Page 39 - The Gonzaga Record 1985
P. 39
science buildings. That would have to wait for some future year. So a compromise
had to be made to erect temporary, prefabricated laboratories, however one might
deplore such ad hoc solutions. The equipment alone for the new laboratories would
entail a heavy financial outlay.
Once again there was a meeting of parents to discuss the erection of these
prefabricated laboratories. There were some architects amongst the parents, so
their advice was eagerly sought. But a curious fact emerged. The first and most
natural question raised was, 'what can one reasonably expect the life-span of a
prefabricated building to be?' Strangely, nobody could answer the question with
any confidence. It appeared that prefabs had only come into existence after the
Second World War, which was not all that far away at the time. Only one thing
seemed to be well known about prefabs: from the time they were put up, one was
battling with maintenance problems. Roofs leaked, walls were easily damaged in
the rough and tumble of a school situation, and painting was a constant and
growingly expensive necessity.
Since prefabs are unsightly, they were placed where they would draw least
attention to themselves. Between the south of the school and the Milltown Park
garden there was a enclosed area called the Rose Garden. It actually was a rose
garden, though few people ever spent much time in it. It was conveniently screened
off by trees and shrubs both from the front of the school, and from the Junior
playing fields at the back. Here in 1972 prefabricated laboratories for physics and
chemistry were erected. A space was left for an addition of a biology laboratory if
Si xth Year. 1970
Back row: Michael O'Malley, Eddie Lewi s, Mark Mathews, Philip Mahony, John Healy, Kevin Cross, Frank Russell
Murphy
Fro111 row: Derek Mathews. Philip McDonagh. Kieran Geoghegan, Fr White SJ, John Curran. Justin Carroll. Brian Kenny
31
had to be made to erect temporary, prefabricated laboratories, however one might
deplore such ad hoc solutions. The equipment alone for the new laboratories would
entail a heavy financial outlay.
Once again there was a meeting of parents to discuss the erection of these
prefabricated laboratories. There were some architects amongst the parents, so
their advice was eagerly sought. But a curious fact emerged. The first and most
natural question raised was, 'what can one reasonably expect the life-span of a
prefabricated building to be?' Strangely, nobody could answer the question with
any confidence. It appeared that prefabs had only come into existence after the
Second World War, which was not all that far away at the time. Only one thing
seemed to be well known about prefabs: from the time they were put up, one was
battling with maintenance problems. Roofs leaked, walls were easily damaged in
the rough and tumble of a school situation, and painting was a constant and
growingly expensive necessity.
Since prefabs are unsightly, they were placed where they would draw least
attention to themselves. Between the south of the school and the Milltown Park
garden there was a enclosed area called the Rose Garden. It actually was a rose
garden, though few people ever spent much time in it. It was conveniently screened
off by trees and shrubs both from the front of the school, and from the Junior
playing fields at the back. Here in 1972 prefabricated laboratories for physics and
chemistry were erected. A space was left for an addition of a biology laboratory if
Si xth Year. 1970
Back row: Michael O'Malley, Eddie Lewi s, Mark Mathews, Philip Mahony, John Healy, Kevin Cross, Frank Russell
Murphy
Fro111 row: Derek Mathews. Philip McDonagh. Kieran Geoghegan, Fr White SJ, John Curran. Justin Carroll. Brian Kenny
31
