NEW PLYMOUTH'S EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 May 1918, Page 3

NEW PLYMOUTH'S EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS.

SIJBWUUN NEEDS. Various mailers in connection with thf: educational requirements of New l'ly niuiilli. I'ms U; the growth of the town, . vpe before the Education Board yesterday. FITZP.OY SCHOOL.. lii accordance, with a rawest f'-om the board, ."'Jr. A. J. Morton reported on the aro-.'lion of an aiYiilion to the t'itzroy t'eliooi The centre portion of t"o : ;- ''i.l. he reported, was erected in 183' i. ftr.d the other two rooms respectively in '■' -'■; '•! ; 10(15 The dimensions of the. fttnliii/iiiod i» 27ft by 27ft Gin, and i"cenpiej. by Standards 3, 4. 5, and n, with a total at the end of March of 74 pupils. The other room? are each 2flft by 32ft Gin. One is used by Standards 1 and 2, totalling 01 pupils, and the othur by the preparatory classes, 'with 74 pupils. The room chiefly affected by overcrowding )» fcna oi»-< ascd by the upper standard's. Very little floor spJWe beyond v/hat is taken by the desks is available, and the conditions do not provide a proper opportunity for two teachers to carry on the. instructipn of the four standards. The suggestion that a detached classroom, in concrete ot brick, should be erected, while under normal conditions worthy of consideration, is hardly within the Sphere of "practical politics" at, present, and it is necessary to provide for such addition to the present building as will provide accommodation in an immediately economical manner. 'He, therefore, recommended that a classroom "ne added to the eastern wing. This .position would provide suitable lighting and ventilation. Mr. S. G. Smith said-that Fitzroy was going to be an important suburb, and he doubted the wisdom of building any additions in wood- Ho considered that the hoard should ask the Department for a grant to erect a detached room in brick or concrete. The chairman hardly agreed with the inspector that a building of brick os concrete was not within tho sphere of "prr.eticai politics." He considered that huildin? could could be carried out now in concrete almost ns ohoanly as in wood or iron, and that the maintenance was much less. There was, of course, the probability that a concrete bnilding m!gtrt get rmt of date. ar,<2 pjobably tlii'' was the reason whv some members of the Department were opposed to a concrete hnih'iuff. A(f. Wilkirjos supported building in CO.,,.y P ir> even- timeTho report wa a received, and on the motion of the chairman and Mr Trimble, the overseer was instructed to prepare plans for in additional classroom, and that application be made to the Department for a grant to build the additions in concrete. VOGEDTOWN SCHOOL. The secretary of the New Plymouth Central School Committee applied to the board for the erection of shelter shed at the "Vogeliown School. hit .Smitn undera'too-I that it was the policy of the Department to provide shelter cheds at new schools, and as a w: tv school was to be erected at Vogcltowji, he. thought that the board could erect shelter sheds at Vogeltown, and later remove them to tho new site. If t':>rit was not the policy, the committee were prepared to assist in the erection of a shed. He however, thought it was ifTOTi" in principle to «xpc-ct school committees to provide sheds-

It was roaelved to vote the usual subsidy of £2 for £l. the committee's share to be provided ither in cash or labor. JIWEST END SCHOOL. Ths Chief Inspector reported that additional accommodation could he provided at the West End School by en'aiging the room now occupied by Standard 111. and subdividing this. This would enable the gymnasium to he freed "or shelter purposes or for occasionally an infant class that did not require desk price.

Mr. Smith said he would oppose this, but for tin. fact that it would prevent the use of the unsiritabit 3"ir.n,!.;r.sij; Mr. White asked whether this pro po=ed addition would ho likely to imiefiniotlv postpone the moving of the school to the new sit«. Mr. Smith did not think so. He pointed out that, in any ease, it would be two years before the school would ,bj removed. On the motion of Messrs Smith and White, the overseer was instructed to prepare plans for'additions to the- seTiool on the lines sup-ported by the senior inspector, and thai a pplieattion be made to the Department for a grant. Replying to Mr. White, the chairman stated that the proposed exchange of land between the Borough Council and the hoard was held up pending receipt of a reply from the Eailway Department.