SHIRLEY BOYS' HIGH SCHOOL

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28314, 27 June 1957, Page 18

SHIRLEY BOYS' HIGH SCHOOL

Official Opening And Baths Plans The official opening of the Shirley Boys’ High School is likely to take place under the control of the school’s own board of governors late in October. The new assembly hall will be finished by then, and advice has been received that the documents will be ready in the next few weeks for the Christchurch Post-primary Schools’ Council to arrange the election of a board of governors. By then it is also likely that the school will be ready to start the construction of swimming baths. The headmaster (Mr C. V. Gallagher) reported to the council (as interim board) that proposals approved earlier were now being rapidly implemented. A site had been chosen near the boundary between the Shirley Boys’ High School and the Shirley Intermediate School, close to the North parade frontage. Plans were now in preparation for a swimming pool 25 mitres long and 42ft wide, allowing seven lanes and practice over metric distances, which were now common because of the use of the centennial pool for inter-school carnivals. This pool would range in depth from 3ft 6in to 4ft 6in—adequate for swimming without excessive excavation, and giving a big area for instructing learners. Nearby would be a 10ft 6in deep diving pool, 31ft by 42ft. to allow adequate clearance fro n the diving boards at three levels. The Christchurch Drainage Board had approved a scheme for drainage into the Dudley stream. Natural boundaries, the grandstand, and dressingsheds would enclose the whole project. Raising Funds Mr Gallagher said that the Parent-Teacher Association and pupils had entered keenly into money-raising efforts, including competitions, jumble sales, bottle drives, and a forthcoming house-to-house canvass of 4500 homes in the neighbourhood. The school was prepared for out-qf-echool-hours swimming under club control. The headmaster’s report on enrolments envisaged a total of 650 by 1962. In the 180 enrolments for next year, professional course entries had doubled at do, the general course was steady at 60, and the practical course had dropped back from 55 to 30. The council agreed to make application for an additional block of rooms (provided in the over-all plan) to be provided by 1959.