Sunday, 24 April 2016

Environment Education In Bolivia

 Bolivia is making many innovative strides in the way of environmental regulations, but a lack of public awareness and involvement has contributed to difficult enforcement of green living, according to the Environmental Education Center of Santa Cruz.

One law that has already made it through the Bolivian Chamber of Deputies could radically change how environmental concerns are dealt with.

The Mother Earth Law is the first of its kind, not just in Bolivia, but in the world. The purpose is to set up an Earth defendant department, much like a public defender, Mendez said.

“This law says that mother earth has rights and is a very different concept for the world,” said Javier Mendez Vedia, science and life editor for El Deber, the largest newspaper in Bolivia. “It is the first law to give rights to the mother earth. For example, water is not subject to commerce anymore. It is a human right and that is revolutionary.”

While most who know about the bill support it, most Bolivian residents are unfamiliar with it and what it would do for the country.

The writing of the Mother Earth Law is vague, reading more like a mission statement than a set of strict rules.

The right to water is huge for Bolivians after the Cochabamba Water War of 2000, where residents protested in Bolivia’s third largest city after the city’s water supply company Semapa privatized and increased prices. However, the new law does not present a clear plan of action on how to prevent privatization or pollution of the water supply.

The law’s second article outlines the six ideals the defendants of the Earth, who have yet to be appointed, are to uphold: harmony, collective good, regeneration of Mother Earth, respect and rights of the Mother Earth, no commercialism, and multiculturalism.

“The Mother Earth Law is interesting if you understand it, but many can’t understand because it was written for people who think differently about the environment,” said Pamela Rebolledo, department of climate change coordinator. “To understand this law you have to change your mind to take on a different perspective. You have to analyze your own behavior to understand the law.”

Bolivia is one of the first countries to have an environmental department. The Environmental Education Center of Santa Cruz has worked to bridge the gap between government environmental action and community involvement, said Rebolledo, who works in the department’s new facility.

“We work with campaigns and social media, any way to get the information out,” Rebolledo said. “We need to, through education, make people understand what the government is doing, we can transfer the technology and knowledge so that the people can appropriate our work. They need to be a part of the action. Communities have to support and join our projects.”

It is easier for those who live off of the land to see the day-to-day effects of climate change and environmental changes, Rebolledo said, but as more Bolivians move into large cities like Santa Cruz, fewer are concerned about these issues.

According to the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, the most pressing environmental issues in Bolivia are “the clearing of land for agricultural purposes and the international demand for tropical timber that are contributing to deforestation, soil erosion and poor cultivation methods.”

Despite what most people may picture when they think of South American life, today almost 70 percent of the population of Santa Cruz lives in the metropolitan area. Most do not understand that eventually the resources that the Bolivian industries are capitalizing on will run out if the country does not implement a more sustainable practices, Rebolledo said.

“We need more motivation and advertisement to encourage people. Most people don’t care much about the environment,” Rebolledo said. “Economy and production don’t have a good relationship with the environment and that is the reason we are like the fifth wheel of the car.”

While some worry environmental laws will try to overregulate their farms and other businesses, many environmentalist understand that there is no stopping development and no wanting to, said Cesar Perez, head of Gaia Pacha Foundation in Santa Cruz. However, it is the way in which a city or country develops that is important.

“Sometimes, the environmental point of view is seen as a counter development philosophy, which is not true,” Perez said. “We are looking for a different type of development and not necessarily traditional development. Not this neoclassical economy that is addicted to oil and is based on destructivism. It is a matter of thinking long term.”

While clearing trees for farmland may seem like the best use of resources in the short run, mass deforestation will lead to larger issues later, Perez said.

“If we cut down all the forest to have more soy farms for example, those forests are water factories for many other crops and communities, and we will no longer have that resource,” Perez said.

