SCHOOL GROUND IMPROVEMENTS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 831, 26 April 1910, Page 3

SCHOOL GROUND IMPROVEMENTS.

CONFERENCE OF BOARD MEMBERS AND COMMITTEE.

Messrs F. Pirani and Alf. Fraser, members of the Wanganui Education Board, met the local school committee in conference at the school buildings yesterday in reference to certain improvements to the grounds which the committee desire to have carried out. A plan of the scheme was submitted and explained, after which an inspection of the grounds was made. The improvements asked for include completing the front fence along Park Street with pickets ; division of the girls' and boys’ playground; fencing in the front portion of the school for garden plots and beautifying purposes ; removal of the shelter sheds in order to provide more space for football and cricket purposes; levelling the grounds, and other minor matters. Mr Pirani said it was imperative that more privacy should be observed in respect to the boys’ and girls’ playgrounds and offices, and that the fencing asked for was necessary if agriculture was to be taken up successfully. The shelter sheds were also in a wrong position, and encroached upon the playground. He pointed out, however, that the Department had curtailed its grant to boards for these purposes, and the Wanganui Board now had a very considerable overdraft. Mr Fraser had been hammering away at the Board for a grant for this purpose for some time, and now that he (Mr Pirani) had inspected the school he would submit the committee’s requirements to the Board at its next meeting, and do what he could towards sanctioning the work. Mr Pirani also inspected the various class rooms, and spoke a few encouraging words to the children. He made special reference to the increased attendance, and noted the improvement the school had made since his last visit. He hoped that when he next visited the school he would see a marked improvement in the appearance of the grounds. Mr Fraser expressed his pleasure at meeting the committtee in company with the Board Chairman. He had striven to get the committee’s requirements attended to and felt now, with the Chairman’s co-operation, that something definite would be accomplished. Mr Hornblow on behalf of the committee, thanked the Board members for their visit of inspection and the interest they had evinced in the suggested improvements which the committee felt they could not accomplish without the Board’s assistance.

The members of the Board, accompanied by the committee, inspected the old school ■ house which the Chairman said was eminently suitable for technical purposes. He said he would do his best to have cookery and wood - work equipment provided. Although nothing definite was promised by the Board members the committee have every reason to believe that the assistance asked for will be granted by the Board.