OPEN-AIR SCHOOLS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 5 April 1926, Page 2

OPEN-AIR SCHOOLS

A TEACHER'S I'ESTLMOXY The headmistress, oF tno infants' dr parlment nf the I ashmcre Schocl. Mi ■■■:. NcV.llhaiU, leaves holtlv ~11 a vi.-; ! If) England. In ;i talk wi'lh a < Inn- 1 tiiuivi, Pre... report.-.-. Mr.- \"w:iha„i '"After '<•■) ytfirs of lea, ;.:.:;-," I'-':, Ny.vn.b-UP ;'i.-j", ' r-r. 1.- ! ..'■■;■ -, •>- having bi»oTi placed in l-Ji:ii of th ■ cpeu-air schoolroom .;! i li«» lashmero School. We stalled work mi i In- new schoolroom in September. 1925, when lli*- school reopened iil'lit tin- term holidays. Even before the building oi' Hie new revm was completed - forme! :i fit vr.m ral ile impression oi \vh;it it would be like. One day in Angus! Iliere was a south.west storm, and in my roam in the old scho-.vl there were over 80 children and roarini! /ire, it. was impossible- to keep thTchildren warrii. 1 Miring the dinner hour the leachers visited Hie nc\ open air roum In sir what ii was like i ! n such an inclement day. The doors were wide "pen and some of the windows; i»f course, there was no lire in Ihe grate. We were astonislied Lo find thai owing to the careful way in which the building had been erected in respect hi' ils, aspect —thai, is, ii.. avoid storms From Hie I south wesi— the mum lilt quite warm A.LWAVS COMEOPTAHLE "Since I hn\ e been in the i ■ •hi. i; Mas been summer, but even so. we had some very cold days, and we have never had the doors shut and have been quite warm and comfortable. On the other hand, -we have Mad si.me verv !■«, days, but as there are windows on all , four sides, we always have been able t< keep a cool breeze blowing through the mam, find hav> never been anything bill comfortable. As the -mi is high in the sum mer-i line., it hardly entered the room, bill all »he children'have sun hats, so (hat these sitting in the sun '••in ."in them on. Of course, it a child J is ton warm in the sunshine, he moves into the shadow ; this can he done i asdy as we haw. light" tables and chairs which arc a great iiiiprovemeiil on the old si vie of school Furniture. "I feel convinced that the children have improved in health since thev have been in Ihe n oni. and I know 'thai I have. Further, neither the children nor myself feel fatigued at the end nf the day. as. we so often use,] ;,, do in the old school.

'Ticfore I go for my trip to England I should Jike to give a message to the parents of Canterbury, and it is this: Insist that all new school buildings shall be open-air rooms buill on the same plan as the one at ! ashmere (which is on the same lines as the origin:.! openair schoolroom al I'Vhdaltr.n). which I id. not think ran Me improved upon."