NEW SCHOOL WANTED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19142, 7 October 1925, Page 13

NEW SCHOOL WANTED.

AGITATION IN PARNELL. HARDSHIPS OF CHILDREN. RESOLUTION BY PARENTS. The urgent necessity for a new primary school in Parnell was emphasised last evening at a large meeting of parents of children attending the present schdoi. The meeting, which was held in the Parnell Library, was called by the School Committee. The position is that a site for a new school has been acquired between St. George's Bay Road and Gladstone Road and operations are delayed owing to lack of funds. Mr. T. Bioodvvorth, who presided, said the agitation for a new school commenced in 1919 and had been going on ever since. Early this year the committee was advised by the Auckland Education Board that a memorandum had been received from headquarters in Wellington to the effect that consideration of the question would be deferred until later in the year to see what funds were then available. Regarding the present school, Mr. Bloodworth said that if it were a factory containing as many employees as there were school children it would have been condemned long ago by the inspectors as being overcrowded and entirely unsuitable. The school was an island surrounded by fast-moving traffic and it was a wonder some child had not been killed. "One often hears people express fear for the moral welfare of the children," remarked Mr. Bloodworth. "1 maintain that we should look to the physical side first." (Applause). "I should say our children have the least space and the poorest playing ground in the Auckland district," declared Mr. V. Dunne, a member of the School Committee. "The Education Department has a settled policy of providing new schools where they are most needed and a new school has been decided upon for Auckland Central. The Parnell school should certainly come next in the list of urgent works." Mr. Dunne said the new site comprised four acres and cost £2OOO. It was in a good position for a school, having two entrances, one from St. George's Bay Road and the other from Gladstone Road by way of Albion Street. A third entrance could he obtained from St. Stephen's Avenue by way of Burrows Avenue. "The present school possesses no attributes of health, beauty or anything else," *aid Mr. F. C. Jackson, another member of the committee. For the. past few years the committee had been living on promises, but promises were no good for 'he future. The present school was on « very valuable site and he believed that if it was sold the money would build a new school. 'We seem to have an idea that we Bend our children to school to get rid of them," said Mr. J. W. Mitchell, chairman of the School Committee. "There is something bigger than that. \\ e want them to be educated in the best possible manner and und«r the best conditions. Loth in the interests of themselves and fche country." resolution was unanimously carried that the necessity for building a school without delav should be urged upon th» Auckland Education Board. A request was also made that the board should make immediate application to the Education Department in Wellington for the necessary funds.