SAFETY FIRST

Evening Star, Issue 19613, 20 July 1927, Page 5

SAFETY FIRST

PROTECTING SCHOOL CHILDREN DANGER OF MOTOR TRAFFIC Proposals to prevent children running straight ont from school entrances in front of motor traffic cu the streets were discussed at the meeting of the Education Board to-day. A fatal accident occurred in this wav recently outside the Kensington School, and the committee wrote to the board io-day asking d something could be done to give accss from one playground to the other without the children having to go into Bridgman street. The board’s architect reported that the corner of ono room rn the Bridgman street frontage cuts one portion of the playground off irom the other. The corner might be cut off from the room, leaving a pier to carry the weight and giving an opening 2lt Sin wide. That he recommended, at a cost of about £25. Mr Wilkinson: “If we can give increased security to the children we should do it regardless of cost.” The Chairman said the cost did not enter into the matter. The architect intended to go further by erecting a barricade on the edge of the iootpath. Mr M'Kinlay said the fault was not with the motorists. The children ran out in front of the cars.

The Chairman said the work would be carried out during the August holidays. Tho Senior Inspector (Mr E- G. A. Stuckey) suggested that a scheme should bo introduced under which noy monitors would stand lor five to ten minutes aftc' school was out and direct the other children in crossing- the street. The senior boys could do the job in turn. That was already being carried out very successfully in some schools.

It was decided to send a circular to all head masters impressing upon them the necessity of advising the children of the danger, and asking them to take all steps to safeguard the pupils. _ In respect to the North-east Valley School the architect reported that iron railings had been erected on the line of the iootpath kerb and opposite each gate to prevent tin children from running out on to the road. This was much in the nature of an experiment, but he had the feeling that it would serve its purpose.