GIRLS COLLEGE

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 79, 30 September 1924, Page 3

GIRLS COLLEGE

NEW BUILDING DESCRIBED LAYING THE FOUNDATION STONE. The laying of the foundation stone of the New Wellington Girls' College by His Excellency the Governor-Gen-eral this afternoon will mark another advance in the educational history of Wellington. For a long time the need of a new structure has been felt, as the old. building at Thorndon has for several years been found insufficient to cope with the large number of pupils seeking a secondary education. After a deal of negotiation, and not a little agitation over the question of site—an important matter, no doubt, but not so important as the erection of the building itself—finality has been reached on all main points, and this afternoon's ceremony will mark the starting point in the construction of what should ultimately prove to be a handsome addition to the buildings of the city. A "Post" reporter was afforded the opportunity this morning of seeing the plans of the central block, and. left wing of the building—all that it is proposed to build at the present etage—and it was seen at once that those responsible have paid attention to all the details which will go to make the new college up-to-date in every respect. The Government does not permit the inclusion of an assembly hall in the school buildings of to-day, but in the basement of the new building there will be a large recreation room, seventy-two feet by twenty-five, which as a playing room will no doubt prove to be a big boon tb-those girls who attend the college. _ This room is to the right of the pupils entrance. The main entrance to the building is in the centre ot the building, and this leads into a hall and vestibule, at the end of which is the staircase leading on to the ground floor Also in the basement is the janitor a room, a locker room, and a boiler-room which will provide for the heating of the building during the winter month,. At the to P S o f th e staircase, on the ground floor, 'will be the principal's room, the staff room, and rt? office; There will be a main ««- bdr^n «* n i- Open C°™dor' the Jatter n -'"f £"* 6 Un?\ Oi that in the Technical College at Mount Cook The on™ °/ It fl°°red and roofed. but on one side there are archways. This has fnd eii ehL° f P™Viding both S* a* and light-* big advantage in any •school bnilding. Along the corridor, to the left, are three class-rooms,'twen-ty-four feet square. Provision is also ■made for a dressmaking-room, thirtytwo by twenty-four, and attached to these ie a.stationery-room, two storerooms, arid the necessary conveniences, building then runs at an angle in order to provide for better lighting. At the junction of the main building and the part which is on an angle will be a commodious cloak-room for the use of pupils, and then there will be three more class-rooms. Two of these will be twenty-feet square, and the other will be twenty-two feet by sixteen feet. On the first floor there will be three more class-rooms, each twenty-two feet square, and there will also be another cloak-room on the lines of that on the first floor. Over the dressmaking-room there will be a cookery-room of the same dimensions, and attached to that there will be an up-to-date pantry. Next to the cookory-room there will be two laboratories, each thirty-six by twentyfour, a large preparation-room, a de-monstration-room, thirty-six by twentyfour, and a. prefects' room. So far it is only intended to proceed with the central block, and the left wing, and the remainder of the building will have to wait until a further grant is made by the Government. The original grant, maae by the Government was £30 000 and tho contract price is £26,895 The balance of the grant will be used in furmshmg the building with desks, and other requirements. The architect are Messrs. Swan Lawrence, and Swan, of this city? and tle contractor is Mr. E. S KmVht STbuSP b° twVPP«-ch« to '"the new building, one from Patterson street and one from Austin street. There is wiih t»SPaCe f°S- P' ayin S ground and