著者

榊原 浩晃 山田 理恵

出版者

福岡教育大学

雑誌

福岡教育大学紀要. 第5分冊, 芸術・保健体育・家政科編 (ISSN:02863243)

巻号頁・発行日

no.61, pp.45-56, 2012

著者

榊原 浩晃

出版者

スポーツ史学会

雑誌

スポーツ史研究 (ISSN:09151273)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.10, pp.41-56, 1997-03-31 (Released:2017-03-18)

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This paper intends to explain the circumstances of the football games for elementary schoolchildren from the late 19th century to the early 20th century England. Her Majesty's Inspectors revealed that the football games for schoolchildren were not still actually timetabled and that they were played outside normal school hours in parks and other open spaces near schools, and this brought extra work of teachers concerning with children's football, who in season and out of season, sacrificed so much of their time voluntarily for the children's benefit. While all this grassroots activities of the teachers were going on, the Board of Education remained hesitant about officially sanctioning the organized games for elementary schoolchildren. South London Schools' Football Association(hereafter SLSFA)was founded in the summer of 1885 under the supervision of the elementary schools' teachers, which was the first elementary schools' football association in England and Wales. The object of SLSFA was to encourage the inter-school matches of football in the districts of Lambeth, Wandsworth and Southwark, i.e., the south devision of London. SLSFA had from the beginning received the valuable help from various some football clubs and proprietors of grounds, this had materially assisted the progress of SLSFA. The interest of children and teachers in the Competitions rapidly increased, and in three years from the commencement;the Junior Competition and the Senior Competition were arranged. Thus, The elementary schools' football associations depended upon the initiative and enthusiasm of children and teachers working together without the financial assistance from the local or central educational authourities. In fostering the sporting and recreative side of football, as opposed to the modern spectacular and commercialistic aspects of the games, SLSFA had done and was still doing a good work. In matches with the teams of other associations, the selected team of SLSFA had met with great measure of success. To win the Championship of London, by gaining the Corinthian Shield six times in twelve years, was a result of which anyone may be proud. The proceeds of many of these matches, particularly of those played with some opponents from Sheffield, Manchester, Birmingham, and so on, had been devoted the friendship of inter-association matches. Therefore, SLSFA played an important role in the organization of the football games for elementary schoolchildren, and the promotion of friendly matches between each schools' football association.