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Erected at a cost of £68,000 and standing in 23 acres of farmland and gardens, St. Dominic's school for the Deaf, at Feilding, was blessed and officially opened this afternoon by Archbishop T.B. McKeefry, Metropolitan of New Zealand.

A great step forward in what is a unique work of Christian charity and education in New Zealand was taken last Sunday, November 28, with its opening. The additions to the school consist of a splendid new block providing classrooms and dormitories.

There is still much lack of understanding among the general public about the needs of deaf people, says Pat Dugdale, field officer in Wellington for the New Zealand Association of the Deaf.

Lack of access to interpreters means deaf children are missing out on education. There are about 3600 children in the deaf education system, of which about 96 per cent attend mainstream schools. There are just three NZSL educational interpreters working full time with students, meaning most children were missing out.

James Whale can speak as well as any 5-year old but sometimes he lets his hand do the talking. The Wellington boy and his family are among the dwindling number of Kiwis who can use NZSL.

Six months after deaf and hearing-impaired children in the region lost their deaf tutor, problems with the teaching of NZSL continue. "NZSL is not a choice, it's a necessity and we have to give these kids a voice," mother Charmaine Strickland said.

Over 3000 people flocked to St. Dominic's School for the Deaf yesterday afternoon to hear the Catholic Prelate, His Grace Archbishop P.T.B. McKeefry, bless the new building and officially open it.

The team of 17 deaf athletes are farewelled at Kelston School for the Deaf, with official team photos, before leaving for the 10th International Games for the Deaf at Washington D.C.

New Zealand's first official "bilingual" deaf unit attached to a primary school will be opened next week. The unit teaches both NZSL and English. Mr Buchanan, who will head the unit, is one of six deaf teachers teaching the deaf in New Zealand.

If a New Zealand-born person doesn’t speak good English, people are likely to assume such a person is unintelligent. Such an assumption is wrong when the person is born deaf.

St. Dominic's is a mile or so on the Palmerston side of Feilding. Set back across the railway line from the highway is a fine old country mansion framed by trees and lawns. At one side are the former barns and stables, now being used as temporary classrooms. On the other side the builders are busy completing new classrooms for use next year; when these are finished they will begin work on the children's new sleeping quarters adjoining.

Sumner School for Deaf Children has taken an adventurous step by beginning a trial integration of a class of 'hearing' children into the school.

Qualified interpreters are desperately needed to cope with the needs of deaf people in New Zealand.

Nine third-formers, all described as "profoundly deaf", began secondary school this year at Hutt Valley Memorial Technical College.

A group of 44 deaf youngsters from Kelston School for the Deaf take a two-day visit to the Ruapehu snowfields.

"This is the first time we have ever seen deaf children dance to a gramophone" said Dr. Irene Ewing delightedly when with her husband, Dr. A.Ewing, she visited St Dominic's School for the Deaf at Island Bay, Wellington.

Anthony and Christine Walton, both deaf, are recipients of one of the first phonotypes to be installed in the Wellington area.