BROOKLYN SCHOOL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 465, 25 March 1909, Page 3

BROOKLYN SCHOOL.

DEPUTATION TO THE HON. G. FOWLDS. MORE ROOM WANTED. A deputation from tho Brooklyn School Ccmmittoo, consisting of Messrs. W. J. Parsons (chairman), Daniels, and Stockbridge, introduced by Mr. It. A. Wright, M.P., waited upon tho Minister for Education (Hon. G. Fowlds) yesterday, to urgo tho need of increased school accommodation at Brooklyn. Dr. Anderson, Assistant In-spector-General of Schools, was also present. Mr. Wright stated that tho committee had received a letter from tho Minister stating that ono additional room could be built. Tho committee, however, thought that this would not bo sufficient, and that even four extra rooms would not bo too many. There wore 551 children on tho roll, and 521 was the average attendance. There were twelvo teachers. As showing the school needs of the suburb, Mr. Wright said that in two years and seven months, ending with last year, 263 houses had been built at Brooklyn. The population had trebled in seven years. It was a district of young families and young married people. Mr. Wright also gavo figures to show that nearly every room in tho school was at present over-taxed, also that the attendance was still increasing, and was likely to increase. The figures given did not include Vogeltown. Two extra rooms at tho school were needed immediately, and by tho time they were built, two more would he wanted. -Would it not bo more economical, he suggested, to build the four rooms at ono timo. He also read a letter from tho headmaster, stating that ono room would not be sufficient for present needs.

Mr. Parsons emphasised tho bad lighting of the "marching room," which had had to bo pressed into service as a classroom. He also stated that some of tho lessons were given in a corridor. He estimated the cost of building two suitable additional rooms at £1600. To place two more on the top of them afterwards would cost another £1700, but if the four were built at once, it could be done for £2500, a saving of £800. The school was now overcrowded to tho extent of 90 pupils. It was also contended by Mr. Parsons that tho school was understaffed. ' Tho Minister pointed out that the regulations as to staffing could not provide against hardship in every special case, but promised that tho matter would bo looked into.

Dr. ■ Anderson said he had visited the school in February with another Departmental officer, and Mr. Fleming, and had made a Teport to the Minister. They found that the average attendance for tho quarter was 478. Proceeding, ho went into the question of the dimensions, of all tho rooms, and the number of pupils in each, and contended that in four rooms out of tho five thero was no overcrowding. Provision must be mado for the average attendance, not the full roll number. Ho granted that thero was a pressure in tho other room, the averago being ten more than thero was proper accommodation for. Tho Minister said he recognised that the school was "getting a bit crowded," but the coat must bo cut according to the cloth. The hoard received a yearly grant tor rebuilding, and tho Department only provided extra accommodation necessitated by increase of population. Tho need at Brooklyn was mainly in the infant division, ihe matter had been submitted by tho Department to tho Education Board, so that there should bo no clashing with any rebuilding scheme contemplated by the board. i\o reply had yet been received to tho letter written to the board on March 2. When the board replied the Department would see what could bo done m tho way of making Provision .that would obviate overcrowding for the present and tho immediate future it tho board had.plenty of money and could seo its way to supply a largo portion of tho cost of repacrag the central part of tho building, where tho infants wore placed that might be tho right thing to do. There was no reason why provision should not bo made at a reasonably early date in conjunction with such a 'scheme for a now building m brick. He had to be very carefl in making ..promises, because tho claims were so numerous; and the amount of mZy "limited SP ° Sal by Parliament »«