Extracurricular Activities

Extracurricular Activities:
The Toronto Board of Education

In the 19th century, the Board of Education reviewed each application for after-school use of school property on an individual basis. Requests were often denied, even when made on behalf of pupils. But in 1902 the Board adopted a policy of allowing its buildings to be used by organizations like school art leagues and literary clubs. This principle was extended to the yards in 1903. In 1909, children could use the yards freely during the summer; in 1913, a policy of year-round dawn-to-dusk access was adopted.

Obtaining access to the yards went hand-in-hand with enlarging their size and providing for their supervision during the summer holidays. City funds for playground expansion first came in 1902. In 1908, the Board opened Toronto's first supervised playgrounds - the first in Canada run by a public agency - at Elizabeth Street, Borden Street, Niagara Street, Queen Alexandra, and Park public schools. In 1931, the Board ran 23 playgrounds; the City ran another 33 on Board property.

During the school year, the yards hosted more than recess periods and military drill and calisthenics. After-school sports were regulated by the Public School Athletic Association (1901), the Secondary School Athletic Association (1907), and the Public School Girls' Athletic Association (1917).

These organizations depended on staff volunteers and equipment supplied by the Board of Education. Additional support came in 1920. J.A. Woodward, principal of Alexander Muir Public School and the Board's first Supervisor of Playgrounds, was relieved of his teaching duties, given a stenographer and a typewriter, and told to spend more time on extracurricular athletics.

This support was put to good use. In 1931, the PSAA alone organized 2,325 hockey games, 1,932 soccer games, 3,869 baseball games, 1,396 volleyball games, and 360 lacrosse games for a total of 19,619 pupils. The PSAA also prepared 1,187 swim meet and 13,741 track and field meet entries.

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