MORE FRESH AIR WANTED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 18 June 1932, Page 11

MORE FRESH AIR WANTED

WORLD-WIDE MOVEMENT Hill JAMES PARR PIIAISES OPENAIR SCHOOLS Sir James Parr, who during his six years as Minister of Education did much to promote the building of openair schools, was entertained by the Christchurch branch of the Open-air Schools’ League at lunch (reports the ‘'Times”). The gathering was attended by representatives of many educational institutions and several medical men. l)r. E. V. Buvan-Brown presided. The guests praised the work of the league and stated that there was now a world-wide movement for more fresh air and sunshine. ENGLISH SCHOOLS COMPARED Sir James said that ho had, over a period of six years, been responsible for the building of schools ill New Zealand. Most of the schools were good, when compared with the type seen in England, where stone and bride buildings were situated on a quarter of an aero of land covered with hard asphalt. Such conditions wore disheartening for a New Zealander to see.

Who could say that in thirty years’ time the present massive schools in the Dominion would not be out of date. The speaker, feeling that the country was on the wrong lines, had attempted the experiment at Eondalton in 1924. 11c recommended that parents who took an interest in the physical welfare of their school should visit the Eondalton School, than which there was no liner type of building or children. The children themselves preferred the open-air type. The 'tendency throughout the world was for open air. The German nation was seeking the open air on Sundays and all holidays, and he predicted that the German nation would emerge as the world’s host athletes. All over Europe the movement for more air and sunshine had resulted in hundreds of hiking parties. GOOD CHANCES MISSED The chairman, in welcoming Sir James, said that Hie guest was Munster of Education when the league was formed, and was present at the opening of the first open-air school in 1924,. at Kendal lon. Since Sir James’s retirement from the Education portfolio the league had had many vicissitudes. The International Congress at Brussels last year was indicative of the interest ’taken in the open-air schools movement in other eouilfHes. . ... The league was dissatisfied with the results of its work over the last eight, years. Until recently building had gone on apace, and in one year about half a million pounds was snout on new schools, hut only a-small proportion of that amount went in (he building of schools of the open-air type. In those ! ilavs of economic stress if was sad I o relied Unit many of the schools which | did not let in 'the sunlight and air j should over have been built. Ihoso

dark, ill-ventilated and cold schools in both the town and country should be converted into the open-air type, which cost £345. compared with £I2OO for the ordinary Government type. The speaker regretted that the opportunity afforded by the Ilawkcs Bay earthquake had not resulted in openair schools being erected oil • the ruins of tho old. What the league had to light against was departmental prejudice, narrow-mindedness and ignorance. Mr W. W. Rowntrco, who was a New Zealand representative to the International Congress at Brussels last year, gave his impressions of tho proceedings.