The Health bulletin [serial] - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

14 The Health Bulletin September', 1951The teachers and nurses in NorthCarolina deserve a great real of creditfor the tremendous progress that hasbeen made In the screening program inNorth Carolina in recent years. And byprogress we mean the large number ofchildren who are receiving individualattention in finding their health needs.With school health fimds available tohelp with some of the follow up andwith the increased interest and efforton the part of teachers and nurses,many more children will have opportimitiesto improve their health and toget corrections made early.HEALTH ASPECTS OF ATHLETICSBy Taylor DodsonAdvisor in Physical EducationState Department of Public InstructionRaleigh, North CarolinaThe last fifty years has been a periodof phenomenal growth in athletics inthe United States. This athletic competitionin our North Carolina highschools is part of the American traditionand is no doubt the natural endresult in a country which has built itsgreatness upon a competitive system ofcapitalistic philosophy.Educators and laymen alike agreethat athletics have an important andvital part in the program of educationfor children and youth, if athletics areused to develop and promote worthwhileeducational goals. If this function isserved the misuse of athletics for theglorification of a coach, school or facultywill not be as prevalent as it toooften is at present.The student is the most importantconsideration in the athletic program.His welfare is of paramount importanceand the operation of the athletic programmust be planned with this inmind. Activities must be selected andconducted on the basis of their contributionto the purposes of education.Mere participation in an interschoolsports program will not necessarily resultin the desired outcomes. If theseoutcomes are to accrue the programmust be administered by high qualityleadership according to nationally recognizedstandards of desirable competition.Education must seek to meet the needof individuals. This means that theneeds of the physically handicappedstudent must be met as well as those ofthe highly skilled individual who wantscompetition with others of superiorability. This competition is, or shouldbe, an integral part of the total programof health and physical education.The competitive interschool programmust be the outgrowth of a broad programof instruction for all studentswhich is supplemented by a varied intramuraland recreational program forthose who desire and need additionalactivity. The interschool program participantsrepresent the upper ten percent in athletic ability, and they shouldnot receive an undue proportion of themstructional time, facilities and equipment.Interschool leagues and highly competitiveathletics should be confined tohigh schools. They are inappropriate forchildren of elementary school age. Itis important to remember that childrenof this age are going through a periodof rapid growth with consequent bodilyreadjustments, emotional stress, mentaland social readjustments. It is felt thatduring this period when there is onlypartial ossification of bones, there isparticular vulnerability to joint injurieswith a healing hazard after injury tothe growth areas of these bones whichcannot be disregarded.All parents like to see their childrenstrong, healthy and physically skilled.Most adults enjoy seeing youth inaction. Efficiency in athletics, precisionin executing intricate plays, and win-