THE JUBILEE OF THE AUCKLAND GRAMMAR SCHOOL

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 197, 20 August 1919, Page 9

THE JUBILEE OF THE AUCKLAND GRAMMAR SCHOOL

and barricaded himself in the building.' other members wen- to be chosen by the This sensational form of protest had the members of tlie General Assembly * resieffeiit of Bnding: a resting phu-e. for ttu> dent in the Auckland district, while :i school in the building- known a< the c-ivii- connection was effected by making District Court, in Eden Street, later used the Mayor of the city an ex-ouicio mernlor University purposes, the migration ber. The first Hoard of Governors under taking- on July S, IS7S. The ac- this Act consisted of Mr. II: Brett (as commoda.ti.on here was. 'however, insuf- Mayor of the city), Mr. D. L. Murdock, tteient to house the -whole establishment, Mr. <;. M. (afterwards Sir Maurice 1 part of Which had to he quartered in tiie O'Rorkc. and Captain Heale, elected by old Maori chapel in Parliament Street, the Assembly members, Judge Gillies, and a. third part in St. Andrew's School, Colonel Haultain and Dr. (afterwards Sir Symonds Street. John Logan) Campbell, elected by the THE SYMONDS STRFET "HOME"' I Jioa "" d "•' Education. A later Act in ISSO Sir George Grey came to the rescue of * aye th« University of New Zealand also the young school"in its unhappy state of representation on the Board, the first division. He Premier of the Colony appointed by the Senate being at the time, and got a Parliameiuarv. fr ; F ' M " B ? K * fl ' l * UIC Rev ' >Ir ' grant passed of £5,000 for the purpose! Np,son - and ilr - " T - A - lolp -

of erecting a new building. This smnj NOTABLE PROGRESS, was supplemented by about £.1.1)00 out of j From tho time the school became the Grammar School Fund*, and in IST!' housed in ite own buildings in Pymonda the building in Symonds Street was putjStrvet it entered on an unchecked up. This school house was opened by c:ircor of progre-.s. In ISS'2 Mr. C. F. Sir George Grey on February 5, ISSO. and ; Bourne was appointed headmaster, ani here the Grammar School. after a ten vcars later the present lie.a.l of the chequered wandering of eleven years! iscbool. Mr. .T. VT. Tibhs. M.A.. who ihad round a secure home, the main drawback; held the position of mathematics master,

present boys can Ik , ju-tly proud. The Auckland Grammar School is so closely a ptLrt of the i-itys life, and s,i liiajiy of oitr citizens look to it with affection as the cradle of their civic ambit-ions and personal siifcess, that its ennw is a mutter of general interest suid concern, iv the p;ust it lias [lerfonued a. noble s.-r----vice to the fomnninity, in tin , jvrvsont it ft'iYta ])r.->mise of still further enhancing .a iiotablp ward, ami tihe future- glows I radiantly with the curtainty of well won Idignity and increa.*ing uKcfubw'bs. The Old Boy-s' Association lias done mucli in maiirtaining the fraternal spirit amiing former pupils of the-, wvtiool. and when the war broke out. and huiKlTed.s of them volunteered loft for front, the association kept in touch wrtli its tiglit-in-g men, tuid was able to r<»c>>ril many a glorious dee<i of courage ami sclf-sa.cn-lice on the field. No fewer than seventeen of the masters of the school n'so responded to the call, five of them laying down their lives, while the toll on old boys wus heavy. The school's r.>ll of honour is indeed a spK>ndi.l memorial to th<» devotion of ite in obeying the call iit King and country.

enforced the eurrender of the Albert Barracks. The "Star" of that dale p,es on to say: "Mesers. O'Rorke and Brett stnmply protested against the course which had been pursued by their colleagues in <he Board in .retaining possession of the building after an honourable understanding had been arrived at for the relinquisliinent of possession. In pursuance of the resolution for claiming a fortnight's holiday the secretary of the Hoard of Governors, .Mr. James, was instructed to proceed immediately to the Grammar School by ii". Campbell, and inform the headmaster of the decision that had been come to, which ho did. The hoys present were then informed that the school would dose for the'holidays from this (FridayI evening , , and subsequently the school was clo.-ed in the usual manner."

The two l.uilitT* who held possession for the Improvement Commie*ioncra appear to have neglected some of the pro-i-ii lit ions which to have bwn observed iiinler Mich circumstances,' letivin? an opportunity which the heudmuster

BX'izod a stone aJid commenced to hammer away at the door, a proceeding which caused the garrison, eonsiaitutg of ilr. Macrae and an old man, who is usually employed -about the building, to bawl out lustily "Police! Police!' , The police, who are housed in buildings adjacent to tin- spot w-ere alarmed by the outcry, and proceeded to the spot. Sub-Inspec-tor i'ardy and Sergeant being amoiiLTst the first to arrive. Mr. Macrae's alarm was thus allayed, and the two baiHlT.s, like sensible men, retired from the ground to report to their principak."

The following day. Mr. Brett., after vainly requesting the 'headmaster to open the doors, ordered the front door to be broken in in the name of the Board of <Governors. The garrison was not reduced, however, without some re-t-istam-e on the part of its rank and file, while one or two or the elder boys also joined in the issue, on 't.he side of their master. Ultimately, however. Mr. Macrae called the boys together outside and dismissed them,'and the baiHlTs resumed complete possession of the build-