STAFF ROOM AT HIGH SCHOOL

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28868, 13 April 1959, Page 8

STAFF ROOM AT HIGH SCHOOL

Cashmere Board’s Criticism

The “inadequate” size of the Cashmere High School staff room is still causing the schools board of governors concern. Board members spent some time at their meeting on Thursday evening discussing whether or not the board should protest at advice from the Education Department that provision could not be made for enlarging the staff room in the 1959-60 building estimates.

The board had asked at its February meeting that the staff room (about 20ft x 34ft) be extended. “Next week, when we have Teachers’ College students here, there will be 40 people in the room for morning tea,” said the headmaster (Mr T. H. McCombs). “And on Wednesday there will be 43. “The Education Department recognises the need to enlarge the room. It was admitted to us in previous letters,” he said. “We should protest.” said Dr. R. S. Allan. “You cannot run a school of this size if the accommodation for the staff is inadequate.” When students were at the school, they were treated as teachers, and he liked to be able to have them in the staff room, Mr McCombs said. Dr. H. E. Field asked for details of the cost and extent of the work, and was told that it involved moving out one wall of the room to create a large baywindow effect on the school frontage, and was estimated to cost £2OOO to £3OOO. The need for a school assembly hall was the more urgent, and it appeared that it was onlv a matter of deferring the work to next year’s estimates, said Dr. Field.

“I think it might be prudent to take this one gently, and let it ride,” he said. It was decided’ to receive the Education Department’s advice without protest.