AIM AT NATIONAL FITNESS

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 174, 20 April 1937, Page 8

AIM AT NATIONAL FITNESS

Physical Education CONFERENCE TO-DAY IN WELLINGTON A representative conference will be held to-day at Parliament House to discuss physical education. It will be attended by the Acting-Prime Minister, Hon P Fraser, the Minister of Internal Affairs, lion. W. E. Parry, and representatives of the Departments of Health and Education, the medical profession, primary and post-primary services (including the training colleges), physical instructors (men and women), and the New Zealand Olympic and British Empire Games Association. Mr. Fraser explained yesterday that the conference would be asked to consider among other matters the place and importance of physical education in the curricula of schools and . colleges ; the best means of arousing in the post-primary community a desire for physical efficiency through keep-fit classes, physical welfare carnivals, etc.; the best means of training specialist teachers and instructors; the best means of dealing with the more pronounced cases of physically defective children in the schools; suitable text-books for systems of physical education; the best type of school building, seating accommodation and playground lay-out: and the need for physical welfare camps. A narrow interpretation would not be placed on physical education, which included essential knowledge of the human body and its functions, dietetics, including food values, and the effects of various food ingredients and stimulants, and health habits generally. , , .. The Minister said he regarded the conference as a very important one. He thought from its personnel that it would, be able to make very valuable recommendations in regard to the future of physical education in the Dominion.