Athletics (British Sports Library)

32 ATHLETICS own knowledge, find the greatest delight in teaching young boys. They are plastic in mind and body, wonderfully ready to absorb ideas, and . have an almost pathetically abounding faith in ones' dictum; and, moreover, they pay for teaching. Only last year I had through my hands a small boy of nine who was keen on pole vaulting. He learned quickly, and soon cleared 5 feet 3 inches, which compares favourably with the 8 feet which many of our university undergraduates are finding to be the limit of their powers at the present time. Another boy of twelve turned his attention to the discus. At the end of a fortnight he showed perfect form and beat 86 feet. The teacher, however, must be prepared to go to endless pains. He must be a keen observer, with ·sufficient patience to unearth latent talent, and, if necessary, to start all over again if experience suggests that the boy he is developing may prove better adapted to some event other than that in which he is receiving instruction. My experience has taught me that boys will listen to brief lectures, especially if they are illus– trated by lantern slides, with the most concentrated attention. They will also study photographs and analyse the instruction given in text-books with avidity. In the end, however, we are bound tq come back