An ideal school should be a centre of attraction and joy to which children love is Hock and not a place of boredom and soul killing routine to which they come as a painful necessity under parental compulsion. Therefore, an ideal school and its campus should be a thing of beauty that is a joy forever. To beautify the school plant and make it a model, regular maintenance is essential.

The flower beds, the garden, the lawns, the furniture etc., should be properly maintained. The playground should be regularly leveled and should be tidy. Annual white-washing, coloring, repairing and regular cleaning of the school building should be made. The entire school campus should be neat and clean.

The headmaster and his staff should see that the maintenance is properly done. A special committee of the staff and the students should be formed for the efficient maintenance of the school plant.

As far as practicable our schools should be guided by the philosophy of universal participation in games and sports. If games and sports are good for a few, they are good for all. It is an essential part of the total education. How happy a child feels when he runs a race and plays a game. It rouses in him enthusiasm, alertness and joyousness. Therefore, the old distinction between the few sportsmen and the majority of non-sportsmen has to go and games and sports should be universal.

ADVERTISEMENTS:

Play is accepted as the natural agency of education. Schools there­fore, should provide open spaces for playgrounds. The Education Com­mission says:

“Playgrounds and open spaces students’ recreation are essential. It may not always be easy to secure enough playground and open spaces in a crowded city, but such open spaces as are available must be conserved to be utilised by groups of schools, if necessary.

It is desirable that in all cities, more particularly in the big cities, a committee representative of the school management, headmasters, city authorities and others interested in the physical welfare of the students together with representatives of the state should be organized to promote “play-centre movement” and from time to time see that the playgrounds available in the city are effectively used by the school-going population.