Figure 1.--Gymnastics had a number of advantages to schools. It was a sport whih could be persued with limited equipment and space. It was also a sport which could be persued indoors during the Winter. It is persued by both boys and girls.
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Figure 1.--Gymnastics had a number of advantages to schools. It was a sport whih could be persued with limited equipment and space. It was also a sport which could be persued indoors during the Winter. It is persued by both boys and girls. |
Gymnastics is one of the oldest sports with events dating back to ancient Rome. Gymnastics seems to have been particularly popular on the continent. It did not appear in America until the 1830s, brought by immigrants. This was at the same time America was developing a public school system. Gymnastics became an important part of the American physical education program. This was in part because there was not as much hype associated with team sports as is the case today. Some important educators both on the continent and in the United states thought that gymnastics should be an important part of a physical education program. I'm less sure about the sports's history in Britain, but it seems well established by the late 19th century. Gymnastics had a number of advantages to schools. It was a sport whih could be persued with limited equipment and space. It was also a sport which could be persued indoors during the Winter. It is persued by both boys and girls, but the televised success of Olga Korbut and Nadia Comaneci great popularized gymnastics for girls. Rhythmic gymnastics, which combined gymnastics and dance, using balls, ropes, hoops and ribbons, was accepted as an Olympic sport in 1984, further popularizing the sport with girls. Boys still participate, but most boys are much more interested in team sports.
This year we have been working mainly on items for the summer fair. We are doing a gymnastics/modern rhythmic display to Vivaldi's Spring Season. We work individually or in pairs with ribbons and hoops. There are ten girls in the group and we are doing comedy vaulting sketch with the help of New and Miss Barnsley. Leah and Naomi Rowcliffe are both very good; they hsve entered lots of gymnastic events and have been awarded prizes.
Rachel Crossley, Junior Wyvern (Queen's College Junior School), 1989-90.
Over the last year the standard of the gym club has risen enormously. This is partly due to a lot of hard work put in by the members of the club and it must be remembered that all the practice is done in their free time and partly due to a weekly trip to Stowe to use their facilities and have some coaching from their gym staff. In the Christmas term a very close competition of a very high standard, but was eventually won by Andrew Fergusson. In the summer termthe gym club put on a display at sports day using music for the first time; this worked very well and was enjoyed by all the spectators. Next term a team will be entering the Prep Schools Gymnastics Championships for the first time, so we ate hoping for some good results in that.
JFL, The School Record (Beachborough School), September 1979.
Junior forms carried out normal gymnastic training cuminating in a certain number of tests on mats, beams, ropes, horse and wallbars. Clapham gained the highest points and was awarded the Junior Gym Cup. Senior forms were given a number of tests based on the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme. Awards were: Bronze, Silver, Gold. The Gym VI was selected from the best results in these tests and the Senior Gym Cup awarded to Kruger.
Lambrook Chronicle, 1980.
Due to the small number of experienced gymnasts, last year's competition was entirely based upon floor exercises. Training sessions were held on Monday evenings and two break times per week. The gymnastics competition took place at the latter end of the Autumn term, at which time all finalists had attained a high degree of proficiency in the chosen exercises.
Beaudesert Park Magazine, Autumn 1978.
