PARNELL INFANT SCHOOL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13779, 18 June 1908, Page 7

PARNELL INFANT SCHOOL.

GRANT PROMISED FOR EXTENSION. For a very Jong time the infant department of am ell school has been carried on under extreme difficulty. The classrooms originally built to accommodate 20 or 22 pupils each have latterly been called upon to hold between '50 and GO. This matter was represented to the Hon. G. Fowkls, Minister for Education, by a deputation yesterday. The deputation was composed of Messrs. R. B. Lusk (chairman of committee), Scott (headmaster*, and C. J. Parr (member of the Board of Education for East Ward). Mr. Lusk said the question, had been referred to the Board, and then to the Department, and back to the Board again. The class-rooms Were so congested that after an hour's work, sometimes, the children had to lie taken to the basement to allow the rooms to be freshened. It was unfair to' both children and teachers that such, a state of things should exist. Mr. Fowlds said the •extension of the building was required, not for increased attendance, but because the original design had been faulty. Taking the whole school, there was sufficient floor space for all the children.. : Mr. Scott: That is so, of course. We recognise that, but these class-rooms are entirely useless. They count: for space, but they are no good. . Mr. Fowlds: The Department considers that it should only provide extensions for increased attendance. ' Mr. 0. J. Parr said the extension would cost £200, and the Board was hardly prepared to take that out of its maintenance fund. Mr. Scott: If the building had been right originally it would have cost more than it did, so that point lias to be looked at. .'.'.';: Mr. Fowlds: Well, I can see -hat something must be done, and I will give Jialf the cost on condition.that the Board gives half. \ Mr.. Parr: I think the Board would look on that as a reasonable proposition. The deputation thanked the Minister.