OPEN-AIR SCHOOLS

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19612, 7 May 1929, Page 17

OPEN-AIR SCHOOLS

A VISITOR'S PRAISE. "WONDERFUL EDUCATIONAL BENEFIT." Praise of the open-air school system which is so rapidly coming into favour all over New Zealand, and indeed all over the world, was given yesterday to a representative of The Press by a visitor to New Zealand, Mrs A. Holman, J.P. Mrs Holman is a member of the Hornsey Education Committee, London, and is doubly interested in tho open air movement because for some considerable time that committee has been agitating for an open-air wihool for sick children in its suburb. 1 hanks to the operations of the committee, such a school is now in the course of erection and should be completed shortly. Mrs Holman took the opportunity of visiting the Fendalton open-air school yesterday. She was shown over by the headmaster, Mr A. It. Blank, and was most enthusiastic in her praise of it. "The most delightful school I have ever seen in my life," she declared. "I have never before seen children working under such ideal conditions. In Hornsey we are building our school for sick children, and now I have come to New Zealand I have seen the application of the open-air system to the ordinary school.

''Several things struck me most forcibly about the Fendalton School. I was astounded at the comfortable temperature of the rooms on a cold day. And the children seemed to work so steadily, in direct contradiction to the objection in England that the children's attention would wander to outside objects. The idea of having each class in a separate room is ideal, and there is absolutely no noise from one class to another. The children left one classroom whilst I was in an adjoining one, and 1 did not even hear them or know they had left until my attention was drawn to the fact.

'"The aide which can be completely opened is a great feature, as it means that the playground as well as the classroom can be used for educational purposes." Mrs Holman expressed the hope that she could go to the annual meeting of the Open Air Schools League, which is to he held on June 11th. "I hear Sir Truhy King is to be the speaker, and I am very interested in ' him, as the Mothercraft Trading Centre at Highgate is quite close to my home."

Mrs Holman continued: "I think New Zealand is to be congratulated on its having evolved such a splendid type of school, and as it becomes better known, doubtless it will spread throughout the Empire. It is the greatest medical benefit to education that I have known.''