FITZROY SCHOOL.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 March 1922, Page 4

FITZROY SCHOOL.

EVILS OF OVERCROWDING. A PRACTICAL REMEDY. The inadequate accommodation of ths Fitzroy School was a question discussed at the meeting of the Fitzroy Ratepayers’ Association last night. It was suggested that the residents should back up the committee in protenting against the existing conditions of overcrowding. Speakers stressed the point that the suburb wks growing every year, and that action should be taken al once to remedy what were described al scandalous conditions. Mr. R. L. Parkin, who presided, said it was uot the fault of the Taranaki Education Board that these conditions prevailed, for tlie board had tried repeatedly to have the work of building a new school authorised, or of additions being made to the present school. The cry of the Government was that there wai no money, yet several large new technical schools had recently been opened. He thought the primary schools were not obtaining the attention they were entitled to. Recently about £2BO had been raised by the school committee by means of a fete, and it had been suggested that this be lent to the department on the understanding that it be spent in enlarging the gymnasium to provide more accommodation, and thus temporarily relieve the congestion. Whether this suggestion would bear fruit he did not know, but he maintained that the health of the children should not be interfered with as it waa being interfered with under present conditions.

Messrs. A. H. Steeds and F. Duckworth also spoke in deprecation of the existing conditions, and urging that immediate action should be taken to have these condtions remedied. Mr. Duckworth said that on a hot day conditions in the overcrowded class-rooms were almost unbearable.