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Press, Volume LX, Issue 18094, 9 June 1924, Page 10

TO THE SDXTOB Off "THE PRESS."

Sir,—l think remarks such as those used 'by some of the speakers at the Richpiond householders' meeting, show bad taste and call for some * reply. In the first place one speaker attributes sixteen completely detached rooms and ari assembly hall to Dr. Pbillipps. Anyone who has followed the scheme intelligently will at onoe recognise that this was not Dr. Phillipps's scheme Anyone who ridicules a schema sue]k.&s Dr. Pliillipps's by saying it was suitable only for a poultry farm not only shows his own ignorance of ideal school conditions, but shows a rather degraded form of wit,'to say the least. As regards the folding doors, the Richmond poultry specialist should take the trouble to inspect the Sumner school, which has been erected for some years now, and see if those doors rattle. Another speaker suggests that the rarfs would be blown off in the wind. Look at the number of small sheds and shel-ter-sheds round Christchurch which have been there for years without losing the roof. Still another speaker saia that iron roofs -would not suit the people of Richmond. What docs he want? Golden roofs inlaid with silver and precious jewels, or was he merely pointing . out that his taste is : very superior ? And by what logical reasoning or known facts has anyone the right to Say that the separata building idea wotild cause a "nice little slum in the, heart of Richmond?" The separate building scheme has been carried out in Australia, America, England, and Germany with undoubted and proved success. Is Richmond so debased that it would' turn such a scheme into a slum? It is not tho building that makes the slum, it is the inhabitant. The remark that "everyone knew how weather affected wood in a few years" deserves no other comment except that to say it is foolish. Some of those at the householders' meeting are losing the original idea of a school building. They want something imposing to look at, and let the children's health do what it likes. That the present system is not perfect may be seen from the number of unfits who were not passed for war service, the prevalence of curvature in our schools, and the prevalence of nose and throat troubles. One big improvement would be the scrappintr of these 'old desks and the installing of _ more hygienic ones, but the trouble is that many of those, higher up are lacking in practical experience with education and school buildings, and they won't grant these things.—Yours, etc., THE CHILDREN FIRST. Christchurch, June 7th, 1924'.