Impressive New School

For Madang Natives

MANY residents of the Madang area, New Guinea, who have visited the new District School for natives, either when it was opened by the Administrator, Brigadier D. M. Cleland, in Novem ber, or later, have been impressed by the project.

There were 83 boys attending the school at the end of 1953, ranging in age from 11 to 17, and these lads had been largely responsible for building the school. Inspiration be hind the new institution was Mr. T.

L. Stanley, headmaster of the school, who planned and supervised the new buildings while still carry ing on normal class work in old temporary structures. He has been described by a reader as a young man with driving force, a first-class teacher, a person who can turn his hand to anything and is not afraid of hard work.

The school is in 16 acres of former plantation land near Madang and has 34 buildings, mainly of native materials. The whole thing cost about £6,000, due to the co-opera tion of the Administration and local natives who supplied labour and some materials. The 83 pupils, the six native teachers and Mr.

Stanley all gave their time and energy after school hours and at week-ends.

There are 22 dormitory and

teacher-houses; three classrooms; two mess buildings, a kitchen block with two kitchens, stores, shower rooms, library and movie theatre and an office.

Four acres of garden were put in in the early stages, and by opening day there was fresh garden produce in the store room.

Students will do all the cooking,

cleaning, maintenance of buildings: and vegetable growing—and it is expected that they will still have time for plenty of recreation ano sport.

Instruction in the school is all in English and subjects taught include nature study, social studies, craft work, reading, writing, composition! arithmetic, spelling and dictation!