15

B.—l

regular and systematic practice in this subject. In schools where physical training is efficiently carried on, an improvement in both the physique and mentality of the children is noticeable. Unfortunately, owing to the fact that some teachers have had no training and that many others require further instruction in the subject, there are still many children not receiving their due as far as physical education is concerned. The need for providing teachers with opportunities of learning more of the subject is emphasized, and the necessity of holding refresher classes for them as soon as the financial position permits is strongly urged. In view of the comparatively small amount of assistance afforded them, the teachers deserve great credit who by their keenness and enthusiasm have brought physical education up to a high standard in their schools, and who by their example and precept in every phase of the subject are doing so much to improve the health and physical wellbeing of their pupils. The physical instructors and school medical officers work in close co-operation, especially in the forming of corrective classes for children suffering from postural deformities, these classes proving of great benefit. The insistence by many teachers now, however, on good posture during school-hours is having so marked an effect in preventing postural deformities that in many instances there has been no necessity for forming corrective classes. The majority of schools were visited once by the physical instructors during the year, and many of them twice. The staff has fallen, however, from fifteen to twelve, so that physical instructors have much more ground to cover than can be done with the best results. The Chief Physical Instructor, in. mentioning this regrettable result of the necessity for economy, quotes Sir George Newman as saying " Physical training, if properly conceived and employed, is one of the most powerful instruments of preventive .medicine," and thus the desirability is stressed of, as soon as possible, strengthening the staff to a degree compatible with the greatest efficiency. The departmental expenditure on physical education in 1921-22 was £9,373. Medical Inspection. The administration of the work of medical inspection of school-children and school dentistry has now been assumed by the Department of Public Health, and reference to the work carried out in 1921 will be found in the annual report of that Department. Manual Instruction. Staffing. Under regulations made in 1920 all teachers of manual-training classes were classified along with teachers in technical schools and classes in two main divisions, with six classes in each division, men and women separately. The following table .shows the classification of teachers of manual-training classes as at the end of 1921, Class VI being the highest class : —

Full-time Classified Teachers in Manual Training Classes, December, 1921.

>H I: on I. Divis ion II. Class. Women. Men. Men. Women. VI V IV III II I 5 8 2 1 2 8 2 6 21 10 9 12 1 1 9 15 io 13 Totals 15 49 09 11 !6 60 1( 15