FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 4688, 26 April 1945, Page 3

FOR WOMEN AND GIRLS

PHYSICAL FITNESS ACTIVITIES OFFICERS’ REFRESHER COURSE An important development in the physical fitness campaign of the Department of Internal Affairs was the recent refresher course for women offi-* cers at Lower Hutt. A comprehensive programme took in practical procedure and discussions around all the work and problems in the districts, including keep-fit exercises, folk dances (chiefly European) American square dances, minor indoor and outdoor games and singing games. The course of ten days was under the direction of Mrs R. Meek, senior physical welfare officer. In discussion, it was found that keep-fit work was on the upgrade as an activity for girls and women in the Dominion. As the exercises for the tables are very carefully worked out to compensate women for their type of daily work, it was felt - that this was a very important section of the Department’s scheme. Folk dancing had become an integral part of club recreation. The dances 6f Lithuania, Czechoslavakia, Bavaria, and America wore very popular. It was mentioned that the sporting organisations were realising more and more the value of minor games as lead-ups to the major sports. It was found that girls who did minor games in their recreation periods in conjunction with keep-fit and daneng were much better at team sports. Minor games usually involved quick passing, speed, dodging and running, which were fundamental for such sports as basketball, football, soccer, etc. Two of the main sports which arc gaining in popularity throughout the Dominion are indoor basketball and baseball. In most areas the officers have worked hard to got those games started and to improve the standa-d. Therefore skill and lead-up practices for both these games were well discussed and practised. Leadership training was the main discussion section of the course, that is training of voluntary leaders for churches, clubs, and any other organisations -which require them. Mr Stirling, chairman of the Youth Committee of the National Council of Churches, visited the conference and arrangements were made for the Department’s officers in every district to run a 30hours recreation course based on a national scheme for the area youth committees which desired it. Another subject was the 100-hours leadership course. Proposals w r ere under way for the setting up of a full-time course of this kind in one district as an experiment. The officers in Auckland and Otago have given special attention to experiments with camps for business and industrial girls’ camps, and have thus prepared the way for similar successful activity in other districts. Officers gave lectures on work in which they were particularly interested, work which had proved successful in their areas. Mrs M. Wilson spoke on “Playground Organisation and Supervision,” Miss G Gebbie on “Leadership Training,” Miss J. Thomson on “Camping,” Miss M. Woods on “The Interhouse Movement and How We could Assist as Physical Welfare Officers” and Miss R. Heap on “Baseball Practices.”

An interesting evening was spent with the Wellington Christian Recreation Leaders and the Hutt Recreation Leaders in playing relays and the new Brazilian game ‘‘Piteka. ” Community centres, an increasingly popular topic, came up for thorough discussion which took in the basis on which the Department ’s officers could fit into the scheme and plans for community centres within new housing projects.