OPEN-AIR SCHOOLS.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18108, 25 June 1924, Page 8

OPEN-AIR SCHOOLS.

* PUBLIC RECOGNISES BENEFIT. The new open-air schoolroom at Clyde road, Fendalton, will I)© completed and ready for occupation next week. Speaking of the new building to . a representative of "The Press" yesterday, Dr. 11. B. Phillipps, Schools Medical Officer, stated that the public were already beginning to recognise the benefit of the open-air school scheme. This was shown, he said, by the action of a lady, who, during the week-end, had seen the new schoolroom, and on Monday had applied to the school authorities to have her little son included in the class which was to have the use of the new room. She had explained that her little boy was in delicate health and had expressed the opinion that the schoolroom would prove ideal from the children's health point of view.

The medical men of Christchurch were also greatly in favour of the scheme, said Dr. Phillipps. The chairman of tho Fendalton Committee, Mr G. E. Royds, had recently called far contributions towards the cost of erection of the new classroom, .and amongst the replies received was one from a. Christchurch medical practitioner, who enclosed with his subscription a covering note to the effect that he was deeply interested in the project and was whole-heartedly with tho committee in its endeavour. Ho regarded it as a privilege to be .able to contribute* towards the cost of the erection of tho new schoolroom. The open-air school scheme had been "tried with great success in the United States as far back as 1903, said • Dr. Phillipps. In a United States education report for 1912 —four years after the establishment of the first open-air school in America —it was stated thai the open-air school had demonstrated its ability to take nmemic and tubercular children and convert them into strong, vigorous and healthy boys and girls. It had also demonstrated that strong and healthy children could be. made even stronger and healthier. No .where this cjass of school had been report continued, had the - Bhtest intention of abandoning them.