BURNSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29220, 2 June 1960, Page 17

BURNSIDE HIGH SCHOOL

Trouble About New Equipment

“Chickenfeed,” “cheeseparing” and “childish” were terms usee 1 by the Christchurch Post-primary Schools’ Council, as interim board of governors for the Bumside High School, when the Education Department declined to authorise the purchase of acetylene equipment for the laboratories and a kiln for pottery. The department said provision of acetylene for schools was still under consideration. Kilns were usually authorised only when an art department had proved itself. The headmaster (Mr C. Cross) said he was deeply disappointed about both replies. For schools outside the reticulated gas supply, an oil-generated gas was usually provided and this was generally satisfactory for experimental purposes. But it did not have enough “pep” for making apparatus in glass. “In this time of shortage of science teachers, I think we should at lease provide them with adequate equipment to make apparatus,” said Mr Cross. The initial cylinder of acetylene and burners would cost only about £24.

“Chickenfeed,” said Mr Duncan Mackay. “I can’t understand the department’s hesitation about a comparative trifle.” Mr Cross said he regarded a small kiln as “a noble thing,’ bringing together art and science and therefore of wide use and teaching interest. This would cost about £124. A kiln should be an integral part of the equipment of any modern school. A place for it had been provided when the buildings were planned. “If you don’t have a kiln the pupils are doing clay modelling, not pottery,” said Mrs L. J. Broomfield. Could Burnside arrange to use the kiln of another school in the meantime? Mr Cross said he thought this would be an “awful lot of bother for a simple need. The board agreed to seek the support of post-primary inspectors _ on the need for both items. * In answer to the board s protest about half-size blackboards being provided in certain laboratories, the department said that, so far as it knew, roller-type boards had been requested by the headmaster and provided. Mr Cross said he had certainly asked for the roller type because they were more adaptable; but anyone would expect that fullsize models would be provided, particularly for science. The board agreed to protest egain about the inadequacy of the present boards.