Through the Gaia Pacha Foundation, Perez started an Earthkeepers program in Santa Cruz. This program is the first of its kind in any Spanish-speaking or Latin American country and works to educate 10- to 11-year-old students, teachers and parents about the environment in a nontraditional way.

“I had a lot of experience in environmental education and felt frustrated because there was no way to measure change in behavior, values or attitudes,” Perez said. “That’s I was motivated to look for a behavior change model like the Earthkeepers. I’m passionate about it because this is a tool that I think that works.”

Cricket In New Zealand

Cricket is New Zealand's major organised summer sport and enjoys the fourth-highest playing numbers. Five-day test matches don't attract large crowds, but one-day international matches (ODIs) are another story, drawing good crowds and big television audience.
Many New Zealanders can relate to a game of backyard cricket and hitting a ball through a window or over the fence for 'six and out'. Driftwood stumps can often be seen sticking out of the sand at the end of an impromptu game on the beach. But cricket is not a sport of great worldwide significance. Only 10 nations have full test status. Like rugby, its popularity is largely confined to present and former members of the British Commonwealth, and, like rugby, the game originated in England. This may be why many former colonies take immense satisfaction from beating the English at their own games.

New Zealanders relish wins against England and Australia. Beating England, our former colonial masters, and Australia, our closest sporting rival and one of the consistently strongest teams in the world, is seen as a true benchmark of success.

Development of cricket in New Zealand

Cricket came early to New Zealand. Anglican missionary Henry Williams organised a match in Northland in 1832, and the first match in which scores were recorded was played at Wellington in December 1842. In 1864 international cricket arrived in New Zealand in the form of George Parr's professional 'All-England Eleven', which had been playing in Melbourne. The English team won four matches against 22-strong teams representing Otago and Canterbury.

By the late 19th century cricket had established itself as a major sporting code. There were thriving inter-club competitions in the main centres. In 1906 the Plunket Shield was presented by the governor, Lord Plunket, as the symbol of provincial supremacy. Teams played for the trophy on a challenge basis until the 1920–21 season, when it became a league competition. The original provinces of Auckland, Canterbury, Otago and Wellington were joined by Central Districts (in the 1950–51 season) and Northern Districts (in the 1956–57 season). The Plunket Shield was replaced by the Shell Trophy in the 1975–76 season, which was in turn succeeded by the State Championship in the 2000–01 season.

The first recorded women's cricket match was played in Nelson in 1886, but women's cricket did not become firmly established until the late 1920s and early 1930s. Women cricketers compete domestically for the State League, representing the same provincial associations as the men's State Championship.
International cricket
In 1930 New Zealand became the fifth test-playing nation (after England, Australia, South Africa and India) when it played its first test against England at Lancaster Park (later Jade Stadium, now AMI Stadium), Christchurch. In what was to become an all-too-familiar trend, the English won by eight wickets. New Zealand did not achieve its first test victory until 1956, when the West Indies were defeated at Eden Park. Up to the end of December 2008 New Zealand had played 345 test matches.

New Zealand played their first ODI on 11 February 1973, defeating Pakistan by 22 runs at Lancaster Park.

The New Zealand women's team played their first test match against England at Lancaster Park in 1935.

Thursday, 21 April 2016

Education In Angola

Marxism-Leninism was declared the basis of Angola's new educational system by the ruling MPLA, but a respect for traditional African values was also retained. Four years of compulsory, free primary education began at age seven, and secondary education began at age eleven, lasting eight years. Missionary schools were nationalized and private or religious organizations were not allowed to conduct schools.

Considerable efforts were made by the government in the first five years of independence to improve the accessibility of education, especially for primary-school aged children. There were fewer than 500,000 students in Angola in 1974, but by 1980 at least 1.6 million children were studying. Enrollment of the relevant age group was up to 80 percent in 1980, but by 1984, it had fallen to 49 percent due to austerity measures and population increases. Government statistics from 1990 show 1,180,008 students enrolled at the primary level, but only 148,137 at the middle and secondary level, with no indication as to the percentage of relevant age group. President dos Santos stated that by January 2000 school equipment had been acquired to meet 42 percent of the country's needs, demonstrating that 1,040,000 children between the ages of six and fourteen were without a school. However, the Ministry of Justice estimates that only about 5 percent of children have had their births registered. Unregistered children do not legally exist and therefore cannot enroll in schools.

