WARDVILLE SCHOOL.

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 17973, 19 March 1930, Page 8

WARDVILLE SCHOOL.

OPENING OF BATHS. HR IVIACMILLAPJ, ffl-P., OFFICIATES. Fully 200 residents and local scholars attended the official opening of the school swimming baths at Wardvillo by Mr 0. E. MacMillan, M.P. Mr C. D. Barker, chairman of the School Committee, who presided, after welcoming the member for the electorate, referred to the fact that all the work connected with the construction, with the exception of the actual concrete-making, had been done by the'residents and parents. Various delays, over which the committee in charge of the work ha'd no control, had occurred, with the result that most of the summer had passed before the children had been enabled to use the baths. The latter were now available, however, and he hoped that they would be fully made use of by local children and residents during the remaining warm weather. Already some of Ihe children had made rapid strides in Ihe art of swimming, although they had only been learning during the past two weeks. Mr Barker called upon the headmaster, Mr G. G. Gaunt- ‘ left to address a few remarks to those assembled. Appreciation of Teaching Staff. Mr Gauntlctt expressed the apprecialion of Ihe leaching staff for the establishment of such an asset to the school. With the possible exception of schools in the Canterbury province he believed that Wardville could claim to he the only school of its size to possess a school swimming bath in the country—certainly in the northern provinces. Parents need have no qualms, stated the headmaster, regarding the safety of the children while using the hath, for none of the pupils would be permitted to enter the bath except-while under the supervision of the teachers, so that the risk of a mishap would be eliminated. He fully anticipated that all of the children attending the school would learn to swim in the next twelve months. Self-Help and Independence. Mr MacMillan was then called upon to perform the opening ceremony. After expressing his admiration of the evidence of self-help and independence exemplified by the baths thus provided by the residents of the district, Mr MacMillan humorously referred to the fact that no one had approached him for monetary support of the project, which was quite contrary to the usual procedure in such cases. He was gratified to think that the children of the locality had been provided for in suoh a splendid manner. He considered that every child in the country, with its large seaboard, should be taught to swim—in fact, he thought the State should be responsible for instruction in this very necessary art. The speaker referred t-o a previous visit to Wardville, when he officiated at the opening of the concrete tennis courts, which had been established under similar circumstances as the baths. He congratulated the people of the district upon their inilialivc in making such provision for their sport and recreation in the manner that these projects had been undertaken. The Baths Opened. Mr MacMillan then declared the baths open for use, whereupon Mr Gauntlett, accompanied by four of the pupils of the school, dived into the water. A team race was then promoted, and was won by Mr Gauntlett’s team. Many persons enjoyed a swim in the new baths, which are of the following dimensions: —75 feet long by 15 feet wide. At the shallow end the balhs are 30 inches deep and at the : deeper end there is G feet of water. I Provision has been made for learners by the provision of handrails round the entire c-ircuit of the baths. Afternoon lea was dispensed by the ladies of the community to all in attendance at the ceremony.