Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit MONDAY, JANUARY 24, 1938. COMPULSORY SWIMMING.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 58, Issue 88, 24 January 1938, Page 4

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit MONDAY, JANUARY 24, 1938. COMPULSORY SWIMMING.

The decision of the Cantebury Education Board to make representations to the Minister of Education on the desirability of including swimming among the compulsory subjects at the State schools will receive general endorsement. The appalling frequency of drowning accidents, not only during the holiday period but throughout the summer, when the toll of the water exceeds that of the roads, and the number in other seasons emphasises the necessity for action on the lines indicated. Only the fact that the menace of the motor-car is a recent development, whereas death through drowning has been common throughout human history, accounts for the fact that public opinion has not been aroused long ere this. By placing swimming on the list of compulsory subjects the Minister would be only following the example of an ancient people, for the Spartans had as a maxim of education “Teach a child to read, write and swim.” Of late years valuable work in the instruction of school children in the art of natation has been performed by teachers and others, but if the problem is to be dealt with adequately, a more systematic, more comprehensive policy must be adopted. The subject is worthy of the most serious consideration and if the Education Department and the newly-constituted Council of Sport acted in close co-operation it should be possible to evolve a system of inestimable value not only in preventing loss of life but also in improving the stamina and health of the people, for swimming is not surpassed by any other form of recreation for its health-giving qualities. The encouragement of swimming would thus act toward the achievement of a double objective of vital importance to the nation.