High School Old Boys’ Gifts For Gymnasium

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28268, 4 May 1957, Page 4

High School Old Boys’ Gifts For Gymnasium

The Christchurch Boys’ High ; School board of governors will write immediately to Sir Arthur Sims reporting that in only one month other old boys have almost doubled his expectations of them in support of the fund to build a gymnasium. But the organising committee will remind old boys that a comparatively small proportion have made the encouraging initial contribution. When Sir Arthur Sims heard of the gymnasium appeal, he made an immediate grant of £lOO and promised £lOOO more if old boys wouH subscribe an equal amount by June 30. “By the end of April old boys had subscribed £l7OO, which is a very good start for an appeal | which has been going only one month,” Mr J. H. Pickles reported to the board. With another two months to go, old boys should reach their target of £3OOO, irrespective of Sir Arthur Sim’s major offer. . “But the number of contributors is not yet large,” Mr Pickles said. “We cannot say just ‘ how many have contributed because of lump sums received from other centres. But if those who have not yet contributed subscribe on the scale of the early ones, we should reach our target.” Mr C. H. Perkins said that most of the gifts so far had come forward freely, but the organising committee next Monday would discuss plans for a more personal approach to those who had not yet contributed. The effort must not lag because of the good start. Boys of the school had raised about £3OO through form efforts, the headmaster (Mr J. Leggat) reported. Mr Perkins said he saw no reason why the new gymnasium should not be built in 1958. It would all depend on the architect.

A building associated with the gymnasium was brought a step nearer erection when the board approved working drawings, sub-

ject to the examination of details by a sub-committee. This will contain four sports changing rooms, four sports equipment stores, showers, and other facilities. Tenders will be called soon. At the outset this will be used for changing for games on the sports grounds; but later it will be linked with the adjoining gymnasium and serve for both indbor and outdoor games.

Funds for this project, collected during the last year’s seventyfifth anniversary celebrations, and the gymnasium fund, will carry a Government subsidy.