INCREASED SAFETY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 17089, 19 July 1926, Page 7

INCREASED SAFETY.

FROM INFLUENZA GERMS. I’FFIXT OX MODERN SCHOOLS. (Soemol in the Herald.* CHRISTCHURCH, this day. Influenza germs have little liking-" for the great changes that have taken place in school construction during the last, few years. They love draughts and gloom, poor ventilation and old-fashion-ed conditions. Where children are housed in new, airy and up-to-date buildings, they give them but few opportunities. This Tias been proved by the influenza epidemic in Christchurch, where, to-day, (here are schools of both the old. and the new type. Educational authorities have found that the schools least affected by the epidemic l are those of more recent construction, the sunny, well-ventilated schools where there are no draughts, plenty of fresh air and even warmth all day long.

Oh Saturday the secretary of the Omterburv Education Board, Mr. C. R. Kirk, told a Sun reporter that- as far as Christchurch was concerned, the Phillipstown school, a new and modern building, had not been closed during the epidemic. West Christchurch, another up-to-date school, had been closedonly a little while. Then there was the Opawa school, which afforded an even more striking example of the .increased safety of children housed under modern school conditions. It lias not been closed, although one or two teachers have been a,wav. The infant department- was in the old school building and during the epidemic the attendances have been less than half. The other grades in the school were housed in a new and up-to-date building and 75 per cent of tile school roll had beon maintained in attendances.

“ We attribute this to the vastly better conditions existing in the modern buildings,” said Mr. Kirk. “ They have proper heating, maximum lighting and good ventilation. We are sure modern conditions of schooling have played a great- part in warding off the presen* ills.”

When asked for lii.s opinion on the matter, a Christchurch medical man said tho result- of the observations made by the Education Board iri this direction had particular interest at- present. lie would like to see a- detailed analysis of (lie schools of the district in order that the effect of up-to-date conditions onn-ld he thoroughly examined. There was no doubt that- modern conditions played a very important part in preserving the health of school children.