GRAMMAR SCHOOL'S RECORD.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 87, 12 April 1918, Page 4

GRAMMAR SCHOOL'S RECORD.

ALLEGED INVIDIOUS COMPARISON Some of Mr. V. J. Larner's remarks at I the King's College prize-giving this week were strongly resented by Mr. R. J. Gwynne, retiring president of tbe Auckland Grammar School Old Boys' Association, in a short valedictory speech at the annual meeting of that body last | night. I He could not vacate office, said Mr. Gwynne, without expressing his disapproval of the opinions expressed by Mr. V. J. Lamer at a gathering in connection with another school in support of an appeal for funds for the latter. Mr. Lamer had said that the principal city of the Dominion had no school that could compare with Christ's College or Wanganui College. This, he felt, was a distinct reflection on the Auckland Grammar School, which in scholarship and athletics alike could bear comparison with any school in the Empire. Indeed, he could fairly claim that, judged by such standards, it was second to none. It had produced more Rhodes scholars than any other school in the Dominion. In rifle shooting its boys had shown their superiority in comj petition with others from all parts of the Empire, and its old boys were worth- , ily upholding the traditions of the school in the firing line. The first New Zeai lander to win the Victoria Cross in the . present war was an old boy of the school, ' and its roll of honour showed numbers |of decorations for bravery. Bishop Averill, at tbe same gathering, had said j , that a school should minister to the j whole boy—body, mind and spirit. This i was the training which the Auckland- | Grammar School had given for the past : half-century. Not all its boys had been the sons of tbe wealthy, but none of them had found their public school education a drawback. Many of them were now numbered among the leading citi- ; zens of Auckland, and Mr. Larner's re--1 marks were a reflection on them as well as on their old school. He was not dealing with the question of religious teaching in school, added Mr. Gwynne, but he would remark that many of the masters of the Grammar School had been men in holy orders, and some reflection was cast on them by the remarks that had been made. MR. LARNER'S REPLY. REMARKS MISCONSTRUED. j. On the subject of Mr. Gwynne's remarks, Mr. Lamer made tbe following j statement this morning:— I "I was amazed to find that any remarks of mine at the King's College function on Tuesday last could be construed into a disparagement of the Grammar > School. In common with other citizens of Auckland, I have the createst adtnira-! tion for the scholastic achievements of its jboys, who have created a record and tra-i Idition unrivalled in the Dominion. This is so widely known to need no comment.! Still, I stand to every word I spoke, for the fact remains that Auckland has no ; school of the particular type of Christ's College and Wanganui, .which are distinguished from our own Grammar School by two mark6 —they are boarding schools, and both on a religious foundation. The I two types are quite distinct; they are I not comparable, are hot in conflict, but jare surely complementary. Just as in j Christchurch there is room for both the iHigh School and tbe College, so in Auckland there is room for both the Grammar j School and King's College- I regret the .misunderstanding. Some of my closest friends, some of my fellow members on the King's College Board, men for whom I have the highest regard and esteem, are old Grammar School boys. They could not understand my attitude, but others may. Hence this explanation." i Cabled advice has been received by the Minister of Defence that one of the New .Zealand hospital ships, which is outward bound from New Zealand, has leached a [port of call, all weQ. j