BRIXTON ROAD SCHOOL.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 132, 5 June 1926, Page 13

BRIXTON ROAD SCHOOL.

OPENED BY MINISTER.

BUILT AT COST OF £11,056.

The new Minister of Education (Hon. R. A. Wright) opened the recently-con-structed school at Brixton Road this afternoon, in the presence of a large gathering of children, parents and residents of the district. It was the first school opened by Mr. Wright since the portfolio of Education was entrusted to him. In declaring the school to be open, Mr. Wright said Brixton Road school had been erected because the development of the Dominion Road area as a residential district had been rapid, and the Edendale, Mount Eden and Maunagwhau schools had been unable to accommodate all the children who sought enrolment. Preparations for the purchase of the school site had been made by the Auckland Education Board in 1920, and after consideration the present site had been selected. The area of the section was 5 acres 3 roods, and it was bought at a cost of £4202. The Minister was glad to see that it was a good, sunny section, admirably suited to the needs of a school. In 1924 the board applied for a grant of £12,251 for the erection of a school in brick, but at that time Cabinet was not prepared to apportion more than £9000, or at the outside,, £10,000. A suggestion that the school be built iii wood did not meet with the approval of the board, and after consideration the board agreed to provide £1000 from its rebuilding fund if the Government would grant another £1000. Cabinet approved of this arrangement, and a grant of £10,000 was made. .When tenders were called it was found that the lowest was £11,056. By deleting several small items this sum was reduced by a few pounds, and the Minister approved a grant of an. additional £50 in order that the lowest tender might be accepted. The school was built to accommodate 400 children. At present the number on the roll was 428, but the average attendance was only 351, so that the building was apparently large enough for present needs. Mr. Wright congratulated the residents of the district on having such a splendid modern school, and said he felt sure that when an appeal was made for funds with which to make improvements they would not be slow in responding. Certain things remained to be done, as the department could not be expected to provide everything. The grounds surrounding the school would have to be improved, and parents and residents would be expected to help the committee and teachers in this and other respects. (Applause.)