Active past

Vol 18. Number 01, January/February 2009
By Pat Coulter

In the early days of the Queensland colony, there was no such thing as organised games.

Few schools had facilities for sports and students had to be very inventive to play any sport at all. School cricket was often played with a kerosene tin as a wicket, a bat roughly shaped out of a length of sapling and any kind of ball that was available.

In 1875, drill was the main form of physical activity at primary school. After a change of syllabus in 1890 this became more militaristic, stressing uniformity and precision.

The late 19th and early 20th century saw a great change of attitude to sport in Australia.

The first modern Olympics were held in Athens in 1896 - an all male affair - and a single athlete won two gold medals and one bronze for what was to become Australia.

At the 1900 Olympic Games, Australia won seven medals, dominating the shooting and swimming events.

The fledgling nation was making its mark internationally and, as with the modern-day Olympics, people wanted to play sport and copy their national heroes.

In the next few years, the ban on daylight swimming in the ocean was lifted and attitudes to women taking part in sport began to change.

A lifesaving association was formed in Queensland in 1907 and Rugby league clubs were formed in 1908.

In the 1912 Olympic Games, Australia won six medals - all in the pool. Two Sydney women won gold and silver for Australia in the first swimming event open to women at the games.

From here Australia went from strength to strength as a sporting nation and this attitude was reflected in our schools.

A chief physical training instructor was appointed in Queensland in 1919 to train state primary schools teachers in physical training and organised sport, with special emphasis on swimming and lifesaving instruction.

In 1926 16 teachers were appointed, after an intensive six-week course, as physical training instructors throughout the state.

Then came the Depression and the instructors were returned to teaching.

Physical education languished in schools until the threat of war revived the interest of the Federal Government. In 1939 on the eve of World War II, the National Fitness Council was formed and in 1941 university courses in physical education were established to train instructors.

In 1942 the physical education campaign was transferred to the Department of Physical Instruction.

A syllabus to form the basis of physical education programs in primary schools was published in 1957-58, physical education courses were introduced into secondary schools in 1963 and physical education teachers were appointed in 1964.

This change of emphasis in the 1960s led to an increase in more individual forms of physical activity and a broadening of outdoor education to include environmental studies.