Since 1980, education funding has been low, and all areas of education are in dire need of facilities, materials, and teachers. In 1994, for example, 4.4 percent of public expenditure was allocated for education. Civil war has consumed most of the country's financial gains. Of the US$2 billion the government earned in oil and diamond revenues in 1996, US$1.5 billion was spent on arms and military equipment.

During the early 1990s, Angola began gradually moving to a free-market economy, pursuing a policy of liberalization and privatization in industrial economic sectors. The effects could be seen within the educational system as well. Sixteen years after independence, major changes were made in Angola's educational system with Law N.18 that institutionalized private teaching in 1991. In 2001, the Ministry of Education announced that it would require a "symbolic payment" for public education,changing the free education policy that had been in effect since independence.

Basic adult literacy continues to be extremely low, but there are conflicting figures from government and other sources. No reliable census has been taken since 1970 which makes it difficult to assess not only literacy but also other educational needs. Statistics available in 2001 from UNICEF estimate the total population of Angola to be 12.5 million and adult literacy to be 56 percent for males and 29 percent for women. It is unlikely that these figures include population in UNITA-claimed territory. During the mid-1980s, Savimbi established a state-within-a-state with its own educational system that closely resembled that of Portugal. UNITA territory was much smaller but still in existence in 2001.

Sunday, 17 April 2016

Child Education In Cyprus

Since Cyprus has been at the crossroads of world travel through the centuries, the country's educational system has been influenced by many different civilizations. During the Ottoman Period (1571-1878), children attended school as early as age four in sibyan classes of elementary schools. Classes were mixed-age and included both genders. The children were confided to the teacher in a special religious ceremony called Amin Alayi, and this trust required certain religious qualifications of the teachers, both male and female. In 1878, when the British took over administration of education in Cyprus, there were 65 Turkish elementary schools (Mertan 1995).

During the British Period (1878-1960), the Elementary Education Committees conducted meetings between Ottoman and British educators that continued until 1929. During this time, the education of children between the ages of four to six was an issue. In 1926, for instance, only four schools existed on the island to educate children in this nursery age group, one in Famagusta and three in Nicosia. Weir explained in 1952 that nursery schools were completely lacking in Cyprus. The few schools that had been in operation were closed due to economic issues. Both the need for teacher training and the subsequent availability of trained teachers were lacking.

State preprimary education is a particular priority since the Turkish invasion of 1974 in order to support refugee families, equalize educational opportunities across economic groups, and enable more mothers to secure gainful employment. Preprimary institutions include public, private, and community-based nursery schools, day care centers, and kindergartens. The nursery schools are certified and supervised by the Ministry of Education, the day care centers by the Department of Social Welfare and Services. A uniform curriculum is provided for the nursery school experience, promoting integrated development and preparation for citizenship. The Pancyprian School for Parents serves as a primary agency for parental education in Cyprus.

Since 1962, primary education has been free and compulsory for children between the ages of 6 to 12. Schools operate in every community of at least 15 children. Area schools serve neighboring communities with fewer than 15 pupils. Parental choice is not an option, and children must attend the school in their area.

