SCHOOL EXPANSION

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 63, 15 April 1946, Page 5

SCHOOL EXPANSION

WHAKATANE’S GROWING

PROBLEM SUGGESTION TO ABSORB DOMAIN Following an interesting address on child education, deliv- ’’ - ered at the Chamber of Com- . ; merce meeting on Thursday ■, evening, Mr I. Hubbard, Head- i master of the Whakatane School, drew attention to the r urgent need for increasing the area of the High School grounds r and suggested that the whole of ' the adjoining Domain of 28 ' acres might be absorbed as a school playing area and that a further area of 30 acres belonging to Mr G. A. Brabant might be taken over by the Govern- ' ment and developed as the * town’s future domain.

The suggestion found one supporter in Mr C. G. Lucas' who admitted having first suggested it t& Mr Hubbard, but the remarks of other speakers would show that the scheme was highly unpopular with, the rank and file. Mr Hubbard’s arguments that the High School was about to double its roll and that demand for new classrooms seemed impossible to satisfy, indicated that the existing ten acres would in a short time be far from adequate and that the townspeople should take the long view and plan ahead for the inevitable demands of the future.

Steady Growth

Sketching the rise of the High ‘ School population of Whakatane, he said that in 1923, there were only 58 pupils, in 1932 101, in 1940 116, and in 1946 131. From information in his possession the figure was likely to double in the near future and with 500 in the Primary the prob- v lem was likely to be a very real one. The school must develop as the district grew and there was every prospect of a greater and greater population on the Plains. The present programme of building entailed three new classrooms and now before those were built three more were necessary. What was going to be the end of it all, he asked, unless some concerted plan were entertained with an eye to the future and he seriously thought the annexation of the Domain would be a solution of the problem. He mentioned the fact that there was every likelihood of the school becoming a residential school which would board the pupils on the premises and which would definitely call for serious expansion. He invited comments and viewpoints. on the scheme which he admitted had hot been officially mentioned to the School Committee.

Mr Canning: If this was ever put to the public, I think they would say ‘hands off’ our domain. They had too big a battle to get it to let it go so easily. Practice in South Island

Mr Lucas considered the idea a very sound one which had been followed out successfully in the South Island where schools he was personally conversant with stood in. beautiful grounds of 20 and 30 acrds, right in the towns. What would happen in a few years to come if when the school was about to expand homes had to be rooted up right and left to make room for it? Today presented an excellent chance >to plan ahead and he thought it a pity if finance were allowed to come into the question at all. If the property mentioned could- be taken over, as a Domain and developed, the town would have a wonderful recreation reserve and also a first class school playing area. ; Mr. Brabant pointed out that mahy schools in Auckland had barely ' a foot of playing room for the children and that the ten acres already there should be ample for Whakatane’s needs. Agricultural Instruction Mr Boon enquired of the Agricultural School, which had been suggested for Whakatane. Mr Hubbard replied that he had been officially informed that two - acres had recently been purchased for that purpose opposite the High School.

Mr Creeke: You talk of looking to the future of the school children, what about the future of the community. They are just as entitled tft the domain as anyone and I think with all that land alongside the existing ten acres that you’ve got ample for the school. The subject was then, dropped.