A RUGBY NURSERY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 169, 19 July 1930, Page 11

A RUGBY NURSERY.

Cradled Cooke and Gilletf. — Record of Hamilton East.

"WELL ON THE MAP."

There is a primary school in the chief town of tlie butterfat area of Waikato whieli is proud of the fact that it has contributed two notabilities to the Rugby-playing ranks of New Zealand, who were taught their arithmetic at its desks. The scholastic institution referred to is Hamilton East Primary School, and the football stars the writer has in mind are George Gillett and Bert Cooke. Gillett's Rugby preliminary dates back to a time when Hamilton, mainly a tea-tree-covered area, was a very small spot in the geography of New Zealand. The first recollection the writer has of Bert Cooke in Rugby was as a diminutive bare-footed full-back in the primary school reps. Wlien the members of the British team visit Hamilton in a fortnight tliey are to pay a call to Hamilton East. This- promise was made yesterday afternoon, at Frankton Junction by the manager of the tourists to Mr. Charles Speight, the chairman of the Hamilton East School Committee. The school's prominent link with Rugby is forged stronger by the fact that its chairman was an Auckland forward who toured Australia with the New Zealand team of- 1893. So Hamilton East is well on the map.