PLANS FOR NEW SCHOOL

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28980, 22 August 1959, Page 17

PLANS FOR NEW SCHOOL

Education Board “Frustrated”

The Canterbury Education Board’s building committee was frustrated in its plans for spending its allocation because it did not know if an intermediate school was to be built at Burnside, said the chairman of .the committee (Mr A. Manning) at a meeting of the board yesterday. “I would not like to see this board accused at the end of the year of not spending its allocation,” said Mr Manning. “If we don't want to build an intermediate school then we will want to go ahead with two primary schools.”

Mr S. J. Irwin, chairman of the board, said the matter had been raised with the Minister of Education (Mr Skoglund) and the two school committees which objected to the proposed building of an intermediae school had been asked to detail their objections.

“The Minister now has the matter on his plate,” said Mr Irwin, “and whether he decides to build this school is up to him. We are all ready to go ahead with it, but at the moment there is a measure of uncertainty.” Mr Irwin said he had found that where intermediate schools had already been established everyone was happy. “One of the matters raised is the question of a break in education,” he said. “But I have yet to meet a child who objects to the break. They like to have a new teacher at the beginning of the year and all their classmates go with them to the new school.

“If we can’t get the authority to build the intermediate school we want to go ahead with the primary schools.” Mr Irwin said. “People Confused”

“It all boils down to the fact that people are confused as to whether the system has been effective,” said Mr R. K. Milne. “People feel it should be a direction from the department. It is a pity the department can’t take the bull by the horns and er . . .” Mr Irwin: And make a bird of it?

“Thank you, Mr chairman,” said Mr Milne. “I meant the department should s§y to this board either ’you should establish an intermediate school’ or ‘you should establish a primary school.’ There is an unfortunate waste of time that shouldn't be there. I hope the Minister makes up his mind in a hurry "

Mr Irwin said it was not the only case in New Zealand He knew of four other similar cases.