PONSONBY No. 1 SCHOOL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 10832, 16 August 1898, Page 3

PONSONBY No. 1 SCHOOL.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—l have lieen requested by several householders in the district to acquaint them through the columns of your paper with tlio present position of the above school, as it appears that a considerable amount of misconception exists in connection with the proposal of the Board of Education to remove tho infant school from its present site to the newly-acquired allotments. There seems to bo an idea that tho Board are about to erect a new school, thereby depriving the children of a certain amount of ground accommodation. This is quite erroneous, as the Board contemplate, not the erection of a new building, hut tho removal of the one already oxisiing. Consequently, there will bo no loss of ground space. For a very long time past the school lias suffered severely by being greatly overcrowded in the infant department. Repeated protests have been made by the committee and also by tho inspectors who periodically examine the children. The building is erected just behind the main school, and on a much lower level, and is consequently completely overshadowed by the main school, and is very dark and ill-ventilated. Di •.ng tho past season most of tho teaching staff have been frequently and continuously absent through severe cold and sore throats. At the present time the principal teacher, Miss McLeod, is on a second month's leave of absence, her health being completely broken down—to use the forcible language of her medical adviser, slio has been "poisoned" by the foul atmosphere which she has been compelled to breathe. Tho Board of Education have had this matter under their serious consideration for somo time past, and the problem was a difficult one to solve. It would bo easy to add to the existing building, but only at the cost of intensifying the present insanitary conditions. One of the members who visited the locality was struck with tho idea .'l>«t it would be a good thing to shift the sclioi 1 across the road to the allotments recently acquired for the use of the children. Mid wlt.ih, in their present condition, are quite unfitted for playground purposes, being on a steep slope from the road. I was asked to bring this suggestion before the committee, and did so, when the resolution was passed endorsing the views of the Board. Personally, I heartily approve of the proposal. It will afford the necessary accommodation, and completely remove the serious insanitary evils under which the staff have been for some time past, while the ground released by the removal will afford to the children a far superior playground than oould possibly bo obtained on the allotments on the other side of the road. I have had children attending the school for tho past 20 years, and at the present time have two boys attending as pupils and a daughter as a teacher, and I need scarcely say that I would not support any proposal that would be antagonistic to the educational interests of the district or that would in any way interfere with the pleasure and comfort of the youngsters attouding the school. There is no necessity for a wordy warfare on this matter, or for a creation of ill-feeling. I would urge any householder who takes an interest in the matter to visit the locality and inspect the two sites and form his own opinion on the subject.— am, etc., William J. Rees, Chairman of the Ponsonby Schools Committee.