The Development of the Physical Training and Recreation Policy in Britain
1937-1939: Mainly Concerned in the Measures of
National Fitness Council
Hiroyuki AONUMA (Shobi Gakuen Junior College)
Abstract
The Subject of this study is to clarify that under what structure and
how did
the Government's Proposals for the Development and Extension of the Facilities
Available for Physical Training and Recreation planned under the authority of
the Board of Education in the latter half of the 1930's Britain, take effect; and to
what extent could they influence the local authorities and voluntary organiza-
tions. In order to solve above problems, it is necessary to examine the following
issues specifically.
1) How did the central government plan the structure to enforce the
propos-
als?
2) How did the National Fitness Council that established as the co-
ordinative and executive organization by the Board of Education, enforce them?
3) How did the representatives of the voluntary organizations comprehend
and cope with them?
4) How and how much did the capital grants from the central government
distribute to the local authorities and voluntary organizations?
As the result of examining above four issues, this study come to the
follow-
ing conclusion.
First of all, under the slogan of "National Fitness Movement"
that could
include all of the opinions of the intellectuals and representatives of the volun-
tary organizations, the government's proposals took effect. Secondly, by means
of commitment to the local authorities and voluntary organizations, the physical
training and recreation policy might have influenced the recreative activities of
the populace lived in all the nation to a certain extent. Thirdly, some disputes,
especially "sports-gymnastics" dispute that had been arisen in the process of
enforcement of the government's proposals imposed the important task for the
future concerning with the content and methodology for the promotion of
physical training and recreation in Britain.