SWIMMING

Southland Times, Issue 21221, 23 October 1930, Page 3

SWIMMING

PROGRESS OF SCHOOL CHILDREN.

EDUCATIONAL OFFICER’S REPORT.

The annual report of the honorary educational officer (Mr A. R. Dunlop) to be submitted at the annual meeting of the Southland Amateur Swimming Centre on Wednesday evening discloses that progress has been made during the year in the instruction of school children in the art of swimming.

The following is the report:— In making my report for the last season I am glad to be able to notify the centre that much greater- success has been achieved than during the previous season. The efforts of school authorities to foster interest in swimming has had a marked effect upon the issue of certificates which has,.during the last year, reached a total of 306. I consider this satisfactory, however, only insofar as it represents an increase on previous years. As a total for a town and district of this size it is only fair. Our aim for the coming season must, be 500, for with the co-operation of headmasters that should easily be attained. I am greatly indebted to the baths superintendent (Mr H. S. Baker) and his assistants for keeping records in order for me and in helping with the distribution of certificates; without their help, and without the facilities always readily extended to me by Mr Baker, my task would be made very difficult. I would like to direct the attention of the centre to the work of the Riverton School, the headmaster of which made special arrangements to have his pupils swim for their certificates in Invercargill. I commend his action to the attention of many others who may find it possible to follow his lead. No other country schools appear on the attached list largely' due to the fact that I did not approach the head teachers during the y'ear. The practice has been to circularize them at the end of the season asking for names of successful pupils to be sent to me, but owing to the very unsuitable swimming weather experienced last summer I did not consider adopting that method. It seems to me that the best course is to keep in touch with teachers during the swimming months and it is my intention to try that out this summer. lam convinced that it will be the better way. The progress of some of the boys and girls in the city area has been remarkable; it is no exaggeration to say that in their ranks are, at. present, the best swimmers in the province. It is greatly to be hoped that that progress will go on unretarded and that senior members of clubs generally will take an active coaching interest in their juniors sb that a continuous supply of good swimmers may graduate to senior ranks. I stress this point because my observations lead me to- believe that We have not at present, among the younger boys and girls as many'promising “stars” as last season or the season before. ' The following table shows the allocation of certificates during the year ending September 30, 1930:— School. Yards.

50 220 440 S80 Tl. Southland B.H.S. .. 16 17 1 15 49 Southland G.H.S. . 17 26 — 6 49 St. John’s . . . ■ 4 6 9 8 27 Middle . . . . . 12 7 — 4 23 Marist . . . '. . ’19 10 — 4 33 Riverton . . . . 6 17 — 11 34 North . . . . . 5 3 — 2 10 Waihopai . . . . 16 6 — 6 28 St. George . . . 15 9 — 9 19 South . . . . . 9 2 - — 11 Technical ... X. 8 9 — 6 23 Gore . 1 — 1 St. Catherine’s . . ■. — —- 1 1 Totals . . . 127 105'10 64 306 j