RANGIORA DISTRICT SCHOOL.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 39, 15 July 1874, Page 3

RANGIORA DISTRICT SCHOOL.

In a few days it is anticipated that the buildings of the Rangiora district schools will be completed and ready for opening. They are centrally situated, the selection of the site, the appearance and general convenience of the schools, reflecting great credit on on the judgment of the local committee. The section upon which they are erected is a piece of land four acres in extent, purchased from Mr W. Sansom for £3OO. It has .frontages on to the Oxford-Bangiora road, Church street and South street, so that it is easy of access from all parts of the district. Of the four acres, three are intended to be used as a boys’ play ground, two-th : rds of an acre for the school buildings and girls’ playground, and the remaining one-third for the master’s residence and garden. The master’s residence fronts’on to South street, it includes a parlor, diningroom, kitchen, and three bedrooms plastered and ceiled, the kitchen being fitted with a Manning’s cooking range, a register grate and Leamington bars in the dining and bedrooms. There arc also store closet and washhouse. The house is very roomy and comfortable and substantially built by the contractor, Mr J. J. Robinson, builder, Rangiora. It is built of wood, the contract price for it being £4lO. The house has the advantage of overlooking the school and playgrounds. Approaching the school it has the look of having been laid out on a judicious plan, its appearance is substantial though somewhat plain, but evidently the local committee have preferred utility rather than ornamentation. The buildings are entirely of wood. Entering from South street, the visitor comes into the boys’ lobby, twelve feet by eight feet, lighted by large windows, and fitted with hat pegs and a seat, the lid of which latter lifts up and displays the basins intended to be used as a lavatory. Passing into the main building the boys’ school is entered. It is a fine lofty room, having a floor area of sixty-five feet by twenty-one feet, and studs thirteen feet, giving a clear height of twelve feet between the floor and upper wallplate. At either end there are two large windows, with seven other windows, giving a strong light to the room. In each gable are placed large Venetian ventilators with a central ventilator leading into the turret. There are two chimneys provided with two heating stoves, set upon concrete and cement hearths flush with the floor. Beneath these stoves arc cast iron valvular ventilators, so that as required, a stream of pure air may be admitted into the room, forcing upwards and outwards the impure atmosphere ; whilst in winter time, by the ventilators being placed in such a position, the cold air will strike the bottom of the hot stove, and thus pass into

the room pure and warm. This part of the school will accommodate about 180 boys. Passing through a central door the boys’ class-room is entered, ami above which is erected the bell turret. This room is 22ft by 15ft and can be heated by means of a register grale. An opposite door directs the visitor into the girls’ division, similar in all rcpects to the boys’ school except that it is not quite so long, being only 50ft, a classroom for the girls being made at the end, which still keeps the girls’ division of the building in unison with that for the boys. In the large room there is accommodation for 120 girls. The classroom walls arc all double lathed and plastered, as well as lined with planed board, like the other parts of the building, in order to deaden sound. The walls are all vertically lined with matched rimu 4 feet 6 inches high, and horizontally lined with matched white pine. This gives the room a good appearance. The open roof is diagonally lined, with principal rafters, purlins, tiebeams, and iron straining rods to secure it. The girls’ porch or lobby is similar to that for the boys, with Tivatory, &c. There is a verandah between the two schools injfront of the boys’ class-room intended for shelter for the girls in damp weather, and a covered play and drill shed for the boys at the back. The buildings as before stated arc very complete. Their arrangements reflects great praise on the architect, Mr C. G. Chapman, and the work has been faithfully carried out by Messrs Boyd and Keir, builders, Kangiora. the amount of whose contract was £1235. The ground is to be surrounded with posts and four wires with a top rail, a hawthorn fence planted, and a belt 24 feet in width will be planted with forest trees, and another quick hedge planted inside to be protected with a post and rail fence.