TIMARU HIGH SCHOOL.

Timaru Herald, Volume LX, Issue 2690, 29 April 1898, Page 3

TIMARU HIGH SCHOOL.

The work of constructing and rearranging the Timaru High School building, and adding a janitor's house is now practically completed, and very little remains to be done to enable the school to resume work m thepremißea which it received such short and rude notice to quit. We had a look over the building on Wednesday m company with Mr Marchant, the architect, and from his description and our own observation gained an idea that the reconstruction of the school has been well and securely carried out, the additions judiciously planned, and the arrangements for th« separation of the sexes are as good as could have been made m a building not originally designed to be so divided. The first thing that a visitor will notice is a by no means handsome iron fence. running at an angle from the north-east corner of the building to the path from the town, to cut off the boys' access to the girls' ground, a disagreeable reminder to the boys every time they go to school of the separateness that henceforth will characterise their relations with their former schoolmates under the same roof. As a necessary consequence of the erection of this fence a new door has been made m the boys' front entrance porch, and the old one fastened up, no. such alteration being needed on the girls' side. ConsU derable alterations have been made m the interior of the building. Originally the school contained a main school room at the south side and three class rooms across each end. As rearranged the main room has been divided, the class rooms remain, but the southern one on each side has been enlarged by throwing into it a six feet lobby which was the former back porch, and replacing this by a new porch m an addition which also contains a good sized lavatory and a teachers' room, the additions being made to correspond m character with the rest of the building, though of lesser height. In reconstruction some economy has been effected m details, as m the adoption of a simpler finish to the plastering of wall and ceiling, and of a less expensive style of dado, though the new one is claimed to be even better m appearance than the old one, as although of simpler design it is made of handsome wood, and indeed the red pine of which it is made looks very well, and some of it is of beautiful grain. A. notable feature of the rearranged building is the number of new doors that have been put m, to give freedom of access between the several rooms, so that the classes maybe changed without disturbing one another. The most interesting feature, however, is the provision made against a recurrence of the disaster which has neces-

e Bttated so much work, namely -the heating arrangements. Each of the class .r rooms has b^ea provide^ with a patent it slow-combustion stove, from which there n is no possibility of fire escaping. In it these stoves the fuel— preferably coke— c is burned m a closed perpendicular box c of firebrick, fixed m an ornamental grilled i- case of iron. The flue is U-shaped withi i n the case, and then has a square arm >f running into the chimney. The fuel 19 si fed to the stove through a small door at the top, and there is a small door at the [- bottom for starting the fire, but thf 1 grate is so far from the outer opening c that it is difficult to rake cut any fire, i- and it is impossible for any fire to fall out, even if the grate door is left open, and this is supposed to be kept closed. The wonder is how the fire burns at all, as the only draught provided is what can find its way through the small crevices round the doors. These stoves j seem to be absolutely safe. They also serve important purposes m the schema of ventilation. From the outside of th 1 * building air-trunks also run to the firet place, to supply air to a Tobin tube on , each side of the chimney, and to an air a channel opening under the stove. An aperture m the base of the stove allows [ the air which enters by this channel to , rise into the space between the firebox [ and the outer casing, the air is tbu* I heated, and therefore rises through the, , atmosphere of the room to the ceiling, , while cool air entering at the same time by the Tobin tubes riseß with it, and the I hot and cool air, both fresh are, thus . mingled. The stoves give out a great, heat, and Mr Marchant suggests that it may be found to be a good way of using them to make up a good fire some hours bofore the rooms are to be used, close the exit ventilators and allow tlie walls and ceilings to become .well warmed and then let the fire die out, the warmth of the walls sufficing to maintain an agrpeable temperature. A few experiments will show how they can.be best managed. It is not to be wondered at that there is any need for experiment, as tlie conditions vary m every case, and these are the first stoves of the kind to be set up m the colony. In addition to the stove trunks and the "Tobin tube*, the windows may be opened to aid m the ventilation of the rooms, and the exit of heated or vitiated air is carefully provided for by means of trunks between the ceiling and the roof, with a Buchan cowl capping each of them. To prevent down-draughts then* is provided at the base of each trunk a grating against which hangs a linen valve, which allows the air current upwards to pass freely, but stops any current m the contrary direction. With all these appliances there should be no reason to complain of the ventilation, and the stoves appear to possess an excess of heating power for the spaces they are provided for. Ah important alteration was made m the cutting back of the walls of the gymnasium by lift, m order to restore light to the windows of what was the east end of the main room bat now is the large class-room or main room on the boys' side. The result is satisfactory. The new end wall of the gymnasium has been whitewashed, and reflects the light so that on bright days, it is said, this room is much lighter than the corresponding room of the girls' half. One room, and one room only, is common to both aides of the school. This is a central room m front of the school, which is fitted up for scientific purposes, with laboratory benches, einks, gas, shelving, cupboards, etc, and m the passages leading to this large cupboard space has been provided A. retiring room has beea provided for each head teacher, adjoining the front entrances, and one for the other teachers adjoining the rear porches, each /fitted with lavatory, gas stove, and shelving. The new school lavatories are roomy, and contain a central bench with double row of basins, each having its own tap. The boys have also a bath-room attached to the gymnasium. The girls have been provided with a room, of which the final uses are not as yet determined, though the headmistress hopef tosee it fitted up with cooking stoves at an early date, and m the meantime it will beutilisedjas a luncheon room on we days, as a dressing room for the gymnasium, and otherwise. An important addition to the buildings has been made m the shape of a janitor's cottage of four rooms. This cottage is situated between the west end of the school and the gate. Exteriorly it is m keeping with theschool building and interiorly it appears to be well arranged and likely to be a comfort able dwelling., The rooms average 12ft square, one of them is a good roomy living room and kitchen. At the rear is a washhouse, with a large copper and coal-box« and the sanitary closet is placed under the same roof so that it is inconspicuous. The cottage is well sheltered by trees, and the janitor will have a cosy home. We must not forget to mention the school furniture, which is all new. Each pupil will have a dessk and seat to him or herself, the desk being of quite liberal dimensions, and having half of the lid hinged as a lid to a roomy box beneath. With each desk goes a short form with back, standing on long fept that fit between the similar feet of the desk. The whole of the exterior of the building has been given a coat of colour, and as the walls were m good condition the school looks almost brand new. The work appears to have been very carefully done by each of the contractors. These were : for the building, Mr F. Palliser ; carpenter, Mr P. Foster ; painting and plastering, MrJ. Craigie; MrJ.Broadhead was contractor for the school furniture, MrT. Pringle was clerk of works, and the architect for the whole work was Mr F. W. Marchant.