PHYSICAL DRILL

Marlborough Express, Volume XLVII, Issue 143, 19 June 1913, Page 7

PHYSICAL DRILL

IMMENSE POSSIBILITIES

INTERVIEW WITH MINISTER

OF EDUCATON

TEACHERS ENTHUSIASTIC

A development fraught with immense possibilities for the wellbeing; of the future men and women of this Dominion is at present taking i place in the primary schools, and to i those acquainted with what has been done in this direction by other countries of the world, no strong effort of the imagination is needed to picture the results among the girls and youths of New Zealand in the course of two or three years. Primarily, the benefit derived will be physical, but if one may accept Herbert Spencer's dictum that the first requisite to success is to be a good animal, the benefits of this new scheme of physical training will be manifold. The movement was initiated by the Minister for Education (Hon. James Allen) last year, but. of necessity, a groat deal of preliminary work ha<l to be done. These preliminaries are now drawing to a close, and the last few days have witnessed an important step forward in the actual work of carrying out the scheme-'. So far as boys are concerned, the drill will serve as a useful introduction to their compulsory military training later on; for the

girls, the exercises, drill, and breathing expansion will be an invaluable preparation for the efficient discharge of their duties and functions in later life. TEACHERS IN HAWKE'S BAY. A member of the New Zealand Times staff who interviewed the Minister for Education, was supplied [ with some interesting details of the work now in progress. Last month the training of teachers was started in Hawke's Bay, and the Minister had just been furnished with, a report by the Director of Physical Training <Mr Royd Garlick). "There are in Hawke's Bay," said Mr Allen, "sixty-six men teachers and sixtytwo women teachers under training, representing 120 schools in the Hawke's Bay district. These teachers are receiving instruction from the staff, consisting of two ladies and two men, who themselves have been trained by the director. So far as I can judge, everything is going on very satisfactorily; the chief inspector is quite pleased with what is being done, and is certain that the work will be a success. The teachers themselves are keen, and enthusiastic, and the Education Board is sorry that it did not get all the teachers together, but, of course, we can t deal with more than the number under training—l2o—at the present time. I am also informed that several of tile teachers' who were not originally selected to come "to the training are disappointed, and have expressed their desire to oome out. OTHER DISTRICTS. The work of training the teachers to drill and train the children, explained the Minister, was being carried out by districts:. The work in, Hawke's Bay would last about three weeks, and arrangements have already been made to take in band the teachers of Auckland and SouthI land. Since there are 640 teachers to be trained in the northern district, this part of the work is expected to occupy eight weeks, and it will be October before the inspectors have finished with Southland. Other education hoards, including Wellington,' are negotiating, and periods of training have to be arranged to suit the convenience of both sides. The Minister mentioned that 120 to 130 teachers could be trained every fortnight. "THE LATEST THING." Th© principles upon which the system is based are expounded in a book written by Dr George Newman, who declares that the system is the latest thing in physical training. Revised copies of this • book in the up-to-date edition have been, distributed among teachers and the system is' not likely to be superseded for many years. Schools in. England and on the Continent are working upon the same methods, and the effect of the training was noticed by Mr Allen in Switzerland. Visitors to Germany are also impressed with the splendid physique, the shapely limbs, and healthy complexions of boys and girls still attending school. EXPENDITURE. i'l don't think the country realises the value of a system of physical training on approved scientific lines," observed Mr Allen,. Its good influence in the course of a few years would bo immense. Expenditure in the final year was necessarily heavy; but the total scheme would not cost more than £11,000 in the initial year, while he did not oxpect it would cost more than £10,000 a year at any subsequent tune---probably l<'.ss than ill at. '"But it's worth :i ?;rcv>t deal more to the country," h>3 r.dricd. At prosent, the teachers, wort; being trained'in wi»!:or-c-!.as<?P3, with a minimum interfereuoo with their teaching duties. The training operations ovev the wholo country would probably extend into the next financial year. Alter receiving a course each teacher is able to take th© children in hand, and he needs no further instruction except what might _be j given by the inspectors on periodical j rounds.