EXTRAORDINARY RISE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 25 November 1938, Page 7

EXTRAORDINARY RISE

RECREATION MOVEMENT | IMPORTANCE OF HEALTH ! “The rise of the modern recreation | movement is one of the most extraordinary in history. The expanding cur- | riculum in schools to include forms of | play, not only games, swimming and athletics, but also old and new forms of j dancing, new forms of music, and draj ma and pageantry is the outcome of j this movement,” said Mr Edgar W. Herj bert, Bachelor of Physical Education. 1 principal of the leadership training college of physical education and recre- | ation at Sydney, in an interview in New i Plymouth. ; Mr Herbert is visiting all Y.M.C.A. branches in New Zealand to acquaint I the staffs with new types of physical technique and methods. He convened a refresher course at Wellington, and since then has visited branches in the South Island and many in the North Island. The demand for teachers was growing because of the realisation of the importance of health and a well-developed physique to offset the habits of modern sedentary occupations and conditions of city life, said Mr Herbert. The new demand also was to provide wholesome activities for the leisure time which was becoming more and more* of an asset in every city. The new forms of physical education aid not add only to education, but reflected a new technique in education. Education by play was a new way to success, not only for play, but also for the work of life. New Zealand provided in many ways unusual opportunities for the development of community recreation, said Mr Herbert. Mr Herbert interviewed members of j the Government while at Wellington j and gave his impressions of what was j needed for physical education in New j Zealand. He was favourably impress- i ed with the way the Government had tackled the question, but it would need the help of the community and co-ope-ration on the part of all citizens of the Dominion before it succeeded in its efforts.