BOYS' HIGH SCHOOL.
WW BUILDINGS OCCUPIED. A new epoch in the history of the N*w Plymouth. Boys' High SScUool dates from yesterday, the opening of the first torn for this year sychronising with the occupation of the new school building—-an ovent that has been looked forward to lor many months not only by the school staff and scholars, but also by the Board of Governors and all those citizeus of the wide area of the province whose interests the school serves. it is now over two years since the fire occurred which demolished the old premises, and in the interim the pupils of the school have been compelled to pursue their studies under somewhat severe disadvantages and in make-shift premises, and it is a testimony to the skill and abiliy of the staff and the esprit of corps of the whole institution that the work has been carried on, and the high standard maintained, in the manner for which the school has become so favorably knownFINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES.
The difficulties that beset the govern- : ing board in the matter of raising the necessary money for the establishment of a thoroughly'upto-date building with every modern equipment are fresh in the minds of most people. They were not, however, dismayed by these obstacles, and eventually, after a modification of the plans originally submitted to the , Department, which would have involved , an expenditure of £18,350, a grant of > £SOOO was authorised in January, 1918. : The contract for the main building, including class-rooms, was let in the same month to Messrs Boon Bros-, New Plymouth, the price being £7198. It was . considered by the Board and by others . interested in educational facilities of . the district, that the accommodation provided in the contract was inadequate for the requirements of so important a province, it being the general opinion that more class-rooms were necessary i and that the assembly hall was simply indispensable. Accordingly a meeting was convened under the auspices of the Old Boys' Association, and from this «manated what came to he known n* the Citizens' Committee, which included a number of prominent business men of the district, with whom were associated members of the Board of Governors, and these gentlemen resolved that the new school should be in every way worthy of the district it had to serve, and bo capable of accommodating and educating, in a manner to a degree de-' served bv the students to be. and demanded by the changed situations of life which the citizens of the immediate future will be required to face. With this high resolve in their minds, and the worthiest of causes to advocate, they made a canvas of the district and were rewarded with the liberal response of just upon £3OOO. To this the Department promised a further subsidy of £K>OO. after much importunity on the part of the members of the committee, the Board of Governors and the member of Parliament for the district. In consequence of this contracts were let for the erection of the assembly h»TI nnd also for the additional classrooms, known as the west wing. The price for the former was .-£-203(1 and for the latter building £l2lO. both contracts being secured by the contractors for the main bnildmsr. What is known as the east wing and a western staircase are as vet unprovided for EXTERIOR APPEARANCE. The building, which presents a very substantial appearance, is a two-storied one, built of levro-eoncrete, and finished on the exterior in rouga-cast plaster, without embellishments, save for a few floral designs and the school coat-of-arms, and the inscriptions with regard to the date of erection, etc. The roof is of slate tiles- The front elevation faces the north and immediately overlooks the school playing ground. At the north-eastern corner of the front elevation, in the upper storey, there is a large bay window, in the master'* room, from which can be gained a complete survey of the playing arena. A broad promenade runs along the front of the building from which an excellent view of the town and sea is obtainable. THE ASSEMBLY HALL. The assembly hall forms the central piece in the pile of buildings. It is a roomy hall with a lofty convex arched ceiling rising 30 feet to its apex. AH the other rooms open off the assembly hall, over which nothing else has been built. The walls of the Jiall nave" a surround of 6 feet stained rimu dadoing, above which they are finished in granite plaster. On the east and south sides there is a 7 foot wide gallery, built of ■concrete, with an iron and wood railing, the whole being supported by octagonal concrete pillars. Light is received into the hall through five arched windows placed high in the northern wall, and the front of the gallery is finished in an arched design in conformity with that of the windows Altogether it is a. worthy memorial of the endeavors and the determination of the citizens' committee. INTERIOR APPOINTMENTS. The new buildings provided nine classrooms, two laboratories, and such other accommodation as principal's room, tea chers' room, cloak room and laboratories, teachers' preparation room, storeroom, entrance hall, and the western P °Un the ground floor the assembly hall is surrounded on three sides by classrooms, while on the eastern side stands the physics laboratory, the only portion of the old bmlding that was left ter the fire. The main entrance, of course, is on the northern elevation, but there are also entrances to the hall ai each end. Close to that at the eastern end is a stairway leading up to the gallery. The steps are of concrete mtn terra-cotta facings- The rooms on the 2nd floor all have exits to the gallery. The interior walls of most of the rooms conform in the main with the appearance of the assembly hall. Ceilings are of asbestos sheets fastened with stained rimu batens. haV * been set in every room for heating pur poses. Lighting and ventilatianb»w been subjects of special consideratwu and the latest, systems, «Vmtate4 to produce the very best results, *™™* \ adopted. Electric lighting has been * stalled throughout the buildings. A VALUABLE ASSET. The whole Dlock has been so arranged that future additions will »"*»«*■- sitate disturbing the present J™""*rt These with the Warding establishment form a valuable asset to the educa tional facilities of tho provmee,and when the grounds about the new building are laid out they will help to improve the splendid appearance of what must be acknowledged one of the finest secondary schools in the Don""" 1 '„ . , The plans were prepared b} '»'*;■,£ dimming, F.N.Z.IA, Auckland, and the w~?ried out under the direction of m-ft, fluid. » •!•* of w«l»
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Taranaki Daily News, 11 February 1919, Page 7
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1,111BOYS' HIGH SCHOOL. Taranaki Daily News, 11 February 1919, Page 7
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