SCHOOLS OPEN TO THE SUN.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19164, 22 November 1927, Page 10

SCHOOLS OPEN TO THE SUN.

MOVEMENT IN BRITAIN.

DR. R. B. PHILLIPPS'S OBSERVATIONS.

"I take it as a groat compliment to the Dominion, and evidence of keen interest in open-air schools, that such an insignificant person as a School Medical Officer should have received an invitation to see Lord Eustace Percy, President of the Board of Education, at Whitehall. Wc spent a very interesting half-hour talking over school problems, and readers of The Press will be interested to know that Lord Eustace asked and received a copy of 'Opon-Air Schools,' a reprint of the original articles which appeared in the columsn of The Press, Christchurch." Dr. K. B. Phillipps, School Medical Officer, who has resumed duty after a' visit to Great Britain, made the above quoted interesting statement, in tho course of an interview with a representative of The Press yesterday. Although the trip was far too short to get as much done as he would have liked to do, Dr. Phillipps said that he had seen a great deal. Schools were visited in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Hobart, Colombo, Aden, London, Leeds, Bradford, Manchester, Shropshire, North Wales, Glasgow, and Edinburgh. Rigfotness of the Movement. "One comes back more than ever convinced of the Tightness of the openair school movement. In Great Britain, especially, much prominence is being given to the beneficial effect of openair and sunshine, and, undoubtedly, it is reacting on the Bchool authorities. Many of the newer schools are being built on open-air lines. Take an example at random: While staying in a village in North Wales it was suggested that I should visit the local Council School, a comparatively new building. I found it to be, to all intents and purposes, an open-air school. It faced south, and the windows which came to within about 2ft of the ground, were of concertina construction, and, when opened, threw open the whole side of the school. On the opposite wall there were vent windows which were carried into the open air above the corridor, \ the top of the corridor being lower than I the windows. Although North Wales is a moderately cold part of the country, ; I noticed that the only means of heating ! was an ordinary fireplace.'' Message to Fendalton School. Sir James Parr, High Commissioner, and formerly Minister for Education, Dr. Phillipps found in good health and spirits, and very much interested in hearing of recent developments in openair schools in which, when Minister, he took keen interest. Sir James was especially interested to hear about the Fendalton School' and sent a special message to the headmaster and the children which Dr. Phillipps will deliver to them shortly. Visit to Professor Findlay. "Perhaps one of the men with the soundest views on education to-day ia Professor J. J. Findlay, until recently Professor of Education at Manchester University," Dr. Phillipps said. "It was a great honour to visit him at his home near Manchester. By a curious coincidence I met. there Miss' Baster, head infant mistress at the Christchurch Normal School! Professor Findlay considers that the open air is the right place for all educational activities, and he was most interested to hear what was being done in New Zealand. It was through his suggestion that I received an invitation to attend the' Educational Section of the British Association at Leeds. Unfortunately, owing to private affairs, I was not able to attend." Amongst other special schools and institutions visited by Dr. Phillipps was the Boys' Garden City, in Essex, one of Dr. Barnardo's Homes. To get rid of the institutional idea, the boys are accommodated in separate houses, 40 boys in each. One of these houses was called the New Zealand House, and was the gift of Messrs F. and G. Bullen, Auckland, in 1912.