FRANKLEY ROAD SCHOOL.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LV, Issue 14016, 22 September 1909, Page 3

FRANKLEY ROAD SCHOOL.

INADEQUATE ACCOMMODATION. The inadequate accommodation provided by the present school building at Frankley Rpad Was" the". subject % of a discussion at" the meeting" of the Taranaki Education" Board to-day. . Mr. E. N. L. Okey wrote: We desire to again bring to your notice tho extremely over-crowded condition ot the JpTankley School, and to urge upon yori tho ininiedi&tß necessity f,or rebuilding the same. The roll number is now 100, and both teachers and pupils are greatly handicapped in their work. "We respectfully request that this question may have your consideration as the woiflkfof-'tlie^chool is being carried on in greet- difficulty, and in addition therewis'&.large/prospective increase in the attendance," / ' - 'Messrs;' 2>ow;nes, J.--, Hooker and JB. N. L. Okey waited on the Board in support of the request. Mr. Downes read the following report from Mr. T. B.'Wiufield, headmaster: The roll Of the school shows a steady increase, the number now being 99. Tho present accommodation is wholly inadequate, ■ the junior divisions being •especially crowded. I have taken over 1 Standard -11. to-' relieve hh& pressure, so that I am now teaching Standards 11. | and VI. inclusive — 41 ;■ while Miss Bellringer and Miss* McDermid have charge of Standards I. and the primers — total 58. In June, 1906, the total roll for the school was 59 and the number in standards I. and 11. and the primers was 27; This is about the number that the part of the building used by the junior divisions 'will conveniently accommodate, the floor space being 280 square ifeetf. We have now more than double this number in Standard I. and the primer classes. The consequence is that Standards I. and 11. , owing to the peculiai^.shape of the building, have to sdt in the .upper standards. This makes the efficient working of the school very difficult. The porches are small with sloping roofs from 7ft. to 7ft. lOin. in height and are quite unsuitable, for class lessons.- At the present time there is Beating accommodation for only 86. M}\ Downes pointed out that the committee. was holding concerts with the Object of marrying out desirable imprpvenjents to the school grounds. He emphasized the fact that the major portion of "the children were in the junior classes and a large number of additional children were expected during the comi^g summer. Mr. -Hooker said he had gone to a lot of trouble in taking a cJhibub of the young, children in the district up to six years of i age' not at present attending ' 'school. "'' In Westown there we're 38,\and;lS of these would be atattending scliobl now if the road was good. On the Franlcley Road there were 41. and of these they could depend on at least. 11 after the holidays. The loss among" the older scholars at the end of <,the year would be about 9 or 10, but there would be ,20 or more to take their -place. ■ Mr. Okey said the people of the district .were .following the ad rice or ihe lato Mr. Seddon and "keeping the cradles full," and J t was imperative increased accommodation should be proyided. Several members of the board expressed their sympathy with the request and it was unanimously resolvqd on the motion of Messrs. Morison and Morton that the- architect be asked to report on the state of the building and the inspector on the attendance, with a view to applying to the department for a new building.