WEST SCHOOL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 March 1939, Page 4

WEST SCHOOL

NO LONGER TO BE OCCUPIED BY CHILDREN

ACCOMMODATION PROVIDED AT COLLEGE.

BUILDING IN UNSATISFACTORY CONDITION.

The Masterton West School was vacated this morning and by direction of the Minister of Education, the Hon. P. Fraser, is no longer to be occupied by the children attending that school. This decision is the outcome of an investigation into the safety of the building, following upon a report submitted by Public Works Department engineers in October last to the effect that the building badly needed strengthening and that the position required to be looked into. A report on the condition of the building received two weeks ago from an independent source confirmed the findings of the Department’s engineers. This morning all the standard classes were transferred to Wairarapa College, where accommodation is being provided for the children meantime. Standards 4, 5 and 6 have been accommodated in two large rooms in the northern wing and in a large staff room upstairs. These classes will remain at the College for the rest of the year. Standards I,- 2 and 3, which are being accommodated meantime at the rear of the Assembly Hall will return to West School in about three weeks’ time, as soon as two portable classrooms, which are being shifted from the Hutt Central School, are ready for occupation. The primer classes remain at the West. School, where they are located in a wooden annexe well away from the main building. The West School was opened on February 19, 1920, with accommodation for 156 children in three classrooms. Two more classrooms, two cloak rooms, ateacher’s room and a headmaster’s room were added in 1921. The building is a reinforced concrete one. The present condition of the building is probably due to the effects of earthquake damage.