PRIMARY EDUCATION.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 247, 18 October 1926, Page 17

PRIMARY EDUCATION.

MINISTER AT NORTHCOTE. NEW WING OPENED. The new wing of the Northcote Primary school was opened on Saturday alternoon by the Minister of Education, the Hon. E. A. Wrignt, in the _ presence of a representative gathering. _ The chairman of the School Commit-j c tee, Mr. E. W. B. Herrick, who pre-L sided, welcomed the Minister and the ( various official visitors. Included in the I latter were: Mr. A. Harris, M.P.. |_ Messrs. A. Burns (chairman i, J. Boddie, I _ J. P. McPhail, and Mrs. X. E. Ferner, c representing the Auckland Education Board; and Mr. R. O. White, chairman of the Birkenhead School Committee. The Hon. E. W. Alison telegraphed regretting his inability to lie present. Answering criticisms of the wooden buiiding because of the other building ] alongside being a more permanent structure, the Minister ventured t.ie opinion that the building of schools of - permanent materials was a mistake, because of the architectural changes that ensued from time to time. He was not J prepared to forecast the design of the ■ buiiding that would be demanded 50 I i years hence. 1 .,.- • \ a building to ! last 40 to 50 year- - ii was tbe life t o. tho wooden build or a little less t perhaps—seemed warranted. The Northcote School, lie said, was ] first established in IST-!, and was adtled i to in 1805. 180 S. and i!'l2. and remodel- [ ed in 1!»25. The Junior Ilig.i School .viis now established on that site, with ; separate primary schools at Northcote : and Birkenhead. The latter had an ( iiveiage attendance of ;V:5. and Northcote 2!' ii. With the three rooms erected , in brick in IHIB, the Northcote Primary j i Scho. 1 would now comprise seven class- ' rroms. The new portion had cost i £3211f). The Minister also complimented I the staff on the excellent record and ' standard of the school. Mr. A. Harris. M.P., pointed to the ' fact that, with the exception of j Rirkdale, there was only one school for the Birkenhead and Northcote districts ; when he went round them fifteen year- : too. Now they had the Junior High : '-'chord, and separate primary schools j for Birkenhead and Northcote. He i predicted an even greater measure of j progress during the ensuing fifteen , years. i Mr. A. Burns added his eongratula- ! tioiis to the Northcote residents on the I i additional accommodation provided at i i tl'.e school. He felt the adoption of the ! , wooden buildine was justified. The board j I had been criticised adversely for placing | ! the temporary portable classrooms at [ • t'ae school, and now that these buildings were to ho removed the board was still wrnncr. as it was desired to keep one for the Junior Hicrh School. The Mini-tor: They have been eonvi -'cd. (Lauehtor. ) Mr. ('. A. Deux'.errc. Mayor of North■ote. said the additional aooommoda•■i.i for the schools was proof of the •'.-owtb of th" dist'-iet. He referred to 'lie effo'-ts of the Women's League to"irls the iiTuimvomptiN to the entrance •o the rryottnd-. and said that over £100 hnA heen placed at the disposal of the "ommittpc for tho school wall on the -treet frontages. A gold key. contained in a Maori--irveH casket. wps presented to the Minister on heln'f of the builder?, "'e-srs. Hall and Broady.