally, lighter clothing is being worn in both Junior and
Senior Schools. In some of the latter most boys change completely
into vests, shorts and plimsolls.
Closing the Central Baths during the drought in the summer
has had an adverse effect upon the swimming; there has been a
considerable decrease in the number of certificates gained.