Cyprus is a signatory to the Convention of the Rights of the Child and the action plan developed at the Summit for Children organized by UNICEF in 1991. In a paper prepared for the 1997 Health and Social Welfare Conference, van Oudenhoven and Wazir (of International Child Development Initiatives, the Netherlands) provided an extensive overview of the Mediterranean experience regarding early childhood development and social integration, including the issue of social inclusion/exclusion in early childhood education. They describe critical factors to consider in early childhood preprimary education—most significantly, the inherent, inalienable right of every child to receive care and education with attention to physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development. In Cyprus, about 0.06 percent of the population is under the age of five with virtually none of the population living below the absolute poverty level. Equally positive is the life expectancy average age of 77, the highest in the Mediterranean region (with the same life expectancy reported for Israel and Malta). The under-five mortality rate (U5MR) of 11 percent, as an indicator of the crucial components that indicate early childhood development, places Cyprus in an enviable position in contrast to other countries of the Mediterranean region—Israel was rated the only country with a better rate at 9 percent, while Turkey's rate was 50 percent and Morocco's, 75 percent (van Oudenhoven & Wazir 1997). Cyprus ranks comparatively healthy in the consideration of malnourished children as well, with 8 percent.

School enrollment and dropout rates can be considered as indicators of the psycho-social development of children. In Cyprus, school enrollment for all boys and girls in the late twentieth century stood at 99 percent, with virtually no dropout rate. That these rates are equal for boys and girls accounts for Cyprus having the highest female literacy rate in the region (91 percent), compared to only 31 percent in Morocco, 49 percent in Algeria, and 72 percent in Turkey.

Most of the primary schools in urban areas and larger communities are divided into two cycles: cycle A, catering to grades I through III, and cycle B, comprised of grades IV through VI. The pupil-teacher ratio at the national level is 19:1 with a ceiling set at 34 pupils for the largest classes.

Experiential, meaningful learning is promoted through an emphasis on environment, science and social subjects, language development, music, art, physical education, home economics, design and technology, and information technology. The acquisition of the basic skills of reading, writing, and mathematics is given an important place in all grades of primary schooling. Primary school graduates receive a leaving certificate at the end of the sixth year after evaluation through continuous assessment.

Saturday, 16 April 2016

Football In Norway

The Norwegian Football Association (NFF) was founded in 1902 and became a member of FIFA in 1908. The same year Norway played its first international game where they lost 3-11 to Sweden.

In 1936 Norway took its first, and still, only medal in a senior men’s championship. “The Bronze team” beat Turkey 3-2 in the bronze final in the Berlin Olympics. Two years later Norway qualified for their first World Championship, but were beaten by Italy who later went on to win the tournament.

In 1954 Norway became a member of UEFA, and in 1960 Fredrikstad FK was the first Norwegian club to play in the UEFA Cup. No less a team than Ajax were beaten in the first round, but the Danish side Århus were too strong in the next round. Eight years later Lyn managed to reach the quarter finals in the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, but Barcelona just managed to win the tie after two even games.

In 1969 professional footballers were allowed to play for the Norwegian national team.

Three years later the Norway Cup – the world’s largest football tournament for children and youths – was hosted for the first time in Oslo.

In 1973,  women’s football was established, with its own rules. In 1978 the women’s national team played their first international match, where they lost 1-2 to Sweden. Nine years later Norway hosts the Women’s European Championship. The final was play against Sweden, and this time the Norwegians won 2-1. The year after, in 1987, Sweden was again the opponent in the final in the first unofficial Women’s World Championship. Norway won 1-0. Two years later Norway lost the European Championship final 1-4 to Germany.

In 1990 Egil ”Drillo” Olsen was appointed head of the men’s national team.

In 1991 the Women’s national team won the silver medal in the first official Women’s World Championship. They lost 1-2 to the USA in the final.

The year after was also a great year for Norwegian Football. In the European Championship in Germany, the Norwegian U21 team managed to secure the first medal in a championship on the men’s side, since the bronze team in 1936.

In 1994 the men’s national team participated in their first World Championship in modern times. National coach Egil “Drillo” Olsen and his side took four points in the group stage, the same as Ireland, Italy and Mexico. The goal difference was also even among the teams, but Norway were eliminated as they had scored the least number of goals.

