School relations key to vandalism: architect

Press, 9 January 1986, Page 4

School relations key to vandalism: architect

PA Wellington School property damage can be averted if schools develop good relationships with their community, says a Government architect.

A Ministry of Works and Development architect, Dr Frank Stoks, said that some moves, such as inviting elderly people into schools for fish and chip lunches, and displaying in classrooms flowers grown by pupils, could be effective weapons against wilful damage. . He was commenting on Education Department figures showing that vandalism and arson caused $7.1 million damage to schools

up to November, 1985, a rise of 63.2 per cent on the previous year’s figure. The Wellington Education Board’s chairman, Mr Clive Hesketh, said earlier this week that less publicity and constant night patrols were probably the only solution to the problem, but neither was entirely practicable. However, Dr Stoks, development architect with the Ministry’s architectural research and development unit, said solutions far less expensive or draconian were already available. Many practical, ingenious and workable solutions, such as those mentioned, were already being used in some schools, he said.

The level of damage at schools usually related directly to the relationship between the school and the community. “Where the relationship is not developed or goes sour, even fortifying the building will not prevent attacks,” he said.

“But a school that is valued will be cherished and even old or fragile buildings will remain uritouched.” Dr Stoks said that people who designed, built and approved construction of educational facilities also had a responsibility. He said that faulty design and inappropriate materials led to later costs probably

five times as much as for what was officially labelled vandalism.

Dr Stoks last year completed on behalf of the department a national study of the rate of and remedies for school damage.