GRAMMAR SCHOOL JUBILEE.!

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 199, 22 August 1919, Page 7

GRAMMAR SCHOOL JUBILEE.!

OLD BOYS' REDTBTIOW. A BIRTHDAY GIFT. | SCHOOL'S ADIIERENCE TO CHARTER. \ i The Old Boys' reunion in the school hall last night was instinct with enbhusiam and fellowship, the old boys, from j | greybeards of the past to the smooth- ! cheeked lads just entering post-school 'life, comfortably filling the big assembly . ' chamber of the school. It was noticeI able that many of those present wore j the badges proclaiming the fact that I they had been in the fighting line over- i I seas. The president, .Mr. J. W. Wise- 1 , 'man, in his opening remarks mentioned ! that close on 300 of the school's old ' boys had died in the war, and on his i motion, a resolution was passed express- I ing the heartfelt sympathy of the (ham- i mar Old Boys with the bereaved pai cuts and relatives, and appreciation of the j manner in which their boys had fought ! ' and died for King and Country. j | Messages of fraternal congratulations I I were read from many old boys in various ' parts of the Dominion, while on the , platform were representatives from , j other Xew Zealand colleges. I | The first speaker of the evening was ! Professor A. P. W. Thomas, chairman of i the Board of Governors, who dwelt humorously on the tribulations and trials ! of the Board in endeavouring to get all I the assistance from the State and educational authorities which it deserved, i 'Die professor went on to say, amid ap- j plause, that as the school had attained i jits fiftieth birthday, he deemed it appropriate to make it a little birthday gift. . jln the days to come he had no doubt the i 'fine hall they were in would be decorated j and he endeavoured to help by presenti ing a dozen pictures. Along one side ihad been hung six coloured photographic j reproductions of six famous frescoes in ' the House of Commons, relating to i historic scenes of educational interest |in the history of the nation, while on i the other side were six reproductions of

frescoes in the -Royal Exchange, London, depicting scenes in the nation's commer- i cial history. The announcement was received with thunderous applause. " THE SAME, OXLY MORE SO." Tiie next speaker was the headmaster, Mr. .1. W. Tibbs, who was received tumultuously, the big gathering rising and according him three rousing cheers. Mr. j Tibbs prefaced his remarks by expressing to Professor Thomas the warmest thanks of the school for his valuable 'jubilee gift of pictures. The school j owed much to the Professor for his long and great services to it, and few realised 'their value and the time and attention ihe had given to the welfare of the instijtution. (Loud applause.) He hoped the old boys would imitate the good cx- ! ample set by Professor Thomas in his I valuable and interesting gift. (Hear, ; hear.) The speaker, after referring in I appreciative terms to the work of his I predecessors, went on to discuss several ' matters touching the school of interest jto its old boys. Eor instance, some had asked: "Is the school the same to-day 'as it was?" His reply was, "Yes. it is i the same, only more so." It had always been the same school for the people. Its charter was the same now as I originally. Tn 1904 the Right ' Hon. K. J. Seddon gave the endowed schools the choice of either givI ing a number of scholarships annually jin proportion to their endowments, or of I opening their doors wide to all whom I the State deemed worthy of free places. j Many governing bodies haggled with tiie Government, but the Auckland Grammar School, true to its traditions, dej eided to choose the second alternative, land, in the words of Mr. Seddon. said: "Let them all come." A glance at the I school's honours hoard proved how the I school had been rewarded for remaining true to its traditions. (Loud applause.) j Referring to the war memorial, Mr. 1 Ti'bbs urged again the giving of thought, not so much to utilitarianism as to the j honouring in spirit and expression, I the -Treat trift of those dead old bow

who had laid down their lives for their country. The memorial should he approached in the spirit in which the woman in the Xew Testament annointed her Master's feet with costly spikenhard. She gave her best to honour her Master. (Prolonged applause.) The Hon. G. J. Garland, as a member of the Board of Governors, expressed thanks to Professor Thomas for his handsale gift t the school, and made brief appreciative reference to the deep debt of gratitude the school owed its headmaster. Mr. J. Stanton, as an old boy, appealed to the old boys to give liberally towards the memorial fund. It was proposed to raise £3.000, and as "Wellington College, which boasted nothing like the traditions of the Grammar School, proposed to raise a similar amount, there should !be no difficulty experienced in raising a worthy memorial without the help of State or* Board subsidy. Already £800 'had been promised in sums varying from £30 to £23, and he believed every old boy would gladly contribute. (Hear. I hear.) \ The speeches were interspersed with voca] and instrumental items, all contributed by old boys, a very pleasant evenI ing being rounded off with refreshments | and general social intercourse.