Gymnastic campers at Bisham Abbey, Buckinghamshire, row middle, Mrs. Prestidge to his right, Jim Prestidge
GYMNASTIC CAMP AT BISHAM ABBEY. MARLOW, BUCKING HAMPSHIRE , August 5th to 12th, 1961 This course is held annually at one ' of the National Recreation Centres of the Central Council of Physical Recreation, under the control of the Amateur Gymnastic Association. The students, both men and women were at varying stages of performance, some raw beginners ~d others 1st class performers. Ages range from I~ years upwards. The course is a personal performance holiday course, with two compulsory sessions per day of t):ll'ee hours in the mornin g and 1% hours in the afternoon. The re~t of the day is spent as you wish, playing tennis, clock golf, padda tennis, swimming, canoeing and dancing. The centre is a 13th century abbey, which has maintained its original state, and is set on the edge of the river Thames, in very lovely countryside. The lawns are spacious and the turf is soft, and with the sun shining (which it does do even in England) workin g out of doors is a deli ght. - The camp caters for 25 men and 25 women, with fiye coaches between them. The coaches give their time voluntarily, and this year were Miss Pat Hirst, eight times British champion; Mrs. Paulin Prestidge, A.G.A. coach; Mr. Walter Walsh, Physical Director of the Swansea Y.M.C.A. S.S.I.; Mick Munn of the Army Physical Training Corps and .. Denis Butcher of Norwich Priory. The course lasts :/.' a. week and the students are resident for th,at time, ' ''',' "at a cost of 拢9. 10.0 (or $28.) The food IS good, four meals a day, served in the banqueting hall beneath the minstrel gallery, with the original tapestries adorning the walls. The highlight of this year's course was the visit of the Vice-President of the Japanese Gymnastic Association. He, Mr. Takashi Kondo, traveled to London from Stuttgart and Lisbon. He very soon became popular with ;the gymnasts and the men 10
to his right}.
received some very useful hints. Mr. Kondo stayed for two days during which time he played golf and presented many gymnasts with the Japanese gym路 nastic badge, gestures which thrilled the students. JR. GYMNASTS TRAINING CAMP AT MACOLIN Situated high in the mountains overlookin g the beautiful valley village of Bienne and the Alps on the horizon is Macolin, the Swiss National School of Gymnastics and Sports. Here in picturesque resort atmosphere amid graceful rolling hills and woods are gymnasiums, playing' fields, tracks, courts, swimmin g pools, dormitories and administration buildings. In 1944 the Swiss Federal Counsel decided to build a Gymnastic and Sports School and in 1946 construction began at Macolin with class activities under way in 1947. Since then almost all of the top Gymnasts of Switzerland have at one time or another attended the school as a student or m路 structor. Durin g the first part of July this year nearly a hundred Gymnasts and instructors were on hand for the boys J 1'. training camp at Macolin. Here for a week these J r. Gymnasts age 15 to 20, worked, ate and dreamt Gymnastics. Under the excellent guidance of instructors, Joseph Stalder, Clemente Gilardi, Peter Diem, Heinz Lehmann , Roger Fehlbaum, Arno Darms and Ernst Hertig the boys were tau ght all phases of Gymnastics from theory to competitive action . Switzerland, a wonderful setting for Gymnastics is a land long famous for its grandure and beauty. Plan to visit there one day and be sure to try out the gym and equipment at the National Gymnastic School at Macolin. If you can go in reality instead of just dreams, you can get more information about courses and class sessions by writing to: The Director of the Federal School of Gymnastics, Macolin, Bienne, Switzerland.