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THE MAKING OF AN ART CENTRE
MANY MONTHS ago, Mr. F. Sheppard felt that it would be a big advantage to have a building to house our students in their
pursuit of the Arts and Crafts. His idea was supported most strongly by the Headmaster. Searches were made for suitable
second-hand huts, but nothing was found that would be satisfactory. Proposing that a new room should be made a project for
our Building Department, Mr. Wheatley persuaded the people responsible for finance to supply the necessary cash. In
conjunction with the Architects' Department, ideas now began to take definite shape.
One morning, as a result, the Headmaster asked me to accompany him on a reconnaissance for a suitable site. I, being more
crafty than arty, suggested that the. painter's store, held up by Mr. Greenhill's garden wall, would be all right for an art centre.
The Headmaster did not agree, and chose the site on which the new room now stands. Thus the Carpenters were faced with
twelve months' hard work additional to our many other commitments; but the choice was wise.
The foundations were laid, and on the 23rd March, 1962, the work of making a room 36ft. x 2oft. began. Barry Hyland
manufactured the main frames of the sides and gable ends, and we were away to an excellent start. Other boys put together the
window frames and roof trusses in the shop, and the work of erecting the building began in December 1962, only to be arrested
by the very bad weather of the winter. With the coming of spring the work was continued with zest, and all the boys engaged
on it thoroughly enjoyed the task, which was completed in October 1963. The result, well decorated by the Painters and
Decorators, is worthy of our School motto, and will give great satisfaction to the boys who made it, especially when they return
as Old Boys. They are; Carpenters: Barry Hyland, Michael Willie, Douglas Thompson, David Gee, Raymond Hood, Robert
Passmoor, Charles Loveday, Samuel Hill, John Lau, John Kay, Trevor Davison; Painters: William Hicks, Daniel Coffey,
Graham Rose, Peter Law, Brian Stockton, William Dunsford Michael Ross, Michael Hindle, Alfred Cummings, Eric Wilmore,
John Perry, Phillip Harrington and William Hill.
As will be seen from the photographs showing the erection of the building in its varying stages, the construction is entirely of
timber: Pine from British Columbia; Western Red Cedar from the Pacific states of the U.S.A.; Deal from Scandinavia and
Russia; Teak from Burma; Inoko from Africa and hardboard from Sweden. Having read the above list we must realize that the
work of many unknown people, in felling, milling, hauling, and shipping the timbers, is also incorporated in the finished work.
So the pleasant task of making a good building has been well done by the Building Department Boys. Only those who use the
room can make it into an Art Centre.
H. W. T.
Goldonian Winter 1963
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