View report page

indoor instruction at Hampstead Baths which has now
become a regular all year round activity, has produced
large numbers of good swimmers. Examinations for the
Middlesex Swimming Tests were held throughout the year
and the number of certificates awarded was a good
advance on previous years. The standard of swimming in
schools has appreciably improved since the introduction
of these graded tests.
ORGANISED GAMES:
The majority of school games continued to be played
on Public Parks and Recreation Grounds and the Borough
Engineer and Surveyor and his staff have been most helpful
in allocating pitches, providing special markings and
maintaining grounds. Cressingham Road Field is now
fenced in, seeding has been done and it is hoped to have
full use of this field by the Spring of 1952.
LOCAL YOUTH COMMITTEE:
Since the re-organisation of the administration for the
County of Middlesex it has been impossible for the
organisers to keep in such close contact as they would
have liked with all phases of Youth work in Hendon, but
they act as advisors to the Local Youth Committee and
are available when required.
CHILDREN UNDER 5 YEARS OF AGE:
As the influence of the increase in the birth rate
makes itself felt by the number of children reaching compulsory
school age less space has been available in the
infant schools for children below school age. Until new
buildings are provided to accommodate the infants it has
been increasingly necessary to limit the admission of the
under fives although the demand for places has been as
heavy as hitherto.
Whereas in 1945 there were 594 such children in attendance
at "26 schools, there were only 403 children under five
years of age in 20 schools at the corresponding time in
1949. Of these only 24 were between the age of 3 and 4
32