SEPARATE SITE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 216, 12 August 1937, Page 11

SEPARATE SITE

FOR INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL. COMMITTEEMEN’S OPINION. UNANIMOUS RESOLUTION. An opinion unanimously in favour of an independent site for the Establishment of an intermediate school in Palmerston North —following an announcement that within the last few days a possible central location for such a building had become available—was expressed in a resolution passed last evening by school committeemen of the city at the close of a discussion with Wanganui Education Board representatives on the alternatives of securing an entirely separate site or utilising the existing College Street School building for the purpose. It was emphasised by the chairman that if the Education Department was not prepared to find the necessary finance for a new building and grounds immediately, the establishment of an intermediate school at this centre would be delayed.

The tlireo principal reasons put forward in favour of an independent site were :

(1) The distance small children would have to travel to other schools if the College Street School became no longer available to them. (2) Accommodation rendered vacant in, the existing primary schools by the transfer of pupils to a new intermediate school would permit of a reduction in the size of classes. (3) The sentimental .attachment of householders to the College Street School.

Mr M. H. Oram presided, other memberg of the Education Board present being Colonel J. H. Whyte and Mr J. Batchelar. Messrs G. N. Boulton (secretary) and W. J. Baden (senior inspector) were also in attendance. An apology was tendered for the absence of the board’s chairman (Mr E. Hemingway). Mr Oram stated that they were there as a sub-committee of the board to have a. frank and informal discussion with the committeemen. There was an attendance of forty. FRANK DISCUSSION SOUGHT. Explaining the reason for the meeting, the chairman stated that some time ago, at a similarly representative meeting, it had unanimously been decided that an intermediate school should be established in Palmerston North. Without very close investigation, a resolution had been passed that an independent site for the intermediate school be secured, but subsequently the board had reason to believe that there had been a change of opinion on this latter matter. It took a referendum of school committees on the subject, but this did not determine the position any more clearly, as 22 votes Avere cast for a.n independent 6ite, 13 for the use of the College Street School, and 19 members had refrained from voting. The Education Board Avas entitled to its oavh opinion and the committeemen to theirs, but it Avanted to confer Avith them frankly and openly regardng their vie ays on the subject, and the reasons for the policy that they adopted. The main consideration Avas to provide the best facilities for the children. Disclosing the reasons AA-liich AA-eigh-ed Avith the board so far as the advantage of using the College Street School a\ r as concerned, the chairman said the school Avas central, had the requisite area of ten acres of land, and Avas available iioav Avithout unnecessary expenditure of public money. For the establishment of a uoav intermediate school seventeen rooms Avould be required, but by using the College Street School the hoard Avould need to provide only six additional rooms there, and four at the HokoAvhitu School to take the children from the east side of Fitzlierbert Avenue. Avithout interfering Avith tire Terrace End area, children on the Avest side of Fitzherbert Avenue to go to tbe West End School. There Avas this economy measure involved, and it would also minimise the transfers of headmasters Avliich would be attendant upon the establishment of an entirely neAV school. Further, the adoption of the College Street proposal gaA r o a better chance of bringing the neAV school into existence immediately. Though the population of Palmerston North Avas increasing, the number of school pupils Avas declining in sympathy with a general decrease throughout Ncav Zealand. First-term pupils in Palmerston North in 1932 numbered 2927; in 1933 (when the five-year-olds Avere excluded), 2679; in 1934, 2639; in 1935, 2618; in 1936 (avligh the five-year-olds Avere readmitted), 2847; and ill 1937, 2802. It Avould be obligatory upon tbe board, if the intermediate school Avas not gone on Avith, to build a new school at Takaro, added Mr Oram and, Avith the prospect of some of the Central School rooms later becoming empty, tire establishment of an intermediate school, to Avliich the Minister of Education Avas favourable, avouUl be further delayed. The College Street School, n new building, Avas eminently suitable.

CENTRAL SITE AVAILABLE

Provided an intermediate school came into existence at the beginning of 1938 in Palmerston North, said Mr Oram, the College Street School would provide 177 of its pupils, Hokowhitu 37, Central ICB, Russell Street ‘C2, Terrace End 151 and West End 89, a total of 65G. This would give it a grade 813 status, with ia stall' of eight male and nine female teachers. It would need 17 rooms, with the addition of a science room and, it was hoped, art and music rooms. However, the position had changed in the last few days, .and a central independent site, which could not at present be disclosed, had now possibly become available. Strong opposition to the proposal to tako the College Street School was expressed by Air W. E. Cutler. Pleasure was voiced by Mr W. G. Black that a. suitable independent site had possibly been found, and he suggested the examination of another locality also. Air Black moved a resolution that if intermediate schools, were found to be a part of the Government policy in the new Education Bill, the meeting favoured the establishment, of one in Palmerston North on a separate site to bo acquired.

This was seconded by Mr Cutler,

The suggestion was made by the chairman that that part of the motion referring to the proposed new Education Bill be eliminated, as it might be more of a hindrance than a help to the clarification of the position. Was it wise, he asked, to tie the main matter up with one of education policy? By mutual consent the motion was amended in this section by the substitution of the words “Should the Minister still be in favour of the establishment of intermediate schools.”

i Mr W. 11. Taylor predicted that the 1 parents of the College Street School area were prepared to take -very definite action in the event of their primary school being taken for an intermediate school, after their long and hard battle to bring it and its faeijities to | their present skate of perfection. Mr G. Tremaine said lie considered that only if the proposal to take the College Street School was abandoned

Avould unanimity be secured in support of the establishment of an intermediate school, Avliich. should be. on a separate site, a likely locality for Avkich Avas noAV available.

Mr J. A. Grant stated that iioav a fairly central independent site Avas available an intermediate school should he established there, as otherwise there would be much discord and disruption of existing educational arrangaments in the city. Furthermore, the present schools Avere already crowded, and a new school avouUl relieve the pressure, permitting of smaller classes. The resolution favouring mil independent site Avas carried unanimously for submission' to the Education Board and the Minister, the suggestion being advanced by Mr Black that if the site in prospect avas not obtainable the chairmen of the school committees should be co-opted in further investigations before any steps Avere taken for the acquisition of other sites.