SCHOOL SWIMMING BATH

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 82, 26 March 1908, Page 4

SCHOOL SWIMMING BATH

The decision of the Central School Committee to construct a swimming bath in the Recreation Grounds will mark u new and highly appreciable departure in connection with Central School life. It may lie urged that the facilities given in New Plymouth for the learning of swimming are many, anl that the municipal saltwater 'baths should be all-sullicient. Hut again-t this is urged the distance of the present baths from the school, and the eonscc|Ui'.nt loss 0 f time that must lie caused ill taking classes to ami fro. At the annual meeting of the Lady Swimmers' Association in Sydnev a few ilnvs ago the Chief Inspector ' of Schools (Mv. Dawson) pointed out that although school .swimming had been well and | truly advertised as a new departure, it was, in tact, over two thousand years old, and he quoted ancient history io prove that in Athens the aucient Greeks classified as hojieless the Iki.v with the dual ignorance of letters and swimming. He pointed out further that the present development of swimmiug was an evolutional reversion, and, passing on to the serious side, said that the "Department of Public Instruction was thoioiighly seized with the importance ef teaching children to swim both for hygienic and moral reasons. The best way to impress the first law of health ' on the youthful mind was to take hi'ii . I to a swimming bath, while the moral

courage to take a plunge was heightened by the amiable temper that resulted from the swim. The subject has been taken up in New South' Wales in a most commendable way. The ri.'h metropolis, of course, has no trouble in meeting the needs of the schools, so long as the effort is backed up with sul'icient enthusiasm. Not so the country schools, where, with scattered population, the obstacles in the way are increased. At one school the parents turned up with horses and carts, picks and shovels, and stout- hearts and hands, and themselves made a line bath for the children; and at numerous other schools baths have been provided, although the difficulties in the way are much greater than at most of the schools in New Zealand. "It might look an Utopian dream,'' said Mr. Dawson, "but it is nearer realisation, than many might think, when every school will have its bath. I would prefer my own

children to be able to swim, and to save life, than to perform the mental tricks which are put before them by many teachers." Another fine tribute to the advantage of swimming exercise J for children has lieen given by Dr. Roth, (medical adviser to tile New South Wales Department of Public Instruction, who, in the course of an address, had a great

rioal to say about the physical develop- • inent of girls. He was, he said, often grieved to see bad physical types of girls that presented themselves for tho medical examination preparatory to entering the Department, and the most frequent excuse was that the girl had been studying too hard. One boy of fifteen had Iwen. certified to as suffering from "brain-fair." I'eople suffering from neurasthenia should go into fresh ai", or, better still, into the water, and lie believed that success at examination was bought too dearly with a weak heart, constant biliousness, and general debility. Crowing children were not co intelligent and ainart as smaller-sized children, and were sometimes charged with laziness, bill in such cases he al- ■ ways impressed the fact that health > spelt happiness. As medical inspector, he hoped that in future a nice big, level playground would lie the foundation ot every new school. Swimming has beconie a fashion, and he could assure i them that holiest back and breast swim- , ming wa> the healthiest development they could have. Very few breast swim- > mers ever stooped, and as teachers he ! could tell them it was the best exerf cise to counteract tlv ill-efl'oets of - standing lirst on one foot and then on I the other. These, recommendations from such high authorities should make the ! parents of the children more than over i pleased at the step that is being taken. ; "Health spells happiness," states J)r. ' Roth, and there is every reason to be- .) lieve that the bath will contribute in ? a substantial way to the upkeep of the ? health of the children: it must be so f I if we accept the assurance that back l I and breast swimming is the healthiest s development children cau have. It hflfl frequently been remarked that the best J swimmers in the West End School swim- :. 'ming classes are almost always at the r head of the prize-list in their variona :i standards in the school. This may be a coincidence, but most people draw the s very olivious inference (bat the healthv >- pastime contributes a good deal to the i- children's -ucccss in (heir studies.