TEACHERS' HOSTEL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18088, 12 May 1922, Page 6

TEACHERS' HOSTEL.

. TRAiN !NG COLLEGE GIRLS, _ :. RESIDENCE AT EPSOM. . COMFORTABLE QUARTERS. a 'I'lle provision of an hostel for the gir J ] students at the Training College is om 0 of the most important undertakings thai ii stand to the credit of the present Auck •. land Education Board, and there can b< !- no question aa to the boon such a phwu t will be to tho girls attending the college now and in the future. One oi e Auckland's moat beautiful old homes ha: •. been secured for their use, "Rocklands,* s in Gillies Avenue, Epsom, and in it.j r delightful gardens and surroundings, su - well as in the handsome residence wbicfc 1 j has been remodelled to meet their needs - the girls will find a home such as very i few Auckland girls ar« privileged tc i occu/py. e Although the necessary remodelling oi 3 j the old home was not quite completed •f i when the last Training College term be' t: gan, tile place was opened to the j"! students, and there are now about 3C jin residence there. The painters and car | peniers have just about completed theii i work. The Financial Aspect;. a i The acquisition of the property, which »I includes one and three-quarter acres ol 3 | garden, and the remodelling of the house, ' j will cost the board about £10,000, but f j the tariff has been arranged on a, scale j which it is expected wiil cover the in- - j terest on this sum, also the maintenance 1- ! charges. There is accommodation for 5C 3 students. i The remodelling of the house haf . been carried out in most admirable and r • effective manner. Every inch of spacc i ; has been utilised, yot there hag been no 1 sacrifice of any detail of the original ' | building which would take from the J | general effectiveness of the whole scheme. . j This fine result has been achieved I through trio 00-operation of the board's 7 j architect, Mr. J. Farrell, and of Mrs. *i N. E. Ferner, a member of the board, ' | who devoted months of work and , i thought to the provision of a home for . | the girls of the Training College. j i The spacious rooms have been divided . j into cosy little and suites oi j | cubicles, soma of them opening out on tc J wide verandahs, a few of them veritable j sunrooms, open to the air and sunshine j the whelo day long. One of the most I attractive rooms in the house is the towerI I room, with a glorious outlook over land I j and sea to compensate for the exertion I I of the climb up the narrow stairway. k ; The rooms aro ail furnished simply, but ' j comfortably, each possessing a distinctive ■ j colour scheme in hangings and wallpaper : I that is very attractive. Downstairs are . | the living rooms, and a particularly fine > ! double apartment, the old ballroom, used lias a study and social hall, opening off i which is a comfortably-furnished sitting , room, in which the girls may entertain ; their guest*. Heal Home Atmosphere. The outstanding idea in the arrange- > ment and running of the hostel has been j to give it a really home-like atmosphere i and to make the girls themselves feel a . | sense of responsibility in upholding the j same. They keep their own rooms tidv, ; | wait on themselves at meals, assist in > clearing the table, and other details of j domestic routine. J There are no hard-and-fast rules on the ■ part of the management; the matron, Miss Maindonald, and her staff do everv- { thing in their power to advance the wel- | fare of the girls, and the latter, on their part, are showing a fine spirit of helpfulness and co-operation. They have appointed a ihouse committee from their own numbers, which formulates rules regarding det;iils of routine and mariagej ment that the girls themselves must; re- ! sperb and uphold. They are given many i small privileges unknown to the girl in the ! ordinary type of boarding-house. For inj stance, they have the free use of a j machine for any sewing they may wish |to do; there are electric irons to help j them in their laundering, and downstairs there is a small room whew they may make themselves supper before retiring. Picturesque Garden. One of the most boautifu] features of this fine old property is its magnificent garden, not vet fully restored to the trim orderliness of former days, but a place of veritable delight in which to wander and forget the noise and worries of the outside world. Hera are rare exotic trees such as in all probability no other Auckland garden possesses, wisteria and rose bowers giving glimpses of shady paths and reddening autumn foliage, picturesque rockeries, a delightful lilv pond set with irises and broad-leafed lillies, a quaint old fountain in a shady nook overgrown with ferns and grasses, an altogether ideal retreat for summer afternoons. The girls have formed a garden club, and although their spare time is very limited, they are showing an enthusiasm for garden work and a pride in their beautiful ; home that is a sign of their appreciation of all the work, and thought, and care that has been given to the advancement | of their welfare.