SHORTSIGHTEDNESS.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3580, 2 January 1883, Page 2

SHORTSIGHTEDNESS.

[To the Editor oe the Daily Telegraph.] Sir, —Our town papers have recently informed us, that the Napier School Committee are about to convert the small town section No. 105, adjoining the present School-house, into a playground for the children of the School. 1 am surprised at this, and that for various reasons which I will give. l.\fr >* fur toonmnU, (without any probability of it's ever being enlarged,) the whole available area being less than .]• of an acre : and the number of scholars on the books being (as you lately informed us) over 000, and,'of course, continually increasing; in fact I have been credibly informed, that the School-house itself, large though it is, is much too confined and must soon be enlarged ; the bit of ground is too small and confined for even a gaol-yard. 2. It is (i.ltnycthvr unfitted, from its situation, having the big School-house on the N.E. effectually blocking out the cooling sea-breezes of summer, and a very high hill at the back (N.AV.) so that the sun at noon does not shine on it in midwinter ! hence the confined spot will necessarily be exceedingly hot * and close in the summer season', and cold and wet in the winter. 3. It will consequently, be very unhealthy ; this uuhcalthincss will be largely increased through the prevailing summer winds, (almost "invariably daily from the N.E.) carrying in a "constant stream the stench from the dozen privies and urinals at the foot of the hill behind the school-house. That a spacious healthy playground with its many requirements and belongings is great-ely needed for the scholars of the Napier School is absolutely certain, and must be hud: good open ground for cricket and football; room for a gymnasium house to be used in wet weather ; proper alcove or shelter for their eating their little dinners, or luncheons, in, (seeing that many come from a distance,) instead of (as at the present) in the streets ;—or on the low dirty steps under the porticos of the adjoining theatre with its filthy ribald scrawls and sentences, for them to con and decypher and imitate while eating ; —or on the verandah of Ashton's Hotel ;— for my part, I marvel at the many parents of those children so ptitting-up quietly with this great want for so long a time. How, then, would I propose to remedy, it :- Answer. By removing the School-house to a far more roomy and suitable site. Hold on \ Do not mention the expense and trouble, —it will have to bo done sooner or later ; it must he done, and the sooner it is done the bettor for all. Our children arc worth far more than our Cash !—our Flocks a ud Herds and Crops ! ! —although I fear, with sonic, they arc a kind of Stock that arc overlooked or too lightly valued. AYe see what the United Methodist Free Church have just done, removed their big chapel, (although, according to the old saying, " Three removes are as bad as a lire ") —and we also find it seriously proposed to widen Emerson Street, —of course by removing all the buildings further back, and some of them are very large,—a much heavier and more costly job than the removing of the School-house. Such a roomy and every-way suitable site is at hand:--(1) On a portion of the level and open 7 acre allotment called the "Town Hall-Reserve;" or (2) on part of, the reclaimed land,- —both being- public property. And I scarcely need observe, that the present occupied School.sites in Clive Square would let well and so return a good rental. And here I should state, that during the last G months of my holding the office of Inspector of Schools, I was officially requested by the first (or Interim) Education Board, to point out a suitable site in the Town of Napier for the public Schoolhouse, then shortly to be erected under the new Education Act. I did so ; I performed that duty; and after going carefully over the whole town, and considering its map and the future wants of the rising town and generation, I pointed out in my official reply, a portion of the said large 7 aero " Town-hall Reserve " (no longer wanted for that purpose) as being the best, if not the only, place every way fitted for the new School and its required roomy and healthy plny-grounds. I may also further remark, that nothing that has ever been done in this toAvn with public money has so greatly astonished me as the placing the School-house where it now stands—(including the prodigal waste of money thereby incurred in buying-out the occupiers '.) —on a small confined comer spot in a central thoroughfare every way unfitted for the proper carrying-on of a bigSchool in a large and busy and growing town with its very narrow*streets. This serious evil however Avill be much more clearly seen and felt in years to come,—if it is allowed to continuo* And here I will both anticipate and answer a question, which will be sure to arise among many of our newly-settled townsmen, —namel}', why did I not move

in the matter before the schoolhouse was built under the direcuom of the •econd (or present) Education Boary?— 1. Because such a decision was quickly moved and determined by the Education - Board, (just as in many other things sino) without due consideration. 2. Because had I written to that Board any amount of letters on the they would not have been attended to, ever correct and fitting my letter might and that because I (the late, and for many * years the only Inspector of Schools) had written them; the well-known adverse personal influence being far too great. 3. Because they possessed my official letter on the subject, written only a few months before. 4. I could also give other reasons. I believe I may truly say, that there is no other School in this whole extensive district that is so badly situated in this resided; of site and of the want of a proper playground as this, the largest school of all - and in the head town of Napier. I see, however, the same short-sighted folly (as to site) acted on in other to-wnoahips ; —at Woodville, for example; where the school-house is actually built on a corner section opposite to the Post-Office, in what I suppose will become the busy and crowded part of the township ! instead of in a more retired and suitable spot. Having now brought this highly important matter plainly before the Public, (and ' in so doing have both faithfully informed them, and delivered my own conscience,) I do hope that both the Education Board and the Napier School Committee wil heartily unite in reconsidering the same, for, from the very small size of the bit of ground and its utter unsuitableness, —notwithstanding a sure outlay of heavy expema at tinkering and patching,—it can only at best become a wretched make-shift, un- . worthy of the name of a play-ground to the large towu school, and can never he satisfactory. Though late, it _is not j-et the eleventh hour, and the thing is both urgently wanted and can bo done. I have entitled my letter " Short-sighted-ness '' ; very likely sonic one hereafter, writing with a much more trenchant pen on the fruits of this evil tree (should it be allowed to remain), may give his communication some more strong more startling name: for— "Evil is wrought by want of thought, As well as want of heart." < I am, kc, William Colenso. Napier, December 30, ISS2.