MODERN SCHOOL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23149, 22 September 1938, Page 10

MODERN SCHOOL

FIHST OF ITS TYPE BERESFORD STREET SITE ; OPENING ON SATURDAY The first of its type in New Zealand, jlhe new two-storeyed Beresford Street school will be officially opened by the Minister of Education, the Hon. P. Fraser, on Saturday afternoon. Tho Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. ,W. E. Parry, will also be present, and arrangements have been made for tho old pupils' association to bo well represented. Finishing touches aro now being put on the building, which occupies a site at the back of the existing school, adjoining Western Park. Tho contractors are Messrs. Bailey and Boyd, and the contract prico was £9165. Thowork was begun in Februarj'. Of the open-air type, the school is unusual in that although it has two Etoreys, each of the seven rooms has folding doors to enable the northern Bide to bo thrown completely open on to a verandah. It is centrally-heated, and there aro the usual staff rooms, headmaster's study and cloak-rooms. Asset to District Built of wood, with a tiled roof, the school is an asset to tho district. It is finished Externally in cream, with green facings, the school motto, "Keep Honour Bright," being emblazoned above the main entrance. In conformity with modern design, the structure is shallows so that the class-rooms have windows on either side, thus ensuring ample light at all times. Removal of the old school, to provide a much larger playing-area, is included in the scheme. It is possible that one of the existing blocks now occupied by the lower division will be retained, the total accommodation thus being sufficient for 400 children, the new building * catering for 250. With the removal of the greater *part of the old structure, it will be possibly to lay out the grounds according to a new plan, with terraced playing-a'reas. A room for a class for retardate children has been provided, and special equipment will be used in connection with their lessons. The school has been equipped with a moving-picture projector, which will be used extensively in the special room, and also with a combined radio and gramophone, loudspeakers having b(*m installed in several of the class-rooms. The children •will drill and march to music from "a loud-speaker. ' New Dental Clinic . Chosen with a view to conserving playground space, which is at a premium at the school, tho new building is particularly compact. Access to the upper storey is by a stairway at either end, both class-rooms and cloak-rooms opening off the upper landing. . A new dental clinic built in the grounds will also be opened on Saturday. Speakers, apart from the two Ministers, will include the chairman of the Auckland Education Board, Mr. W. J. fcampbell, the chairman of tho 6chool committee, Mr. F. Trainer, a former Director of Education, Mr. J. Caughley, on behalf of the old pupils, the headmaster, Mr. J. H. Hill, a former chairman of the school committee, Mr. W. Cuthbert, and a represent tative of the Health Department.