Evening star., 1920-07-02

than 5000 pupils in the fifth, sixth, sew
enth and eighth grades of the elemen-
tary schools successfully passed rigid
physical efficiency tests prescribed by
DR.. Rebecca Stoneroad. director of ply
sical training in the public schools. Only
1000 school children passed similar tests
the preceding year.
To come up to the physical standard
of efficiency and be awarded a coveted
athletic certificate, the school children,
girls as well as boys. had to qualify in
three athletic events which had for their
aims physical efficiency as shown by
control of the body, symmetrical devel-
opmsnt of the body, good carriage OF
the body and grace in movement. The
girls to receive an athletic certlhcate
were required to throw a basket Dali
thirty feet, run fifty yards in eight sec
onds and balance themselves on a rail
road tie for twenty-four feet. Older
boys were awarded certificate for
chinning the bar six times, doing six
foot six inch standing broad jump and
running sixty yards in eight seconds.
Younger boys received a certificate for
chinning the bar four times, doing a
five-foot nine-inch standing board jump
and running sixty yards in eight and
three-fifths seconds.
Worked Out by Educators.
These three events were worked
out by physical educators of the
country, and are considered by them
the best for ascertaining the physical
efficiency of a child. There is nothing
competitive about them, DR.. Stone
road pointed out today. In her belief
boy or girl gets an inspiration for
self Improvement and subsequently
gains a desire to show his or her
held under the direct supervision of
DR.. Stoneroad. but the principals of
the various schools and the physical
culture teachers play an important
part in determining the child's stand
ard OF physical efficiency. In fact
school principals make the final tests
and recommend the pupils for the
athletic certificate.
The record for the greatest number
of pupils in any one school to be
awarded the certificates was estab-
and ninety-six pupils attending this
school won a certificate. Some of the
boys won two. The events at the
Park View School were run off under
the direction of Miss Frances Farley.
principal; Miss Mabel Kennedy and
Miss Mary Stevenson.
Jefferson School Second.
with 1873 pupils receiving certificates.
Miss Blanche Pierson, the principal,
had charge of the events.
With 176 pupils receiving certifi-
Gates, the Ross School captured third
honors. and the Powell fourth with
166 pupils passing the test. Miss
Kate Bevard. principal at the Ross
School, had charge of the events there,
while Miss Mary McCIill, principal of
the Powell School, took charge of the
events at that school.
Wallach Towers School ranked
fifth in the number of children re-
ceiving awards. One hundred and
sixty-five certificates went to pupils
at this school. West School had 100
Retworth School $50. Miss Mae Roll
ing, principal of the Wallach Towers
School had charge of the events there:
Miss Blanche Pattison, principal of
West, supervised the events at that
school, and Miss Cora Frank, principal
of Petworth, took charge there.
Medals Are Awarded.
Children who passed the physical
efficiency tests last year were award
er either silver or bronze medals.
This year the medals were replaced
by the certificates, due to the belief
of physical culture educators that a
certificate would have more signifi-
canoe both to the children and their
parents. Each of the certificates il
lnstrates to the parents just what
their children have accomplished in
the manner of physical development.
while the medals virtually carried no
meaning to the parents.
The physical standard tests were
started in the schools soon after the
beginning of the February semester.
The flnal events were held shortly be-
fore the closing of the schools on