SCHOOL GAMES

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11652, 17 October 1923, Page 10

SCHOOL GAMES

DEPARTMENT DENIES DISCOURAGEMENT.

STATEMENT BY DIRECTOR OF ' EDUCATION. Per Press Association. FAIRLIE, October 16. In an interview with a "Herald” iepreeentative at Fairlie to-day, Mr J. Caughley, Director of Education, in referring to. a statement in one of to-day’s city papers, emphatically denied certain statements made' therein. The department. he said, had not, as alleged, ignoi < - ed all', the work of teachers who spent time and labour in the encouragement of school games. Such valuable work was fully recognised by the department and by the inspectors in their grading of tho teachers, and special provision was mado in the grading scheme to reward teachers who took an active part in school games. The department also repudiated the statement that it considers the trainer of an arithmetician as a better teacher than one who is 'developing character by means of many games. Surely the good teacher’ can. do both. They are not alternative or incompatible forms of training SPORTS RECOGNISED. The majority of teachers would recognise the absurdity and incorrectness of the statements evidently emanating from a few dissatisfied members of the profession: These few would probably need to look in eome other direction to find 'why * they were not highly graded. Tbs Director „concluded that there was no trammelling pf schools games by red taps since it was the policy of the department to recognise sports in every reasonable way. It is remarkable, added ths Director, that no complaint has ever been made to the department concerning the. alleged discouragement of school garnee.