éSe

At the present time this class has 24 mem=
bers and is in charge of two instructors,
which meet the class 5 times per week,
Intramural athletics play « big part in
our program. Every boy is given cneour-
Note:

 

agomoit to participate. An intramural
oward is given on a point basis. fFoints
are given for competition on teams as
well as individual events.

This article by Mr. Strait is published as a part of the Kansas Health and Phys-

ical Education Association program for developing a state curriculum in physical

Education. \

Problems of the First Year Teacher

Ruth Cross, Emporia Senior

When I was asked to eneak I was given
much leeway as to topics about which I
might talk--problems which I heve encoun-
tered and how I met them, how well cuali-
_fied I felt and other courses I should
like to have had. So I have chosen quite
an informal combination of all of these,

I understand the desire is to discover
what teachers just out in the field fsel
they lack and how colleges might better
rrepare them for teaching. ly material
necessarily is born from my experiences
in my teaching situation, but I think is
not confined to this situation alone. I
have talked with others just out teach-
ing, graduates of various colleges, and
find we have many problems in common,

One of our larger handicaps, found pre-
dominantly in smaller schools, is the
helter-skelter method of choosing the
physical education instructor. The job
is so often thrust upon any teacher who
will accept it and who is not only un-
qualified to teach physical education,
but who definitely considers it a nuisance
to handle. Perhaps the teacher has four
or more other subjects to teach and actual-
ly has not the time to handle physical
education efficiently. This unhcappy situc-
tion is not so much the teacher's fault
that of the administration which allows it
to exist. Or, perhaps it is an even larg-
er problem linked with the slow acceptance
of physical education as an integral vart
of the regular curriculum.

One of my largest bones of contention
is the near-racket of health certification
for participation’ in gym work,

The health examination primarily con-
sists of a casual stethoscopic examination
of the chest to determine any heart or
lung disturbances and takes at the best,
about three minutes to complete. Then if
the girl happens not to want to take gym,
because’ it is too much trouble to shower
after participation, or any other such
invalid excusc, she can complain of « pain
in her right side and receive an excuse
from gym work. Many girls have told me aow

High School

how casy it is to obtain excuses from
physical education on the most flimsy
of bases.

The girls are not so stupid that they
cannot realize how incomplote are the
examinations they receive, which leads
them to question the necessity of having
thom at all,

In my school system the situation
scems so undesirable that we are plan-
ning to form a committee, consisting of
the girls! and boys! physical education
instructors and the school nurse, to
attempt to devise a possible solution to
be presented to the administrators.

I wonder how we can inculcate the con-
ception that knowledge of one's physical
condition is worthwhile in itself, and
leave the question of its being an ecn-
trance oxamination to gym participation
out of it entirely?

Since this is one of my more pressing
problems I have given it most of my timc,
but there are a few others I should like
to mention. These have to do with phases
of my work in which I felt I should ena
to have had more training.

One of these is some advanced tumbling.
-aseour " a lengthicr exposure to G.A.A.
acti oe, Sornas 168q “cioctiveliy
ten 4 in 1 tho senior ycur in college. I
fecl oxccedingly fortunate in having for
sports manager of our G,A.A. an unusually
competent, dependable girl. I mention
sports manager, for I believe the bulk
of the work and responsibility of the
organization rest upon her,

In closing iI make this suggestion to
students. We would save ourselves much
timo and effort if we would absorb a bit
more of those correlative things to which
we aro exposed as students. I give as
exarpie, the importance of a thorough un-
devstaniing of music construction upon
Which rhythm work is tee

on et Kelle & PeBeAe
March 1939.

Above talk giv Con-

vention at lMicPherson,