WILLARD HOME

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVIII, Issue 148, 23 May 1928, Page 2

WILLARD HOME

RECENT IMPROVEMENTS. OFFICIAL OPENING. The new Willard Home in Russell Street, to which considerable alterations and additions have been made, recently, was officially opened this afternoon. The home has been practically rebuilt, the sum of £2300 being expended. The scheme used in the alterations was based upon two methods —firstly moving the outside walls of the building nine feet further out and thus enlarging the rooms, and secondly by making additions in brick. The combined effect has been to enable a rearrangement of tho interior space which will allow a total of 25 children to be cared for, in addition to giving suitable accommodation for the staff. Formerly the home was crowded with nineteen children. Not only will the new building take extra inmates, but they will be much better provided for in the way of accommodation. There are sixteen rooms in the new building, in addition to an exterior play-room, laundry and central-heating plant. Four staff 'bedrooms are provided, a staff sitting-room and a staff diningroom. The bedrooms are fitted with built-in wardrobes and are large welllighted apartments. Four- staff bedrooms are not at present required, but when the home takes its full number of children a larger staff will be. necessary. The children’s dormitories are large, light, airy and clean. Throughout the whole building a noticeable feature is the size of the windows designed to admit as much sunlight as possible. There are four dormitories containing respectively nine, five, six and five beds. In addition, a babies’ room contains four cots for. younger children. with sun-porch adjoining. The children’s sitting room is large and ideally situated for i.ts purpose. Double folding .doors connect it with tho dining room so that if required one big room may bo formed.. The new kitchen is fitted with every convenience. Large cupboards extend the full height and width of one wall and in other respects also utility and couvenienco have been studied. A children’s cloak-room is at the back of the building, to obviate the necessity of the inmates continually passing through the front of the house. Throughout the dormitories and bedrooms a central heating scheme is used, but in. the living rooms fireplaces are retained. . The linen cupboards have hot water pipes installed to aid in drying, and the same applies to the laundry. All the arrangements, in fact, have been designed with a view to giving a maximum of convenience and comfort to tho children and the staff.