[Report 1947] / School Medical Officer, Somerset County Council.

  • Somerset (England). County Council.
Date:
1947
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Credit: [Report 1947] / School Medical Officer, Somerset County Council. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    18/32 (page 16)
    IG The standard of carriage can only reacli a high level when good posture and halance are I'nlly understood. Although physical training is u ])otent factor towards this end, it is by no means the only one. Trecjnent changes between rest and activity, so that the growing child does not maintain any one attitude for any lengthy |)eriod, is a safeguard against the development of minor defects. Ideally, this must be recognised by teacher, parent., and child. Propaganda is constantly needed, and through the media of lilms, talks and <lemonstralions, the physical education staff ofliciale at health exhibitions, parent meetings, Women’s Institutes, and voluntary youth organisations, etc., but reiiuests tor such services are not so numerous as in pre-war days. Sessional Courses for Teachers. (Jlasses for the (further training of teachers, when a special feature is made of posture, have been held at the following centresHath, Frome, Milverton, Shejhon Mallet, Taunton, Bridgwater and Weston-super-Mare. At such classes cliildren (stripped to the waist) are used to demonstrate correct and incorrect i)ositions of exercises, and particularly of stand¬ ing and sitting; the beneficial effect of recumbency is also shown. Swimming. Instruction has been given to pupils in the following areas:— Monkton Combe, Combe Down, Bridgwater, Cheddar, Crewdcerne, Frome, Mine- head, Shepton Mallet, Street and (Hastonbury, I*ill, Taunton, W'’ellington, Wells, Wiveliscombe, Weston-super-Mare, and Yeovil. While it is pleasing to be able to report that more children are able to have instruction on account of more trans¬ port, it is deplorable that there are so few facilities in the County for swimmmg. Physical Education and Recreation. Much progress can be recorded. In the schools much more apparatu.s has become available. Balls, skijtping ropes and games equipment have been supplied to most schools. Javelins and discoi have been allowed to some secondary schools where teachers are trained to coach such activities. Gymnastic bars in so'ue primary schools, and Somerset ‘-‘Cages” in three secondary schools are well used, but no further gymnasium equipment is yet to hand. Steady progress in the playing of games, and in other activities such as camping, fencing and archery, is evident amongst young people who have left school. Somerset School Games Association. The following sections make up the Association:—Fiugby and Association Football, Cricket, Swimming, Hockey, Netball, Iiounders and Athletics. All are functioning vigorously, with the excep¬ tion of cricket, which is a new section, and which suffers seriously from lack of ])itches. In June, 860 children from all parts of Somerset took i^art in the County Athletics Meeting which was held in Taunton. The Swimming Gala was held in Weston-super-.Mare; many events -^vere devoted to style rather than speed. The organisers of these big events are relieved of much anxiety and the days made very i)leasant occasions by the amenities offered by the new schools, aiid by the responsibility for the ])rovision of larger numbers of meals being taken by the School Meals Service. The County Youth Athletics Meetinjr was held also at ’Paunlon Bishoji Fox’s School. Fach year an improvement in the standard of ])erformance can be seen. Throwing events, javelin, discus and shot, are included in the programme.