SCHOOL BUILDING DECADE

Evening Star, Issue 20998, 12 January 1932, Page 2

SCHOOL BUILDING DECADE

The present decade will probably 'become notable for the remarkable progress made in school building. Scarcely a week passes without news of tho completion of some costly, commodious, and highly-equipped school—the natural outcome of tho transference of educational control from the local school beards to the larger education authorities (states a Scottish paper). Notable even in this school building age is the new Grammar School at Musselburgh, where primary, secondary, and commercial departments are linked up with workrooms and gymnasium. The situation is historical as being on part of the ground of Invcresk House, which was at one time occupied by Oliver Cromwell. The vicinity has a strong antiquarian interest, among the relics of the past being a Homan bath. Tho Grammar School, as Mr M'Kechnie, secretary of tho Scottish Education Department, reminded his audience, is but one evidence —a notable one if it is true—of tho activity of Midlothian Education Authority, which since 1919 has “ never been out of the mortar tub.” Seven new schools, ten largo extensions, and nine lesser extensions and constructions, eight new houses for masters and janitors and branch libraries in two of the towns denote no mean record of progress. Midlothian, it is gratifying to know, has been a pioneer in county library work, and has provided 45,000 volumes with an annual issue of over 400,000.