REGULATORY AND LEGAL BASIS OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION OF ADOLESCENTS (THE LATE 1930s − EARLY 1940s OF THE 20th CENTURY)

Abstract

The article examines the development of the physical education system for adolescents in the Ukrainian SSR before and during the Second World War. It is established that by the late 1930s, seven-year compulsory education was introduced, which also influenced the organization of physical education for schoolchildren.
An analysis of the orders and decrees of the People’s Commissariat of Education of the Ukrainian SSR demonstrates a gradual expansion of the school network but also reveals numerous problems: insufficient coverage of children by schooling, unsatisfactory academic performance and attendance, as well as failure to meet curriculum plans. In response, curricula were updated, including those for physical culture.
Special attention is given to the militarized nature of physical education, manifested in an increase in hours dedicated to physical exercises and the introduction of elements of military training. The role of student committees, extracurricular activities, competitions, and standards is considered, all of which stimulated the development of physical culture and health-promoting activities. During the wartime period, new subjects were introduced, including “military affairs,” and the curricula had a distinctly patriotic and military orientation. During the occupation, schools suffered destruction; however, from 1943, efforts to restore the educational sector, including physical education, began. Adopted regulatory acts provided for the development of extracurricular and club activities, separate education for boys and girls, as well as monitoring and control over compliance with compulsory general education.
The research materials provide a comprehensive assessment of approaches to physical training of schoolchildren during a period of social and military challenges and emphasize the importance of integrating physical education into the state educational policy of that time.