ASSEMBLY HALL ACOUSTICS

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27907, 2 March 1956, Page 7

ASSEMBLY HALL ACOUSTICS

BOYS’ HIGH SCHOOL PROBLEM BOARD WILL CONSIDER ENGINEERS’ REPORT Plans for improving the accoustics of the Christchurch Boys’ High School assembly hall, which was first used in 1939, were received by the school board of governors yesterday. The result of tests by the New Zealand Broadcasting Service last year, the plans envisage the fitting of acoustic tiles on the walls and convex acoustic panels on each side of the procenium arch. Members of the board said they favoured any scheme which would improve the acoustics of the hall, but decided that care was needed before adopting any plans which would entail considerable expense without a reasonable guarantee that the work would be successful. “The Broadcasting Service engineers fired pistols and took measurements and recordings all over the hall when it was empty, and again when full,” said the headmaster (Mr J. Leggat). “This work will make the hall less brilliant for music, but much better for speaking—and the hall is largely used for speaking.” said Mr Leggat. “It will also do away with loud speakers and microphones.” “Major Drawback” The major drawback, said the Dean of Christchurch (the Very Rev. Martin Sullivan), was that it was almost impossible to forecast the success of any plan to improve acoustics. “Acoustics are a science these days.” said Dean Sullivan. “If the engineer hasn’t got the answer, it is going to be a big outlay.” After the headmaster, Dean Sullican, and Mr W. C. Cole had been appointed a sub-committee to consider and act on the Broadcasting Service scheme. Mr Leggat said: “If this is a long job, may I have power to defer the work until after May? I must have the hall for May.” (The school's seventy-fifth anniversary celebrations will be held in May.) If the board approved the proposals, it should call tenders for the work to done, said a letter from the Education Board.