In 1995 the Women’s national team became World Champions. Germany were beaten 2-0 in the final, and the same year Hege Riise was voted the best women footballer of the year.

The year after Norway claimed the bronze medal in the first Olympic tournament for women’s football. They beat Brazil 2-0 in the bronze final.

In 1997 Norway hosted the Women’s European Championship together with Sweden. For the second time in a row, the men’s national team qualified for the World Championship. Both times Egil “Drillo” Olsen was the coach.

Norway beat Brazil 2-1 in the 1998 World Championship in France, and advanced from the group stage. However, Italy were too strong in the next game, and Norway lost 0-1.

After the World Championship in 1998 Nils Johan Semb took over as the national coach. In 1999 the men’s national team qualified for the European Championship for the first time.

In 2000 the Women’s national team won the Olympic gold medal after beating the USA 3-2 in the final in Sidney. The men’s national team wasn’t able to advance from the group stage in the European Championship, in spite of them beating Spain 1-0 in the opening game.

In 2001 Rosenborg BK wins the Tippeliga for the 10th time in a row, and qualifies for the group stage in the UEFA Champions League for the 7th year in a row - a remarkable feat for a Norwegian club.

In 2002 the Norwegian Football Association celebrated its 100th anniversary.

In 2004 Per Ravn Omdal retired as football president, and was succeeded by Sondre Kåfjord. Omdal had been president for 12 years and was a prominent member of UEFA.

In 2005 the Women’s national team won silver in the European Championship. Germany were too strong in the final. To reach the Word Championship in Germany the men’s national team needed to win a playoff match against the Czech Republic. The Czechs were ranked number three in the world at the time and was to strong.

Friday, 15 April 2016

Education At a Glance In Kenya

In 2003, the government of Kenya instituted a free primary education for all program, and then did the same for secondary education in 2008. As a result, nearly three million more students were enrolled in primary school in 2012 than in 2003 and the number of schools has grown by 7,000. Between 2003 and 2012, the secondary gross enrollment ratio increased from 43 percent to 67 percent, as graduates from the new free primary program moved their way through the system. More recently, the impact of the 2003 education for all program has been seen at the university level, where enrollment numbers have skyrocketed, more than doubling between 2012 and 2014 as the initial cohort of free primary school children have begun enrolling in university studies.

Nonetheless, much progress in educational quality and access remains to be made in Kenya. In 2010, one million children were still out of school, and while this was almost half the number in 1999, it is still the ninth highest of any country in the world. Issues related to educational quality persist, especially at the primary level, with illiteracy rates increasing among students with six years of primary schooling. Over a quarter of young people have less than a lower secondary education and one in ten did not complete primary school.

At the university level, student numbers grew by a massive 28 percent between 2013 and 2014 and similar growth is expected this year, yet funding was cut by 6 percent in the 2015 national budget. The mismatch between funding and enrollment growth will mean a heavier tuition burden for students, increasing the significant access issues that already exist for the marginalized, and adding to quality issues related to overcrowding, overburdened infrastructure and faculty shortages.
WENR-0615-CountryProfile-Kenya-v2

International Mobility

According to UNESCO data, there were 13,573 Kenyan students studying abroad in 2012, with 3,776 in the United States, 2,235 in the UK and 1,191 in Australia. These numbers have been declining significantly over the last decade.

The United States hosted just 3,500 Kenyans last year as compared to a high of 7,800 in 2003. The decline, which has been particularly precipitous at the undergraduate level, has been attributed to the tightening of visa policies in the post 9/11 era and the considerable expense of a Western education when compared to cheaper alternatives in neighboring East African countries. The number of Kenyans coming to the U.S. for a graduate education has declined significantly less, indicative of the generally poor opportunities for research degrees at Kenyan universities and the widening of domestic access at the undergraduate level.

