NEW WINGS TO WELLINGTON COLLEGE

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 233, 28 June 1929, Page 10

NEW WINGS TO WELLINGTON COLLEGE

SEVERE CRITICISM BY HEADMASTER

“The two new wings to be built at Wellington College will have an easterly aspect. That is the edict of the Education Department,” reported the headmaster of the college (Mr. W. A. Armour) to the Board of Governors at yesterday’s meeting. He added that the coldest and' most uncongenial classrooms and dormitories in the college were those facing the east, because, throughout the winter, the sun never entered rooms with an easterly aspect, due to the high hill to the east of the buildings. Added to these discomforts, the two wings were to have high banks on each side. In this respect, Mr. Armour declared that the eastern wing would suffer most. He believed that Insufficient excavation was being made, and that much more ground should be removed on the eastern side. The spoil could be deposited in the new ground being made, and the site would thus be prepared for the next wing to the east when built. Art rooms, metalwork rooms, and masters’ luncheon rooms were unprovided for, and these could be proceeded with on the site requiring to be excavated.

“Only 8 feet will separate the eastern side of the east wing, and the western side of the west wing, from the embankments, which will for some rooms reach up higher than the ceilings,” stated Mr. Armour. “Many class rooms will be nothing but vaults in the winter time. The board should therefore demand much additional excavation, as well as provision for art rooms, metalwork rooms, and other rooms required in the modern scheme of secondary education. “The Department got an unexpectedly cheap tender for the work in hand, and another £lO,OOO is necessary to bring the buildings up to date. “Finally, it should be noted that the new buildings will no more than barely take the classes now housed in the East School and gymnasium block, which are both to be demolished. We have no room for additional pupils, and in fact we shall have less accommodation in the way of rooms than we have now.” The board will visit the college this afternoon. Gymnasium Block Should Be Replaced. "School work is now being carried out in these seven class rooms, under the most trying conditions, especially in cold and wet weather,” reported Mr. Armour. “The buildings have always been a disgrace to the college as class rooms, and the time is long overdue for their replacement by properly constructed buildings."