OPEN AIR SCHOOLS.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20906, 13 July 1933, Page 10

OPEN AIR SCHOOLS.

OLD TYI'ES CRITICISED. ADDRESS BY DR. F. V. BEVAN-BROWN. The universal introduction of the open-air type of building, both for primary and secondary schools, was advocated by Dr. F. V. BevanBrown, a member of the executive of the Open Air Schools' League, in an address to delegates to the Canterbury School Committees' Association last evening. Dr. BevanBrown roundly condemned some of the Christchurch schools of the old type, the closcd-in rooms of which, he said, were not only unhealthy, but had a very bad psychological effect on the children. He said that there was something lacking in an education system which concentrated mainly on driving knowledge into children in a mechanical way, without enough regard to their health, and without giving them every opportunity to obtain those inducements to a good physical and moral character, which could be obtained only out in the open air. "Certain of us, when going round the schools, were sadly impressed with the conditions under which children were undergoing their training," said Dr. Bevan-Brown. "I do not want to tread on any toes, when mentioning the old schools, and no one to-day can be criticised for the erection of those places many years ago: but there are schools of recent date which should not have been built. A great many of these have sunless and stuffy rooms, and you are putting children into rooms which arc the greatest incentive to the spread of infectious diseases, and the conditions of which certainly impair their growth. It is a strange thing that this determination to drive knowledge mechanically into the poor little heads of these children should be carried out at the risk of their health." Value of Sunlight. If the children learned the value of the sunlight and open air in the schools, they would take their views into their homes, and learn healthy ways of living, continued the speaker. There was also the psychological aspect. Children wanted not prison-like conditions for education, but freedom, with a minimum of restraint, and a maximum of natural conditions. The old schools abolished all those natural conditions, and created a shut-in type of mind. The open type of mind was wanted to make a child feel that its education was as natural as running about in the open air.

Dr. Bevan-Brown .said that one of the worst features of the old types of school was that in their construction corridors—giving unsatisfactory ventilation and usually draughty—were necessary. These were to the Open Air League an abomination. In the bungalow type of school, such as those at Fendalton and Spreydon, and in a modified form at St. Mark's, Opawa, and elsewhere, which were favoured by the league, these corridors were obviated. These new schools gave rise to no draughts. They were constructed with windows on all sides, giving the maximum amount of sun, adequate ventilation, and pure air at all times. Three open-air rooms could bo built at the cost of one of the old types. The rooms were not hencoops, as some had been called, but were attractive. On winter mornings they were warm and fresh, not like the ice-house of the old tvpe of room. The open-air type also offered the best opportunities for easy movement into the playgrounds at any time, and children could run about with much more freedom than in the old schools, where egress was difficult and noisy. No Distraction. One criticism was that the children were distracted in the openair rooms by outside influences. But it was proved that that was not so. Nor was the common criticism that the children were frozen during the winter correct. It was possible that, since the opening and closing of the doors was at the discretion of the teacher, some preferred more or perhaps less fresh air, but usually the doors were manipulated to keep the air in the class-rooms fresh and cool. Dr. Bevan-Brown said that he was not narrow in his views of the ideal type of open-air schools. He regarded Fendalton as the ideal type, but also approved of modified types. A small school like West Spreydon did allow a fair deal of fresh air and sunshine, but it lost the idea of openness. "When new schools arc contemplated, one is inclined to want a fine, stately august building of the big closed-in type, but that is sacrificing the health and well-being of the children, and when one considers the mental, moral, and physical aspect of educating the child, then the open-air type is the ideal," continued Dr. Bevan-Brown. "I think that the character of the child is badly neglected in our education system. To encourage a child to love the open air, the sunshine, and the flowers is doing much towards developing his character. We think that by taking the child away from sordid and close classrooms and by showing him the sun, the flowers, and the skies, we can make him into a better citizen." Secondary Schools. Dr. Bevan-Brown, answering a question, said that he was in favour of having secondary schools of the open-air type. The principles applied equally to the secondsschools, but the league felt that there was enough to do at present with the primary schools and was confining itself accordingly. "We should like it known that where schools are overcrowded and new accommodation wanted, we shall be only too glad to throw in our weight and do anything possible to help you," was Dr. BevanBrown's concluding remarks. "I hope that the effect of the work of the league will be manifest in the erection of more sensible school buildings in the future," said the chairman, Mr C. R. N. Mackic, in moving a hearty vote of thanks to Dr. Bevan-Brown.