EDUCATIONAL CENTRE

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 20, 25 January 1937, Page 10

EDUCATIONAL CENTRE

SCHOOL AT MIRAMAR OPENED BY ARCHBISHOP O'SHEA

Pointing out that the new school' marked another milestone on the road of religious education and educational progress, Archbishop O'Shea, in opening and blessing the new Marist Brothers' Roman Catholic School at the corner of Para Street and Miramar Avenue yesterday, emphasised the fact that Miramar was fast becoming an educational centre. He said they had

there many primary educational institutions, both State and privately controlled, m addition to which there were Rongotai College, Scots College —an excellent institution controlled by the Presbyterian Church —and a school for little boys conducted by the Sisters of Mercy.

About three hundred members of the Miramar-Seatoun parish and their friends attended the function.

The new school is a striking building and was erected at a cost of £2000. There are three classrooms, each 27ft square, and designed to accommodate fifty pupils. The rooms are heated by gas, and modern ventilation equipment ensures a free flow of air without danger from draughts. The school, which will serve the Kilbirnie, Miramar, Seatoun, Lyall Bay, and Hataitai districts, will relieve the congestion at the Tasman Street School. Only two of the rooms will be used at the start, end the Rev. Brothers Andrew and John will be in charge. Archbishop O'Shea was escorted by a guard of honour, and after blessing the classrooms placed a crucifix in the entrance. The pleasure of the gathering at the presence of the Archbishop was voiced by the Rev. Father M. Griffin, who paid a tribute to the part that his Grace had played in furthering the Church's educational work. He also welcomed Monsignor Connolly and referred to his untiring efforts in the field of education. ; ■ In opening the building, his Grace I stressed the fact that without religious education to teach the child the difference between moral right and moral wrong democracy could not hope long to survive. The building of new schools like this one and the others he had mentioned was therefore very welcome. The more there were the better it would be for New Zealand. . Archbishop O'Shea congratulated the parish priest, Father M. Uhlenberg, and the builder, Mr. H. G. Davison. Monsignor Connolly reviewed the history of Roman Catholic education in the Dominion since 1850, and said that the present teachers and workers had to encourage them the example of those who had gone before. The new school would not have been P°®" sible but for the existence of the Wellington Catholic Education Trust (shortly to celebrate its silver jubilee), which owed its existence more than indirectly to Archbishop O'Shea. Father Uhlenberg then asked the archbishop to accept a gold key as a souvenir of his first official visit to the parish. • . , . The guests were entertained at afternoon tea provided by the women of tlie parish. .