THE MAKING OF THE MAN.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1247, 2 October 1911, Page 4

THE MAKING OF THE MAN.

THE PART SPORT PLAYS. SCJIOOL GAMES IN SCHOOL LIFE,

The chairman of the Wellington Public Schools' Cricket Association (Mr. R. Dnrrocli) said at tho association's annual meeting 011 Saturday that ho was absolutely convinced that 110 subject was of greater importance in a school programme tlian organised sport, "particularly," 110 added, "in these days of enlightenment when so much is heard about the loosening, of the moral fibre and tho recruiting of tho race from below." lie went 011 to say: Games for all children 6hould bo compulsory unless forbidden by a medical certificate. Wo must at the outset recognise as teachers that our work is different from all other work in t.lio State, that it must not be limited by the boll, that it must not be commensurato wifi.li the payment received. . . . Tho two most important considerations for toachers are tire moral and the phy- ■ sical training of their pupils. All possible authorities agree on the matter. Experience has conclusively that moral training must bo undertaken systematically. Let it be done in the sclwo pkiygirouncl through tiie medium of school games/' •. He then referred to what ho termed tho latest word from tho British Army, which included this remark: On© drawback to tli© use of games is that Hie weaker and less export performer, that is, - the _ very ono who most requires training, is often discouraged bv his want of proficiency, and so e.nds bv becoming a looker-on. Commenting, Mr. Darroc.h says: ilus latter point is most important, and cannot bo corrected without tho personal supervision and sympathy of the teachers. Tho children must bo taught tiie games. Even in Wellington with its very restricted playing epacos he bad seen 1-0 boys playing crickct in a piece of asphalt playground less than an eighth of _<in acre' in area, and receiving instruction about the game from five masters. Forty bovs can get a great deal ci pleasure and learn the points of the game in a school oorridor forty feet by eight feet. Anyone of us, who has taken any trouble with pnhool sports could organise the whole of the children in Wellington in school games during the recess hours, but all the teachers would, have to bo m tbo plavgrounds with the children. "Everyone will admit that ehiJdiren should bo perfectly haivpy at What makes up this happiness? I heir school mates and their masters! Their close personal school chums they can more or less choose for themselves, but they have no choice in their masters; they must take thorn as they find them, and it is the bounden duty of teachers to do all in their power to make their scholars happy. Many teachers sit in the schoolroom' and talk a great deal about sports, but fhey do not go into the playground, or, if thev do, they lako a book and read, thus fulfilling the supervision required by regulation. In my advocacy of school sports, I have boon met with the objection t-lvat the best ."sports" in our schools smoko cigarettes, swear, dodae work, and play truant. Well, all I can say to tins is that I cannot and will not blame our grand old earner of cricket and football for such lapses from grace- ... "We should also inculcate games ior_t.no love of the games and guide tho actions of tho boys in such a way that the professional spirit does not creep in, for profor-.Monalisnt is an increasing evil in English games, and has tnirned some of them from true sport into a mere exhibition or matter of business. Sport should, not bo pursued as an end, but o.s a means to an end. Tho real value of atactics is -tlhc„ preparatory training rather than in- the contest or the prize, and the excess to which oven this-, is 'carried renders.it a question if somesEOcallcd amateurs, who devote much of tlifcir timo to. the practice of athletics, do not bolong to. the professional class.