BODILY TRAINING IN SCHOOL

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XIX, Issue 3284, 24 November 1892, Page 2

BODILY TRAINING IN SCHOOL

Our travelling correspondent, writing from Manaia, refers to a question of great importance in connection with school life, and as we entirely endorse his remarks we give them prominence in this column. We know of more than one school in the district in connection with which this Bubjeot has been spoken of, and we do not doubt that the remarks will apply generally throughout the education district. Our correspondent observes : — " Children's bodily training requires more attention than is usually given to such a matter. I feel assured that, upon careful examination, quite 50 per cent, of the girls at least attending school have curvature of tbe spine and tbe left shoulder higher than the right, the result of an unnatural position maintained during school hours whilst writing and doing slate work at their desks. The evil is accentuated, too, when teachers insist upon children keeping their left arm ami shoulder as high up on the desk as possible, in order to prevent copying. Let an adult try this position for two or three hours and he will realise what damage ensues to a growiog child with its developing muscles and soft unset bones. Curvature of the spine and its concomitant evils are inevitable with tbis treatment and a child's, more especially a girl's figure is deformed for life one may say, as it is a long and tedious treatment to set the spine straight again when once the patient has contracted a decided twi*6fc. Back- boards and a careful system of gymnastic will effect a little, but prevention is always better than cure. Low deßks with little or no slope upwards, no strained position in writing, and plenty of desk-room, so that overlooking each | others copieß might be more difficult, ] thereby rendering unnecessary any unnatural position — all these may be called preventativee, to which might be added such exercises as calisthenics given every day for twenty minutes or so during school hours. And Ibt encouragement be given by teachers to all kinds of active games and gymnastics during play hours. My masters, you have in your hands the formation of a nation. Good material has ; been given you ; do not let there be bad workmanship. Phase, as a personal favor, let Macaulay's New Zealander, when he views from London Bridge the rains of the world's capital, be a presentable personage. School committees and parents, this is really a serious matter. With universal education we may introduce universal physical degeneration, and this quite needlessly, for with a little proper care and attention tbis danger can be averted ; but something must be done at once injustice to your ohildren. Among young New Zealand women, not one in fifty has a good figure, and not one in a hundred can walk gracefully."