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44
"6. Swimming.— Last year we estimated that at least 5,500
children in the post-primary schools should be given the opportunity
of enjoying a regular swimming lesson throughout the school year.
This privilege should also be extended to children in their last
year at the Junior Schools, making a total of nearly 7,000 children.
We regret that last year only 1,200 children per week were able to
receive instruction over the limited period of the summer months,
and the necessity for making further provision will be further
emphasised by the raising of the school leaving age. We feel that
the Baths Committee should be requested to extend the periods
available for the instruction of school children, and we hope that
accommodation for a good proportion of the Monoux boys will be
found at the South-West Essex Technical College, thus releasing
much-needed places at the Walthamstow Baths for children attending
Walthamstow schools.
"The effectiveness of the actual swimming instruction is still
seriously handicapped by (a) the lack of sufficient shallow water
area, and (6) the excessive size of the classes, especially for nonswimmers.
The majority of teachers readily gave their specialist
teacher valuable assistance by actively coaching a section of these
large classes, but there is still room for improvement upon the
lines indicated in our previous report.

"The results achieved by individual schools vary too widely,
and whilst the majority deserve credit for their good work under
difficult conditions, there is an obvious lack of interest at others
in this healthy activity. The small decrease in the total number
of certificates was probably due to three causes: (i) the rather
indifferent summer weather; (ii) the war crisis; and (iii) the insistence
upon better style in the actual tests. Much excellent work was
again performed by enthusiastic teachers out of school hours, and
the truly heroic efforts of those responsible for the organisation of