While not captured in the UNESCO data, local Kenyan media reports suggest that the vast majority of internationally mobile Kenyan students are in neighboring countries. More than 20,000 Kenyan students are estimated to be studying in Ugandan universities, and approximately 5,000 in Tanzania.

Kenya-Student-Mobility-to-the-US-2000-2015

Education System

Kenya’s national education system is structured on an 8-4-4 model with eight years of basic education, four years of secondary education and a four-year undergraduate curriculum. This model replaced the 7-4-2-3 system in 1985.

Formal schooling begins at the age of six, with compulsory and free basic education running through to the age of 14. Students progress to the academic secondary cycle, technical schools or trade schools from the basic cycle. Secondary schooling is also free but not compulsory.

Basic Education

Primary education was made free to all students in 2003, a policy that increased attendance by almost 40 percent within four years, from 5.9 million in 2003 to 8.2 million in 2007.

The cycle is divided into lower (Standards 1-3), middle (Standards 4 & 5) and upper primary (Standards 6-8). At the end of the primary cycle, students take the national Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examination (KCPE), supervised by the Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) under the Ministry of Education. The examination is used primarily to rank and stream students into secondary and technical schools. Students who perform well gain admission into national secondary schools, while those with average scores attend provincial schools.

The curriculum is uniform across the country and includes: English, Kiswahili, a local language, mathematics, science, social studies, religious education, creative arts, physical education, and life skills. Exams are held in five subjects: Kiswahili, English, mathematics, science and agriculture, and social studies.

Secondary Education

The secondary cycle lasts four years and is organized into two, two-year stages. At the end of the fourth year, students take examinations administered by the KNEC, which lead to the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE). The examination is also used for admissions into universities and training at other institutions of higher education in the technical and vocational stream.

Holders of the KCPE who do not enroll in secondary schools can attend youth polytechnics, which prepare students for Government Trade Tests, levels 1–3. Less than 50 percent of primary school students continue on to secondary school.

There are three types of secondary schools in Kenya – public, private and harambe. Students with the best scores on the KCPE attend national public schools, while lower scoring students tend to attend provincial and district level schools. Harambee schools do not receive full funding from the government and are run by local communities. These schools tend to be less selective than public schools.

Many private schools have religious affiliations and typically offer British or – less frequently – American curriculums and qualifications. Many also offer the Kenyan curriculum. Non-formal education centers provide basic education for children who are unable to access formal education, especially in impoverished urban and rural areas.

Students who fail examinations either repeat the final school year or pursue technical and vocational education, either at four-year technical secondary schools or three- to five-year trade schools. Since 2010, graduates of technical secondary schools are eligible for university entry.

Thirty subjects are currently offered at the academic secondary level, grouped into six learning areas:

Languages (English, Kiswahili, Arabic, German, French)
Sciences (mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology)
Applied Sciences (home science, agriculture, computer studies)
Humanities (history, geography, religious education, life skills, business studies)
Creative Arts (music, art and design)
Technical Subjects (drawing and design, building construction, power and mechanics, metal work, aviation, woodwork, electronics)
In the first two years of secondary education, students take as many as 13 subjects. This is narrowed down to eight subjects in the final two years, with three core and compulsory subjects taken by all students: English, Kiswahili and Mathematics. Students must also take two science subjects, one humanities subject, either one applied science or one technical subject chosen from the pool of subjects above. The subjects offered will depend on individual schools and what they can offer in terms of learning resources and teachers.

Students are tested in four subject groups for the KCSE school leaving examination. The three subjects in Group 1 (English, Kiswahili and mathematics) are compulsory. The final grade on the KCSE is an average of the scores achieved in the best eight subject examinations. Where a candidate sits for more than eight subjects, the average grade is based on the best eight scores. A final grade of C+ is required for university entry, although higher scores are required for some public universities. Admission to programs leading to certificates and diplomas at polytechnics requires a D+ or C- average, respectively.

