BARRIER OF IGNORANCE

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 458, 13 September 1928, Page 16

BARRIER OF IGNORANCE

OPPOSITION TO OPEN-AIR SCHOOLS

AUCKLAND TAKES STAND "Open-air schools are not a fad,” said Dr. G. B. Sweet at a public meeting held last evening for the purpose of organising a campaign for open-air schools in Auckland. The meeting, which was convened by the Auckland branch of the National Council of Women, was presided over by Miss B. EL Carnachan. Miss Carnachan said that as a result of a deputation to the Auckland Education Board, the board had decided to provide one open-air room for experimental purposes. She was satisfied that most of the objections to the proposal were the result of ignorance. Mrs. W. Jellie said that the present class rooms had many defects, and the open-air plan was to have one sliding wall, the other three being fitted with large windows. "The Education Board had no great regard for the principle,” she said, “but opposition is the result of ignorance, and the remedy lies with the people themselves.”

Dr. Sweet said the medical men he had consulted had no objection to the scheme from the medical point of view. It had been tried in England, America, and Northern Europe, and had been a success. It was well known that the overcrowded schools were focuses for infectious diseases, and the diseases spread in small, stuffy rooms. It had been found that the incidence of these diseases was checked in the open-air schools. CANTERBURY'S EXPERIENCE Miss E . A. Chaplin, a retired Canterbury school teacher, who has just returned from the Pan-Pacific Conference, gave her views on the proposal. In Canterbury, she said, a great deal of conservatism had to be overcome, but now the parents were asking all the time for the open-air schools They had grown to realise that the elaborate structures of brick and stone were not ideal for schools. Teachers had told her that in the open-air rooms children were healthier and more alert This had been proved by observations at the Fendalton school, Christchurch Mr. A. J. Hutchinson said that from the economic aspect open-air schools were a decided advantage. It was not necessary to build schools to last for 60 years, because in doing that allowance was not made for changes in educational methods.

Other speakers referred to the work that had been done in Canterbury for open-air schools, one speaker mentioning that there were 23 such schools in the province. The meeting formed itself into a branch of the Open-air Schools League, and the following provisional committee was elected: Mrr W.‘ Jellie. Miss O. C. Foster, Miss A. J.j Greville, Mr. H. R. Jenkins, and Dr. R. E. BevanBrown.

It is proposed to begin a campaign for the purpose of directing public attention tc tv?p bor»f»fst<3 r»f tbo scheme.