“RED LETTER DAY”

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 111, 7 April 1930, Page 2

“RED LETTER DAY”

FOR WEST END SCHOOLOPENING OF NEW BATHS. “This ceremony marks a ‘red letter day’ in the history of the school, haiq Mr C H. Whitehead, chairman of the West End School Committee, speaking at the official opening by Mr J. A. Nash, M.P., of the school baths on bat, urday. There . was a good attendance at the opening and, alter Kir Nash had performed the ceremony, practically the whole school indulged m a bathe. Among those present were members of the committees anu staffs of other schools in the district. In introducing Mr Nash, Mr Whitehead stated that the opening was the culmination of five or six years work. Not that the efforts of the committee in that period had been solely devoted to the provision of baths because, among other things, 1000 yards of concrete nad been laid down. When .mo bazaar opened there was stiU a deficiency of £l5O cn the. baths, but it was hoped that at ine conclusion of the bazaar that money would be in hand. • On belialf of the committee he thanked the residents, or the district, the staff and, lastly, the ladies v ho nad worked consistently for so long. They were more to.be thanked than anyone else. Mr Nash agreed that the occasion was a “red letter day.” The thanks of the whole community, not only . the district, were due to the committee who had raised such a large sum lor the provision of the baths. The Government grant towards baths was net adequate. It did not matter which party was in power the idea appeared to be to give as little as possible and expect the committees to work' year in and year out to raise funds. The site, continued Mr Nash, was admirable. Though it took away some cf the school playing area, the Minister had been approached and it was possible that before long two acres adjoining the school would be obtained. During the construction of the baths he had kept a close watch on the Undertaking and he had no doubt that good and faithful work had been done by all concerned. The firm of Messrs Beattie and Proctor had donated a commemoration . tablet and were to be thanked Tor their gift. Unfortunately, committees chahged from time to time and so the names of and those who had worked so well would not be on the tablet, but he was sure that the residents of West End would not forget their services. The provision of baths was desirable for children to learn to swim. In New Zealand there were many fatalities by drowning, the figures for the last four or five yearly periods being: 174, 130, 167, 144. A large toll of life was being taken annually and the more baths there were at schools the more lives would probably be saved. The Government of the country was taking a great responsibility in denying children the right to swim and they were doing , ibis for the grants towards baths were far t>oo small. They ' should be at least half the cost. He looked forward to the day when all Palmerston North schools would have haths, and when they had, and there was :i new building at College Street, Pnimerstoni North would have the fine,:, schools in New Zealand. . . On behalf of the ladies’ committee, Mrs Nash was presented with a beautiful bouquet.