No_3_March_and_April__1950 — Page 35

HT HE

Matka

ich ha

T

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THE NEW

QUEEN'S

COLLEGE

STARS

BASEMENT UNDER STAGE

GROUND FLOOR PLAN

MAN SH

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21st May, 1950, saw the commencement of a new era in the history of Queen's College when His Excellency the the Governor, Sir Alexander Grantham, K.C.M.G., laid the foundation stone of their new building at Causeway Bay in the presence of a large and distinguished gathering.

This ceremony marked the culmination of years of effort to obtain suitable accommodation adequate for the needs of this popular institution. Time after time it appeared possible that steps would be taken to provide for a new building, but for various reasons these plans never bore fruition.

Mr. A. H. Crook, Headmaster from 1925 to 1929, said in a recent letter that he remembered a former Governor pointing out to him a site which he considered suitable for the new Queen's College, but that nothing came of it.

The subject of a new school on a new site was referred to by Mr. W. L. Handyside in 1937 as “a matter of routine" and by Mr. F. J. de Rome the following year as "a tradition which I dare not break", adding "I remember in 1922 seeing sketch plans for a new Queen's and a site was prepared; the events of 1925 caused the scheme to be abandoned".

In 1934, Sir Wm. Peel laying the foundation of the Central British School said that he hoped a new Queen's would be "a possibility in the not too distant future". In January 1936, however, Sir Andrew Caldecott presented the prizes and was very pessimistic in his remarks on the subject.

However, persistent efforts in the good cause overcame all obstacles and as a result construction work on the new building is well advanced and the premises should be ready for occupation in October.

Before proceeding with the description of the building, we might mention briefly the history of the College. The Central School, the predecessor of Queen's College, was opened in 1862 under Mr. (later Dr.) Frederick Stewart, M.A.. as Headmaster. No fees could be charged in the early days. The site was later used for Belilios Public School for Girls. On 26th April, 1884, the foundation stone of the building first known as Victoria College and later in 1894 as Queen's College, was laid by H.E. Sir George Bowen. On 10th July, 1889, the Headmaster, Dr. G. H. Bateson Wright, was informed by the

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Colonial Secretary that he was authorised to transfer the school into the new building. The accommodation was at first 924, but was later increased to 1,123. In the nineteen thirties, the number on the register dropped to just over 600.

Playing facilities were given to Queen's College on the present site of the new school in 1897. The whole area border- ing Causeway Bay was known as Queen's (not Queen's College) Recreation Ground. The pavilion was built with money contributed by Old Boys in 1915. It is on this area at the corner of Causeway Road and Tung Lo Wan Road that the new building is being erected.

The college building will be a two-storey structure and set in grounds, 94,600 sq. ft. in area, ample enough to accom- modate three basketball courts, a volley ball court and space for future gymnasium, canteen, etc. Another provision that has been allowed for is the car park fronting on the Causeway Road for which purpose the building has been set back forty feet from the main road. The overall length of the building will be almost 500 feet and its maximum width 250 feet.

The main section of the ground floor consists of an assembly hall, seating 900 persons, which will be fully equipped with full-sized stage and dressing rooms. A refresh- ment hall and tuck shop is also provided for as part of this hall.

In addition to the ten class-rooms which form the centre part of the ground floor of the building, there will be a room for medical inspection and visitors, a general office with a large store attached, a room for the Headmaster, two sitting rooms for male staff and one for female staff. In the wing extended from the centre portion of the building there will be a biology laboratory, a geography room and an art room; the cloakrooms and lavatories are placed at the extreme south end of the building. On the upper floor are fourteen additional class-rooms, a prefect assembly room and a science demon- stration room. In the south-west wing over the biology labora- tory will be placed a fully equipped chemistry laboratory and a physics laboratory with a preparation room between.

The extended shape of the building and the orientation of the site presented the architects with the unusual problem of preventing too much sunlight entering into the class-rooms. This difficulty was overcome by an effort comparatively new to Hong Kong of using special glass blocks above the windows which reflect the light to the ceilings of the rooms, thus reducing the glare, and improving the general illumination by diffusion of the light.

The windows themselves on the west side are shaded by an open corridor which provides access to the class-rooms and acts as a canopy to the windows.

Provision has been made in the design of the building for the future extension, consisting of a gymnasium and changing rooms, a library and a canteen for mid-day meals. However, until this extension is proceeded with, the boys' cloak room shown on the ground floor plan at the extreme south end of the building will be temporarily converted into a changing room complete with showers.

The main entrance for staff and visitors will be on Causeway Bay Road, but to reduce the danger from traffic the pupils' entrance will be on Tung Lo Wan Road,

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