Dedicated residents deter vandals

Press, 10 January 1983, Page 20

Dedicated residents deter vandals

PA Auckland Dedicated residents have all but killed vandalism in some South Auckland schools. For the last two months, a small team of 10 have been living at. four Otara primary and intermediate schools in an “undercover” move' to curtail the growing incidence of vandalism.

When the “watch” began in October, the Auckland Education Board was facing $3500 in bills each month for damage to individual schools. This month, there has been no damage and no bills from those schools. At the centre of the scheme is . Mrs Bunty Smith, a mother of nine children. She has long been concerned about the money wasted by vandalism and decided it was time for alternative action, when in July, the nearby Fergusson Intermedi-

ate School was once again set on fire.

With the board’s permission she set up house in a school classroom and rounded up volunteers to work around the clock keeping watch over four schools. Mrs Smith seldom goes home, and her children, aged seven to 22, band together to run the house in her absence. She is at her base at weekends and will stay throughout the entire six weeks school holiday. “I will go home and have Christmas dinner with the family, but then I will come back again,” she said. ■

Home is a prefabricated classroom equipped only with an electric jug, toaster, two mattresses for her and another volunteer, and a table and chairs. A pack of cards and daily newspaper provide the main ways ol ■filling in long days. Those

working with Mrs Smith are all unemployed.

“They are all on the dole, but they are putting their time to good use. They are dedicated to this work."

Mrs Smith says the success of her team is their attitude towards children. They avoid acting with authority. If they catch any children lurking suspiciously they do no more than talk to them.

As she enters her third month of living at the school she realises that the liye-in watch cannot go on forever. But she knows of no alternative.

She believes it would, be pointless to pay people to do the job as they must have the community’s concern at heart. She is certain that once the vigil ends, the vandalism will resume.