ALBANY STREET SCHOOL

Evening Star, Issue 19637, 17 August 1927, Page 5

ALBANY STREET SCHOOL

DISPUTE OVER SITE CONTINUES EDUCATION BOARD TAKES FIRM STAND The Albany Street School site was further discussed by the Education Board this morning alter a letter was read from the Harbor Board to the effect that a committee had been set up to approach the City Council to see if it were possible to get back the Bogan Park area as a school site. The Education Board, however, decided that what it had it would hold, and a resolution to this effect was carried.

Tho Chairman (Mr J. Wallace) said the hoard had authority to build two small schools on tho site, and they should go on with tho work as soon as possible. Air J. Horn, M.P.: We would ho foolish to part with the land we have. Ho moved—“ That the Harbor Board bo communicated with to the effect that tho board had been granted authority to build on the area and that it was anxious to proceed with the work as soon as possible.” Mr J. H. Wilkinson, who seconded, said that when they approached the Harbor Board they gave the hoard an opportunity of presenting alternative proposals. Ho asked whether they should wait. He did not think tho members of tho Harbor Board really appreciated tho position as far as the Albany Street School was concerned. Tho position had changed since the question of tho site had been first dealt with. Ho pointed out that tho Albany Street School had to servo a. big district, and that was one reason for fortifying them in. tho stand they had taken. On three occasions they had altered their arrangements in deference to various public bodies, and tho members of the Harbor Board wanted them to surrender their claim to tho present site and go back to Lake Logan. The first site had been an ideal one. but tho second one was not satisfactory. Albany Street was now a normal school, and at the recent jubilee celebrations there was a strong feeling that it should remain so. From what had happened at the Kensington School and elsewhere it was essential that they should take the children off the main thoroughfare as far as possible. Tie considered that the now site was a good one, and lie fully appreciated what had been done by the Harbor Board in parting with it. The Education Board had been given tho alternative of selecting two sites—one near the quarry and tho present one. The former was too far away and quite unsuitable. and they had selected the site facing the highway. Objection had been made to Die present site because it was contended that it would be closed in hv warehouses, hut ho did not think tin's should he seriously considered. They had eight acres, with splendid open spaces, and it could bo transformed into an ideal school'site. It was their duty to safeguard tho interests of the children. Ho was satisfied that the Harbor Board had not considered tho matter as the Education Board had done or else the “ extravagant utterances” one had heard would nob have been made. “If the members of the Harbor Board are sincere,” ho said, “about their interests in education they will agree to our request to get possession of the area at tho foot of Albany street, which tho Education Board has decided to accept.” Ho stated that teachers had complained to him about tho difficulty of carrying out satisfactory work in some of the dark rooms in the school. The motion was carried.