BRAIN AND BRAWN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 20041, 2 September 1920, Page 7

BRAIN AND BRAWN.

NEW SYLLABUS FOR SCHOOLS.

CHIEF PHYSICAL INSTRUCTOR’S VIEWS. A new syllabus of-physical education in schools will bo issued to teachers before long by the Education Department. Mr H. E. Longworth, formerly a physical instructor for Canterbury schools, and now chief physical instructor under the Education Department, made some observations concerning physical education in an interview yesterday. The results of seven years’ experience gained in the Dominion are embodied in the syllabus, it is stated. The old and now London syllabuses are the foundations of it, but provision is made for the different conditions in New Zealand. All that it is deemed desirable to adopt from the London Education Hoard’s syllabus, 1919, has bcou adopted. Broadly, the new syllabus is based upon the Swedish system of physical exercises, and is modified and graduated to suit the special requirements of growing children. During the last decade the whole scope and conception of physical education have steadily broadened, it is stated in ,au introduction to the syllabus, nai the subject has gradually assumed a meaning entirely different from that implied’ in the old term “ school drill.” It is now recognised that an efficient system of education should encourage concurrent development of healthy physique, keen intellect and sound character. These qualifications are in a high degree mutually interdependent, and it is beyond argument that without healthy conditions of the body the development of the mental and moral faculties is seriously retarded, and in some cases prevented. In brief, healthy physical growth is essential to intellectual growth. Regarding the tendency to substitute recreational exercises for formal physical exercise, Mr Longworth said that there must always be a certain amount of formal work connected with physical education. ‘‘ It doesn’t matter how many games you give children, if they have physical defects, such as spinal curvature and round shoulders, they must have formal exercises to counteract those defects. Apart from exterior and mental causes, the defects grow because of tbo weakness of the muscles—because the muscles aro not strong enough to hold tho bones in their proper places. If the muscles are made strong, there is less chaaice of the child suffering defects. Formal work will take up about one-third of the time provided in tho new syllabus, and tho rest of tho timo will bo given to recreational work. All sorts of games and recreational exercises aro under this heading. Tho syllabus at present in uso is a little dull, unless the exorcises are carried out under the guidance of an expert. Only about halt the time is taken up by recreational work in it. The now syllabus aims to make the training more attractive to the teachers and to the children. Between military training and physical education there is a definite relationship, Mr. Longworth said, “If children are properly trained physically up to the military ago, half the battle is over for the military, people,” he asserted. ‘‘The good foundation is laid, and they merely have to take advantage of it.” .Mr Longworth made no favourable comment concerning tho proposed re-institution of the old junior cadet system. He said that tho system took no account of' tho training of girls, and that parados were held only onco or twice a week. This seriously detracted from the value of its physical education. Supporters of the scheme claimed that it had produced good results in the accomplishments of New Zealand’s soldiers in tho war; yet the fact remained that more than half of the men who underwent military medical examination were physically unfit. Such a state of tilings must never occur again. So long as a man’s physical condition was good, it was comparatively easy to train him for war. It must be remembered that the efficient individual made the efficient nation, and that nobody could be efficient it' physically unfit. A boy or girl who was physically lit had a much greater chance of success than an unfit boy or girl. “ If wo have efficient physical education in conjunction with school hygiene and the child welfare scheme proposed in tho Education Dill, I don’t see for ono moment why wc should not Have a splendid race,” concluded Mr Longworth. adding that he had observed during the years that he was in Canterbury that tho physique of schoolgirls particularly had much improved, and he put it dowri to physical training, including games, especially basketball. These girls were mothers in the making, and their health was of vital importance to tho nation. It is possible that as a result of the introduction to Parliament by the Minister of Education (Hon 0. J. Parr) of tho Health Bill, changes will bo mado in the control of the department of physical education.