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| Extension of 35-Year-Old Building To Provide Better Training Facilities. One of the older educational institutions in Pretoria was substantially extended when in 1937 a new block was added to the Normal College. This building was carried out for the Provincial Administration by Mr. J. Lockwood-Hall and was built by Messrs. P. Leemhuis & Sons at the completed cost of £18,710 [R37 420]. The scheme presented many difficulties, perhaps the most important of which was the difficulty of planning modern lecture-rooms while at the same time conforming to the general architectural feeling of the existing buildings. On this point of conformity there are, however, two distinct schools of thought. one championing the principle of a complete break-away from the existing into something quite free and new. and the other championing the principle of moulding and developing the existing architectural feeling into a form in which it will be up-to-date to a sufficient degree, while yet being in complete harmony with the old. The architect, in his acceptance of the latter principle, set himself a truly difficult little problem, as anyone knowing the old buildings will realize. He has, however, succeeded admirably in his efforts to conform to the general style of architecture in the existing groups, by the careful use of a ‘’Koppie’’,/I> [locally harvested metamorphosed sedimentary] stone plinth, sandstone dressings and Kirkness red vertex bricks. The plan is simple and direct, with the main entrance facing Mears Street and leading past the principal's office, waiting-room, clerks' and messengers' offices, into the staircase hall, located at the back of the building. To the left of the staircase hall, on the ground floor, are the gymnasium, a large lecture room, an electrical switch room and the female lavatory accommodation, and to the right a manual training room and office for the Lecturer, another large lecture room, and the male lavatory accommodation. 'The first floor provides a large art room 50 feet [15m] by 32 feet [13,2m], with store and anteroom, a class-room for junior students, a demonstration clinic, a large domestic science room, with pantry and office, a nature study room 47 feet [8,1m] by 25 [7,5m] feet, with stores and greenhouse attached, and planned projector room and screen, a Staff common room and library, and further lavatory accommodation. Good light and cross-ventilation have been provided to each room; and the centrally situated lavatories are lit and ventilated from small irregular-shaped courts. The windows are steel, in teak frames, and the doors are of Oregon pine, stained. The gymnasium is well equipped and has a spring floor. The floors of the lecture-rooms are sloped to provide easy vision for each student ; and each lecture room is fitted with cupboards, sinks, etc., appertaining to its particular purpose. This new building is a distinct asset to the old group, with which it is in complete harmony. * * * For those readers who would like a more detailed study of the facilities which the new, or rather extended, building provided, it may be said that, in addition to the provision of administration offices, further accommodation has been provided for the teaching of arts and crafts,- in other words, manual training, drawing, domestic science and gymnastics. Provision has also been made for Method and Theoretical training, which comprise approximately twelve subjects. For manual work and domestic science two very spacious rooms have been provided in the north wing. For gymnastics and drawing, provision has been made by two rooms in the south wing. These four rooms are exceptionally suitable for the teaching of these respective subjects, as each receives light and air from three different directions, and it is essential that these subjects be taught in well-lighted and ventilated rooms. Further, suitable store rooms for material have been provided adjoining each of these rooms. From the educational point of view very efficient provision has been made for these four subjects in the new block. The administrative offices and rooms for the arts and crafts subjects occupy about two-thirds of the whole building. The remaining third is occupied by four reasonably-sized class rooms and about seven small rooms used as dressing rooms and common room. One of the two class rooms on the first floor has been specially planned as a cinematograph room and the other for training in kindergarten work. The latter room is an ordinary class room and suitable as such. (PWSA Nov 1939 Vol III No 13:20-21). (SAB Mar 1936: 39; PWSA Nov 1939:20-21) All truncated references not fully cited below are those of Joanna Walker's original text and cited in full in the 'Bibliography' entry of the Lexicon. |
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