TEACHING OF SWIMMING

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 732, 3 August 1929, Page 13

TEACHING OF SWIMMING

RECORD NUMBER OF CERTIFICATES OVER 5,000 CHILDREN With returns of the Auckland Swimming Centre's efforts to teach school children swimming now almost complete, a record for* New Zealand has been established. A big' advance over the certificates issued in previous seasons lias been made. The setting of the record was the aim of the centre’s educational officer, Mr. L. Brighton. By purely voluntary work, 5.092 certificates were issued in. 169 Auckland schools in the 1928-29 season. The previous New Zealand record was nade in 1924, when Canterbury issued 2.623 certificates Steady progress in the activities in Auckland has been shown in the past few’ seasons. For 1926-27 season, SOS certificates were given out in 40 schools, and, in 1927-2 S, 1,445 in 41 schools. Takapuna Grammar School, with 318 certificates, has the record for the whole of New Zealand. Waitaki Boys’ High School, in the South Island, had gained 301 certificates in 1928. Auckland is believed to hold the record for the greatest number of schools gaining certificates, easily enough. Mr. Brighton pointed out to The Sun today that provincial schools actually were more enthusiastic over the instruction than those in the city. Some masters and children in back districts went to the extent of damming up streams to form swimming pools. “If swimming were made compulsory wherever facilities are available, there would be an enormous increase in the number of learners,” Mr. Brighton said. “The workers on behalf of the educational side of the centre are not wanting to develop speed swimmers. All that is wanted is to teach children to swim.” Mr. Brighton mentioned that swimming could be taken as an optional subject in physical training in schools. Physical instructors in the schools, and educational officers in country centres, had been active. Learners’ certificates were awarded for distances' from 50 to 220 yards, proficiency certificates from 220 yards to 880 yards, and merit certificates above that distance. Nine schools gained over 100 certificates. Second to Takapuna was Tauranga High School, and others near the head of the list were Onehunga, Curran Street, and MaungawTiau schools.