| Summary: | Research in connection with the female is nothing
new in Physical Education. It is a generally accepted
fact that the female need not play second fiddle to the
male. Misconceptions with regard to the place of the
female in society as well as her place in sport have
long since disappeared. It is thus? logical that the
education of the female in all its ramifications should
enjoy the same degree of attention as that of the male.
In older European countries and especially in the
U.S.A. much research has been done in connection with
the Physical Education of the female. In South Africa
research in this connection has not lagged behind.
Various problems have already been satisfactorily solved,
some have had less satisfactory results while others
have not been touched.
The necessity for an investigation into the performance
of white South Africans has partly been satisfied
by the researches of Van der Merwe and Van Zyl (Chapter 3).
Research projects in this field have already been done
overseas. It is, however, known that the tests and their
results based on a specific group of people are only
applicable to that group, except if the opposite can be
scientifically proved.
Another important investigation into Physical Education
of white South African girls has been done by
De Jager. (Chapter 3). In this research work he studied
the influence of chronological age upon the motor-performance
of white school girls.
This research must in the first instance be considered
as supplementary to the researches of the aforementioned
people. Seen in this light it is a modest
attempt to contribute to the development of the Physical
Education of white South African girls.
In this investigation performance scales for white
schoolgirls in the Transvaal were compiled in for activities.
An attempt was also made to study the motor
development of white schoolgirls in the four activities
mentioned.
The performance scales were compiled with the purpose
of:
1. To provide a measure for determining the girls
aptitude and progress;
2. To improve and supplement the methods of Physical
Education;
3. To diagnose the physical capabilities and thus to
show and eliminate possible short-comings;
4. To provide a stimulus for self-exercise;
5. To provide standards (norms) of performance that
satisfy the requirements of the metric system;
6. To study the motor development of white South
African girls as indicated by their performances;
7. To compare age grouping, as now applied to athletics
and swimming for competitions purposes, with
the performance curve derived from the data of the
investigation.
On the grounds of the literature as discussed in
Chapter 3, it appears justified to confine it to the
grouping of girls based on chronological age only. The
scales are, consequently, simple to apply and can even
be used by pupils themselves,
The activities of this investigation had been chosen
with an eye to fundamental components, namely speed,
strength, stamina and co-ordination. The prevalence in
the Republic of South Africa of the "fitness concept"
and the activities of the Nation2l Fitness Scheme were
additional considerations for the choice of exercises
and their uses and values.
For the compilation of performance scales from the
results of this study use has been made of the Sigmascale
method as well as the cumulative frequency method
in swimming. In order to simplify the discussion of the
findings and for the sake of clarity all processed data
have been tabulated and graphically presented.
For the purpose of this study 2 1 422 tests have been
made. In addition the height of 718 persons and the
bodyweight of 706 persons have been taken.
The results of this study show that in the development
in performance of girls of 11 to 16 years two peaks
especially are reached - at 13 and at 14 years.
In the 100 metre sprint performance reached its
maximum at 13 years. In the 300 metre the peak was at
14 years. In the push-ups from a 12 inch high bench
the peak was again at 13 years. In the 25 metre crawl
the maximum was again at 14 years.
It is thus clear that the findings of DcCloy (Chapter
2), namely that, in the case of American girls,
age has an influence on performance only up to 13t years,
cannot as such be accepted in South Africa. De Jager
carne to the same conclusion in his investigation. From
the results it is evident that maximum performance is
reached at 13- or 14 years. This again corroborates the
findings of Johnson and his colleagues.
These researchers have found that maximum athletic
performance occurs at 13- or 14 years. (Chapter 7).
The results have also indicated that the age of 12
is a "weak” period. The increase in performance is small
between 11 and 12 in two out of every four cases, namely
the 100 metres and the swirnrnin3 event. In the push-ups
the performance of twelve year olds is even weaker than
that of eleven year olds.
From the results of this study it appears that
fifteen year olds give weaker performances than 13-,
14- and 16 year olds. In three of the four events,
namely the 100 metres sprint; the 300 metres flatrace
and the swimming event, fifteen year olds gave weaker
performances than 13-, 14- and 16 year olds. In the
push-ups even eleven- and twelve year olds fared better
than the fifteen year olds.
For the pattern of development of the performance
ability with the increase in age and for the question
as to why certain age-groups do worse than others; no
satisfactory explanation has yet been found.
It is clear that there are factors which can
possibly influence this development pattern and performance.
On the strength of these findings it seems justified
to consider the eleven- and twelve year olds as a homogene
group for the purpose of classification. Furthermore
thirteen-, fourteen-, fifteen- and sixteen year
olds can be taken as a homogene group. In the push-ups,
however, it is evident that the thirteen year olds should
compete separately as is highly evident from the difference
between thirteen und fourteen, between thirteen
and fifteen and between thirteen and sixteen - in all
cases to the advantage of the thirteen year olds.
With regard to age-grouping of girls in athletics
and swimming it is clear that many changes can be
brought about.
This study has been conducted with the purpose of
contributing to the Physical Education of the female.
In Physical Education, especially with regard to the
female there is still a large field that has to be
covered. The lack of female researchers naturally
curbs the development of Physical Education in the case
of the female.
FURTHER STUDIES.
Further scientific research in connection with the
female sex is an absolute necessity. This study was
confined to schoolgirls in the Transvaal. The results
draws the attention to many problems which can only be
solved by general and thorough investigation.
From the foregoing it follows that:
1. The scales compiled in this study are only applicable
to schoolgirls in the Transvaal. Before these
scales can be accepted as national, their validity,
trustworthiness and objectivity “’till first have to be
proved for the other provinces.
2. The compilation of performance scales in activities
of Physical Education for white girls under 11 years,
is very necessary.
3. The question of the development of performance
ability according to age increase up to university
age has to be investigated.
4. Factors such as physiological, psychological and
economic circumstances which can possibly influence
performance of girls, should be studied.
5. The performance ability of non-white girls, especially
Bantu, Coloured and Indian, needs research.
It will give us the opportunity to compare the performance
of white girls with that of other races.
6. Performance scales in activities of Physical
Education, especially those that answer to the requirements
of the metric system, should be amplified. === Thesis (MA)--PU vir CHO
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