Page 174 - Bahrain Gov Annual Reports (III)_Neat

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9. Extra-mural Activities.
During the Spring Holiday in February 1944 (Safar 1363), a five day camp was held at Budayya.
100 boys ,and masters from all schools took part. Parents contributed food in the form of rice,
sugar, meat, etc., and a charge of Rs.5 per boy was made. It was a great success, not the least part
of which was the easy mixing of the different schools and the willingness with which all undertook
manual and menial tasks.
In April (Robia al Awwal), the Annual Athletics Sports were held. An unusual feature was
the inclusion of events open to the R.A.F., the Police, and the Levies, which were won by the Education
team.
Apart from these two occasions there was very little sports activity before the summer holiday.
Football matches were again difficult to organise because teams feared to be beaten.
In November the Physical Training Instructor arrived from Egypt. He was Champion
Boxer of All Egypt from 1940-42. He has taken charge of Physical Training in all the schools, and
an improvement is already noticeable. Rather than hold inter-school matches mixed teams are
formed. When the time is ripe we can re-introduce them.
Visits to places of interest are included in the programme for all schools. The most popular
were those to the Naval Base, the Aerodrome at Muharraq, the tombs and pottery works at Ali
and the weaving at Beni Jumra.
The public performance of school plays has given place to more intimate gatherings for the
benefit of parents and friends. These vary in character. It may be a small play or an exhibition
of handwork or a drill display by the infants. They are always well attended and much enjoyed.
Parents frequently visit the schools during working hours and now take a very keen interest in all
that goes on. Broadcasts by the pupils and teachers have done much to encourage this interest.
A week rarely goes by without a visit from a member of the American or British Air Forces.
Our boys and teachers have responded to this by arranging parties and outings for the men, the
most ambitious of which was at the end of the summer term when an Arab dinner party for 90 was
held in the Hostel. In other ways too we are attempting to interest these men in the life of the
people around them. Outings to interesting places in the island have been arranged and a series of
talks on local topics has been given with the co-operation of some of the school staff.
At the close of the year night classes were opened in Manama and Muharraq. The subjects
include English, Commerce and Arabic. They are being very well patronised.
10. Grants and Donations.
In March (Safar), the British Council presented the Secondary School with a very excellent
English Library of books suitable for boys.

At the beginning of the school year in October (Shawwal), the Bahrain Petroleum Company
established four scholarships of Rs.iooo each per annum which are open to Secondary and Technical
Schoolboys. This is a gesture on the part of the Company to encourage young Bahrainis to continue
their education and it does not involve any obligation to serve in the Company. Two boys were
selected from each school. One of the conditions is that they must live in the Hostel so that they
may benefit by the best our system can provide. The Oil Company have also presented a very fine
radio set to the Secondary School and Hostel.
After several delays due to shipping difficulties the 16 mm. Sound Projector presented by
the British Council reached Bahrain safely at the end of the year.

P„B|- i. , . ,. as a,so assisted the seven clubs by presenting books and
periodicals in English and Arabic on a generous scale.