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"Many teachers gave excellent service out of school hours to
the further coaching of swimmers, and they must have felt very
gratified at the splendid results achieved. We should like to congratulate
the Swimming Committee on the very efficient organisation
of this important function.
"5. Playground Play Centres.—Visits to these play centres
only served to confirm the unanimous testimony of playground
workers with practical experience of this problem, viz., that it is
not sufficient to provide space for play alone. As an experiment,
two play leaders were appointed to the Wood Street and Blackhorse
Road Centres for the last six weeks of the summer period. Thisexperiment
formed the subject of a special report to the Committee
last November, and was so successful that we had no hesitation in
recommending its extension to other play centres, including certain
Parks.
"6. Out-of-School Activities.—It gives us great pleasure
to pay tribute to the fine work of officials and enthusiastic supporters
of the Walthamstow Schools' Cricket and Football Association, the
Athletic Association, and the Swimming Association. The splendid
voluntary service rendered by members of these Associations deserves
commendation and support. The effective organisation and control
of competitions, particularly the inter-school competitions in the
major field games and athletics, does much to stimulate healthy
rivalry between the schools, fosters the development of individual
school spirit and generally raises the standard of play. We particularly
congratulate the teachers concerned on their determination
to resist any undue emphasis on the competitive element, with its
attendant evils, and their keen desire to set a high standard of
true sportsmanship in the conduct of all their activities.
"7. Physical Training for Adults.—From the generous
support given to the Juvenile Organisations Committee it is obvious
that the Committee is very interested in the provision of good
facilities for the healthy recreation of adolescents and adults. We
have been pleased to co-operate with such an enthusiastic body as
the local J.O.C., but this branch of the work, although requiring
special and urgent consideration, is at present beyond the scope of
our official duty. Demonstrations of physical training for clubs
and short courses for club leaders have been given. More clubs
now include physical training in their programmes, and judging
from the recent display given at the Baths Hall, the standard of
work shows real improvement. Spacious, clean and well-equipped
gymnasia are urgently required for the extension of this work in
our young people's clubs.
"The demand on the part of the women and girls in Walthamstow
for recreative physical education has been partly met by the
organisation of 10 Keep-Fit classes. An admission fee of 2d. is.