Kenya-Secondary-Grading-Scale-with-US-Equivalency

English is the language of instruction in all secondary schools. Kiswahili is taught along with other subjects.

Higher Education

In recent years there has been a huge expansion of the higher education sector in Kenya. Where there were just five public universities in the country in 2005, today there are 22 with plans for as many as 20 new universities. Growth in the university sector has largely come about through the upgrade of already existing colleges. In addition, there are 17 private universities and 14 public and private university constituent colleges. An additional 14 institutions have letters of interim authority to operate. All of the above have the authority to award academic degrees.

Along with growth in the number of universities has come huge growth in enrollments. The latest enrollment figures for 2014 show that there were 443,783 students enrolled at universities across Kenya, more than double the 2012 enrollment number. Approximately 215,000 of those students were enrolled at private institutions.

In the non-university sector, students attend public and private technical and vocational polytechnics, colleges (teacher and medical colleges), and other tertiary-level TVET institutions (technical training institutes, institutes of technology, and technical and professional colleges). Typically, programs offered at these institutions are two to three years in length, leading to certificates, diplomas and higher national diplomas.

Current government plans call for the establishment of at least 20 new public universities, many in underserved regions, but recent budget cuts now call those plans into question. Meanwhile, lecturer shortages continue to hinder growth in quality standards and lead to ever growing student to faculty ratios.

Thursday, 14 April 2016

Basketball In Canada


Basketball fans have come to expect the impossible from the fast, powerful giants who dominate the game today. The phenomenal feats of Michael Jordan or Magic Johnson would have amazed Dr. James Naismith, the modest Canadian who invented the game 100 years ago when he hung a peach basket on a gym wall.

The centenary of Naismith's invention was commemorated by a postage stamp, issued on October 25, 1991. This Historica Minute dramatizes the first clumsy efforts of Naismith's un-enthusiastic gym class to play the new game.

In devising the game of basketball, Naismith took on a unique task. Very few sports have actually been invented. Hockey evolved from the Native lacrosse, baseball from British rounders, football from rugby. How, and why, would one create a brand new game?

James Naismith's reasons for inventing basketball came from his own religious principles and a challenging job assignment. Born in Almonte, Canada West (Ontario), Naismith graduated from McGill University and Presbyterian Theological College. In 1891, he found himself teaching Psychology, Bible Study and Physical Education at the International Young Men's Christian Training School in Springfield, Massacheusetts. Fervently believing the old adage that "a healthy body and a healthy mind go together," Naismith saw no conflict between his theology and his love of sports. His beliefs, however, were put to the test by the most incorrigible, bored and rebellious gym class in the school. When winter came, and the usual outdoor sports were over, the teacher needed something to keep his lazy pupils physically occupied.

After some unsuccessful attempts to modify soccer, football and lacrosse for the confines of the gymnasium, Naismith decided to analyze the qualities he wanted in an indoor sport. He needed a ball large enough to be caught and thrown easily. Since he did not want tackling on the hard floor, he declared that players could not run with the ball. An elevated goal added a challenge that emphasized skill rather than sheer strength. One by one, Naismith systematically thought out the elements of his new game.

On December 21, 1891, Naismith posted 13 rules to the game on the school's bulletin board and nailed two peach baskets to the gym balconies. The first game ended with a score of 1-0, a far cry from the NBA scores of today. But as classes played it, the game became more and more popular, though not with the janitor who had to climb a ladder to retrieve each successful shot. Soon, other schools and colleges were playing the game. But what were they to call it? With his characteristic modesty, the inventor declined the name of "Naismith Ball," preferring the simple title of "Basketball." Naismith succeeded in his aim of creating a sport for everyone, a game that stresses skill over strength, speed over power. Today basketball is played by men, women and children all over the world. The same sport that is played in $200 spring-loaded shoes is also played in wheelchairs. Dr. Naismith's invention has become one of the most popular games in the world.