COMMUNITY CENTRES

Chronicle (Levin), 5 February 1947, Page 2

COMMUNITY CENTRES

Press Assn.-

New Zealand Impressed By ' English Scheme

By Telegraph

■Copyrighi

■ . LONDON, Feb. 3. The possibility of developing ciombined schools au.d community centres in New Zealand on the lines of Impington Village ColLege, in Cambridgeshire, was mentioned in an interview by Dr. C. E. Beeby, the New Zealand Director of Education, who is at present visitmg Britain to represent New Zealand at the conferen.ce ot Unesco in Paris. v Impington, which is a wellknown education experiment, might best be described in* New Zealand terms as a consolidated intermediate school which is nsed after school hours as an adult community centre. Dr. Beeby said he was most impressed by the success of the Impington s.cheme, which he thought would have a definite application in New. Zealand. In view of the Government's approval of community centres as war megwrials, 1m thought this aspect of the Cambridgeshire establishment would also be of interest' in the Dominion. Impington Village College not only gave excellent training to children cn the lines of a^ consolidated intermediate school, but was now well establislied as a modern community. centre at which adults could combirie recreation with instruction. He found even old age pensioners living in the neighbourhood who treated the school as their club, and there was even a proposal under discussion to instal a har, so that the centre would be able to ' dispense 'hospitality* on the lines "of the best type oi British local" though, of eoiirse, he did not suggest that , this innovation should be considered in New Zea-

land. The college- had a hall for produciit'g • plays ahd similar types of entertainmcntU'' an 'excellent library and club rooms, a leeture room and all the facilities necessary to make it a centre of community cultnral and recreational life. • Dr. Beeby will leave shortly for the United States and expects to spend a mon'th there before returning to New Zealand.