HEALTH FIRST

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 16 December 1937, Page 8

HEALTH FIRST

SCHOOL CURRICULUM TO SUIT SEASONS

EXPERIMENTS TO BE MADE IN I EBRLARV NELSON BOARD ADOPTS PROPOSALS Experiments In adapting the school curriculum to seasonal conditions will l)c made in February, when the ordinary afternoon time-table will he suspended, to allow the children to ho given instruction on general subjects outside Ihr usual school work, and in sports such as swimming. The health of the children is the chief consideration in the proposals which have hern made by the Education Department, and which were adopted by Ihe Nelson Board at its monthly meeting yesterday.

The following letter was received from the Department:— “In New Zealand the month of February is often hot and enervating, especially indoors. In the Auckland Education District it was at one time cus-

tomary to dismiss the school at 1 p.m. All recognise now the health is of supreme Importance, although action unfortunately does not always follow upon realisation. The time has come, however, when some experiments in adapting the curriculum to seasonal conditions might well be made. "Teachers are, therefore, recommended to regard the ordinary timetable as being temporarily suspended next February, though the times fixed by the Education Board for the opening and closing of schools should be observed. Health should be the first consideration, though this by no means implies physical inactivity. Swimming will naturally receive much attention, and the progress made during the ‘Lcarn-to-Swim Week’ should be consolidated. An excellent opportunity for safety first instruction is presented —first aid and resuscitation of the apparently drowned should not be forgotten. Home nursing classes could be conducted. The lessons of the road code and all the rules which make for safely on highway could be demonstrated in classroom and in playground till

all have a thorough knowledge thereof.

! “Various other suggestions could be | offered, though many will naturally | spring to mind. A few only need be j mentioned. Where facilities of ground ! and shade exist, lessons could be largc- ! ly in the open air. The practical mindj cd will see in this many opportunities : for work in real situations. Nature ram-

hies could be undertaken and visits paid to places of interest. Arrangements are being made in some places for camp stools for senior pupils. In-ter-school and inter-house games could be played. Hobbies could be developed and individual tasks and aptitudes encouraged. Teachers and inspectors might meet wherever opportunity offers for interchange of ideas, but whatever the curriculum, the aim should be fitter pupils, both physically and mentally, on the Ist March than on the Ist February.”

ADVANTAGE IN HEALTH AND LESSONS Tlie Senior Inspector (Mr E. Partridge) said the suggestion was a good one. It had been found that there had been no loss in education by the long break at the beginning of thg year; in fact there was probably a gain. He agreed that too much of the work now undertaken was confined to the classroom. He considered the afternoon sessions during the hot month of February could be modified to great advantage both in health and lessons, and the proposal was worthy of commendation from every point of view.

The proposal of the Department was adopted.