DOMESTIC SERVICE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 55, 26 March 1946, Page 5

DOMESTIC SERVICE

TRAINING FOR GIRLS BLOCK REQUIRED AT SCHOOL Originally included in the plans for additional buildings at the Whakatane District High School, was a fully equipped Domestic Science Block containing a model flat and other facilities, whereby it would be possible to properly train girl stu-

dents in housecraft and management of the home—looked upon nowadays as one of the most important features connected with the education of youth. A tender for this and other buildings was submitted by Messrs Boon Sullivan Luke Ltd., Whakatane, but consent for construction of the Domestic

Science -Block was withheld, against the recommendation of the Board, by the Education Department.

At the last meeting of the Whakatane School Committee, a letter was received from the Education Board stating that the reason for the request for the block being refused was not because the tender submitted was too high, but because the Department was not now prepared to authorise a Domestic Science Block as planned by the Board, even though this latter body had' previously had the sanction of the Department. Apparently, the letter stated, a fresh consideration of the matter had led the Department to revert to its previous policy of providing a normal Domestic Science room with a small kitchen utility room added at one end and fresh plans were being prepared for this

type of unit. Messrs. Boon Sullivan Luke Ltd. would be asked to submit an alternative price for this block, and if considered too high, any other local contractor would be given an opportunity to submit a tender.’

With regard to the above matter, the Headmaster (Mr I. B. Hubbard) stated that in his opinion a Domestic Science room was not adequate for the purpose it was required to fulfill. The school was growing at an unprecedented rate, and the stress now placed upon adequate training of girls, could not be met by anything less than the original full sized block. A Domestic Science room was little more than a wellequipped cooking room, whereas in a full sized Block, there were facilities for teaching everything that a girl shuld know about the home. The school did not want merely a second cooking room; Whakatane was an important centre, with a big school, and something more should definitely be asked for. The committee should, in fact, protest strongly against this new suggestion of the Department and keep on fighting till the school got what it wanted.

The chairman (Mr J. W. Wilson): Could you produce a syllabus of Domestic Science training, showing that a room, as suggested by the Department is insufficient.

The Headmaster: Yes I. could. The chairman: Then I think we should try for something better. Committee members agreed that even if it meant waiting .for some time, it was better that the school should get what it wanted, than be forced to accept nothing more nor less than another ordinary cooking room.

It was decided that the chairman should be supplied with a syllabus as previously suggested, in order that the committee would have concrete facts with which to back up its arguments, and that every effort should be made to have the originally intended Domestic Science Block erected.