With Auchinraith School opening in 1900, a year later the Blantyre School Board were still finding snags to do with the construction and not being happy convened a meeting to discuss remedial.
The Committee discussed the proposal to protect the windows, after the large panes of glass proved a suitable target for boys and stones. Numerous breakages had already happened and the committee thought a wire mesh may be suitable to put over the windows. However, when it was realised the mesh would have to be so small and heavy and likely rust, it was decided that leaving the windows exposed would be the best option to continue letting light into the building.
Next up, was the condition of the boys toilets. Partitions in the closets were already giving way, the stalls collapsing. The bricks in the urinals were also falling out. The Board heard this with astonishment that only after a year since being built, these things were happening. It was found that the iron standard sunk into the cement, weren’t deep enough and did not conform to the construction plans. Mr James Kelly had already seen a contractor about fixing this.
Finally, the condition of the playground was raised. It hadn’t been rolled properly, nor bottomed out properly. The result? Stones protruding from the surfaced in the opinion of the Board, the playground hadn’t been constructed properly. Children couldn’t play in certain areas and grass could be seen growing in those areas. £75 would have to be spent to make things right, a considerable sum at the time. The contractor had revisited the site and agreed that rolling it again should make it good.
