Competition Design for Schools in Ancoats for Manchester School Board

COMPETITION DESIGN FOR SCHOOLS IN ANCOATS FOR THE MANCHESTER SCHOOL BOARD. - The Manchester School Board has followed the Leeds and other School Boards in adopting the wide school-room system. In the instructions issued for the above limited competition nothing was said on this point. Some of the architects, consequently, followed the system advocated and supported by the Education Department, whilst others, better informed, probably, as to the leanings of the majority of the Board, adopted the wide plan. The design submitted by Mr. Paull, and illustrated in our pages this week, was one of the former, and it contains some features of special interest. Accommodation was required for 500 infants on the ground floor, and 500 boys and girls (in equal proportion) on the upper floor. To overcome the difficulty occasioned by the different widths of school rooms required for the infants and the elder scholars respectively, the spaces occupied by class rooms above are in this case devoted to galleries below. Each gallery for infants is thus enclosed in a recess, and the attention of the occupants concentrated upon the teacher in front without distraction. The introduction of curtains in the positions marked on the plan would practically provide a separate room for each gallery whenever required. In the matter of lighting, and in the arrangement of lavatories and conveniences and playgrounds, and the distribution of fuel to the several fire places, and in other points familiar to school Architects, this design will repay a careful study. The Architect is Mr H. J. Paull, F.R.I.B.A., of Manchester, and 24, Cecil-street, Strand, London. [British Architect 3 April 1874 page 217]

Reference           British Architect 3 April 1874 page 217 and illustration