NEW CATHOLIC SCHOOL

Hutt News, Volume 1, Issue 46, 26 April 1929, Page 8

NEW CATHOLIC SCHOOL

OPENING CEREMONY BY ARCHBISHOP REDWOOD.

Sunday last, 21st April 1929, will, long be looked back to by the Catholic community of the Hutt as a red letter day in their history. The district was honoured with a visit of the Most Reverend the Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Catholic Church in New Zealand, D*. Redwoood, who was accompanied by the Co-adjutor Archbishop O'Shea, and a number of the clergy of the district and the city. His Worship the Mayor and Mayoress (Mr. and Mrs W. T. Stoand, were also present on the platform. The occasion of the visit of these distinguished guests was the formal opening of the fine new school which has been built in Knights Road, "a description of which is subjoined. There was a very large attendance of all classes of the community, many visitors of other denominations attending as a maTk of respect to the venerable, and veteran dignitary, and to the energetic and popular parish priest, the Itev Father Leo. Daly. The weather was fair but a bitterly cold southerly wind did not add to the enjoyment of. the listeners to the speeches which were delivered from a platform erected on the facade of the handsome building.

The Rev. Father Daly, the kindly and popular parish, priest, in opening the proceedings very warmly welcomed His Grace Archbishop Bedwood whose keen interest in the welfare of the people of the H/att district was well known. His Grace, said the speaker, had recently eeleibrated his 91st birthday, and it might we'll"-be—said that he was ninety years '.'young?* so great was his energy and vitalitjy. His Orace had known and taken an active interest in the Hutt for certainly not less than sixty years, and he had now honoured them by attending to formally open their fine new school. Tie speaker also heartily welcomed Areh■bishop O'Shea, whose interest- in all matters pertaining to Catholic education was well known. He also offered a warm welcoirie to His Worship the

Mayor, whov during his term of office had done so. much to>j>Tomote the welfare of the Hutt and, who, h^ thought would 'be ell pleased at this further evidence of the prosperity and welfare of ■■ the district. The new school had cost £8,40.0 for the building, and further expenditure on the furniture, fittings, heating equipment and other .matters had brought the total cost to £9;500. Towards this amount-they had some £6,000 and a further amount of £500, leaving them with a debt of £3,000, which howeve-r, he hoped to see -materially reduced as a result of their liberality and generosity in their offerings that day. It ,w.asa heavy debt to'face, but knowing the Hutt people as he did, he had-no fears but that the amount would be forthcoming. The new school was an absolute necessity and the architect (Mr. T. J. McCosker) and the builders were entitled to great credit and their hearty thanks for having given them a building which was a credit to all concerned.

His Grace Archbishop Eedwood said that it was a very great pleasure to him to come out again to the Hutt, more especially to open a new school, and he warmly .congratulated Father Daly and the Catholics of the district on the magnificent building, up-to-date and replete with every modern convenience and appliance for efficiency in education.- It was a great -building, a Wilding which in every way reflected, the greatest credit upon all who ladbeen connected with its erection and equipment —a. building unsurpassed by any day- school in^ the Dominion, ani priest and people alike-might well feel proud of it. It was another evidence of the magnificent spirit which actuat-': ed the Catholic people from end to end j of the Dominion in regard to the edu- ■ cationu of their children. They were giving ample proof that they believed that unless some sound religious teaching wiis imparted in the school it could not fulfil its true function of educating the young and fitting them to take part in the battle of life and being good citizens. His Grace concluded by saying that he was pleased to see the Mayor present. Mr. Strand had done so much for the welfare of tie district

and doubtless recognised the fact that true education was necessary if their young people were to grow up good citizens, and his presence there that day was an evidence that his sympathies were with any effort towards the education and making of good citizens.

Archbishop O'&hea added. Ms con.gratulations alike to priest and people of the Hutt on their magnificent building, which reflected very great credit. on the architect_:f flr his, design and internal fittings and equipment, and on the builder for good and faithful work, and on the people for their generosity. With Father Daly he hoped that their liberality would again be shown that day when the opportunity of contributing towards the reduction of the debt would be' given. The Catholic people throughout the Dominion ha.l already spent hundreds of thousands of pounds upon educational buildings and the support of their schools and thus given tangible^evidencs of their belief that no education was complete* or of value unless it included^ the teaching of Religion on sound lines. .He quoted St. Augustine's -words on the value .of sound teaching of religion as an aid to good citizenship. - '*" ' '

His Worship the Mayor extended on be-half of the citizens of the Borouglr the heartiest welcome to the distinguished visitors. ATch'bishop. Redwood had known the district very well for many years, and had, he ibplieyed, made use of every bridge that had^ spanned their river during his long and useful life. It was indeed a good tailing for New Zealand that His Grace had, some seventy-five or eighty years ago*, left this country to go to the centres of learning in Europe there to be trained to worthily fulfil the duties of his high offi.ce. The speaker congratulated the Catholic community on the noble building t&at had been erected and prophesied that it would not be long before they would need to commence those additions for which he~noted that provision had been made,

The Recto* of St. Patrick's College Wellington, (Very Rev. Father Ryan), on behalf of the Catholic teachers of the' Dominion added his congratulations to the priest and people on the ex-

tremely fine and commodious building they had erected. He spoke of the high state of efficiency obtaining in the various Catholic primary schools throughput' the Dominion; giving interesting, particulars of the numerical strength Vf the educational - staff, and noting the high percentage of Catholic educationalists engaged in teaching as compared with those of other denominations. Only,the best and most efficient' methods of teaching, and t»he most commodious and up-to-date buildings were good enough for the. Catholic body; and he was pleased to be able to congratulate the Catholics of the Hutt'on now-having both. .

On the conclusion of'the proceedings afternoon tea as served by a laTge and^ efficient committee ladiesj and an excellent stringed orchestra discoursed sweet music while t-he large audience went over and carefully inspected the very fine building, a description of which is as follows: —

The school stands well back on a clear area of about three acres, with a frontage of 400 feet to Knight's road, and having also an entrance from Stevens street. The building is solidly constructed in brick, and comprises two floors with large shelters, cloak rooms, etc.^ at either end on the ground-floor,

There are five class-rooms, two on the gruiid floor and three above, f each providing a good deal more than regulation air space per pupil, and the lighting throughout is very good. Each class-room has cross ventilation, and the new style of swinging metal-frame, windows which admit a maximum amount of air with an upward, draught tendency. The free wall space is all blackboard up *to nice, reachable heights, and generally the rooms have

a spick and span, appearance that should not be difficut, thajiks to the general design, to maintain.

'Ample corridor space is provided on both floors, The main entrance leads to a large vestibule, and through glazed, swing doors is the assembly hall, at the end of which is a Gothic design oratory recess, backed by stained glass' windows. The hall and the branching corridors give a very pleasing effect, which is added to by the softness of

tie'wall and beamed ceiling, finish* Upstairs the corridor is just a corridor, but o£. ample width, with an emergency escape as well as the Tegular stairs. • /

Riniu has been used practically throughout in wood finishing and though heart rimu is said to be scarce to-day, quite a lot of very finely, figured wood, shows up about this building. A -central heating system with (Special provision for drying the children's overcoats on wet day, kitchen arrangements that the youngsters may be given hot drinks, and so on, staff offices, and the sound-proofing of the. uppeT floor, are other features of the building. . \

The architect was Mr T. J. MeCusker, and the builder Mr. E. S. Knight.