COLLEGE- ST. SCHOOL

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 226, 22 August 1935, Page 2

COLLEGE- ST. SCHOOL

THE OLD GROUND

PROPOSED RETENTION. Definite assurances that the AVangantii Education Board would do all in its power to see that the grounds on which tlie older building ac the College Street School stanus would 110 c be disposed ot when the new school building is completed were given by IVlr E. F. Hemingway, chairman of the Wanganui Hoard, at a meeting of the iVianawatu-Oroua School Committees’ Association last evening. The subject was raised by Mr W. F. Cutler, a member of the College Street School Committee, who asked if it was the intention of the board to part with the old school site when the new school had been completed. The site, he commented, had a certain amount of sentimental value—the Gallipoli oak was planted there and there were many men of to-day who had planted trees there in earlier years. It would lie seen that the ground would not bo largo enough, when the now building was completed, for a playground if the old ground were disposed of. Mr Cutler asked Mr Hemingway to use his influence to prevail on tlie Education Department to allow the school to retain the site, especially as ±l-100 had been raised in Palmerston North and paid to the department to pay for the site. If that site was relinquished it would give very little incentive to committees to work hard and provide goad grounds. Replying, Mr Hemingway said he was very pleased that question had been brought forward as' it had been referred to by Colonel J. H. Whyte at a meeting of the hoard that day. The subject had been discussed and the members were unanimously of the opinion that it would be a scandal to part with the site under any circumstances whatever, particularly as the people of Palmerston North had raised ±I4OO for the purchase of it. Whatever the board could do in tho way of bringing favourable pressure to bear would be done.