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43
"(d) Playing Fields.—The outstanding achievement of the past
year has been the acquisition of the extensive playing fields at
Salisbury Hall. The value and importance of this far-sighted
action will become more and more apparent with the continued
rapid growth of building schemes. Already these splendid fields
have contributed much to the health and joy of hundreds of
Walthamstow children, and we anticipate that full use will be
made of these facilities during the coming summer. The effective
use of the Chestnuts has been seriously curtailed by building operations,
and the fields have been closed to the schools for three months
in the middle of the season owing to the bad state of the pitches
due to excessive wear. The playing field problem is by no means
solved, and the impossibility of acquiring alternative accommodation
within reasonable reach of the schools makes the centrally
placed Chestnuts site extremely valuable for school purposes. The
value of the parks and open spaces has been enhanced by the provision
of suitable children's games markings and the necessary
portable goal posts and bases, with huts for storage.
"(e) Clothing.—It is pleasing to record that, in the Junior and
Infants' Schools, real progress has been made in the adoption of a
more rational form of dress, enabling movements to be carried out
with the necessary vigour and precision. The recommendation in
our last report that senior children should be encouraged to change
into special gymnasium clothing has been generally put into effect,
in spite of the lack of suitable changing and storage accommodation.
The present practice of supplying a limited number of shoes to each
Department means, in practice, that several children share the use
of one pair of shoes. This is highly undesirable and the only
satisfactory solution appears to be that proper gymnastic shoes
should be considered part of every child's necessary school equipment.
The storage of clothing in Senior Schools is receiving our
immediate attention. In the Junior and Infants' Schools specially
designed classroom store cupboards, as used in other areas, would
prove satisfactory.
(Note by S.M.O.—Your Committee is giving consideration to
the question of providing additional plimsolls, and instructions
have been given that, if shared, socks should be worn.)
"(f) Apparatus.—The Junior and Infants' Schools have now
been equipped with a reasonable supply of physical training and
games material, but more portable playground games posts are
required. In the Senior Schools much of the portable gymnastic
apparatus needs overhauling and some repairs and replacements
needed.
"(g) Staffing.—There is still a shortage of qualified teachers
of physical training in the Senior Schools. We are, however, very