LAST SCHOOL DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 297, 15 December 1936, Page 3

LAST SCHOOL DAY.

GIRLS' GRAMMAR.

THOSE WHO LEAVE TOO SOON. DR. ROBERTON'S ADVICE. The practice of allowing children up to the age of 10 years to leave school and accept employment was mentioned by Dr. E. Roberton, vice-chairman of the Auckland Grammar School Board, when speaking yesterday at the annual prizegiving of the Auckland Girls' Grammar School. He counselled parents not to be influenced by a feeling of panic induced by the new legislation. Some people thought that the new legislation would prevent children from securing permanent employment if they did. not start before a certain age, said Dr. Roberton, when actually the Government was taking measures to safeguard their position. Professor R. M. Algie, who also spoke, reminded the girls that they should be proud of their country, their school, and their city when they obtained a splendid education to fit them for the future. He recommended that they should remember the words of an old philosopher, who said: "I hope when my race is quite finished, my little grain of sand will be on the pyramid." Prizes were distributed by Dr. Roberton, and the sports trophies by the Mayoress, Mrs. Ernest Davis, who spoke of the necessity of sporting competitions in a school. Bouquets were presented to Mrs. Davis, Miss Johnston and Miss K. V. Edgerley, and cheers were given by the school for visitors and prominent officers. Choral items were sung at intervals during the ceremony. Reporting on the year's activities, Miss E. M. Johnston, the principal, said that the roll number now stood at 527, representing an increase of 14 on the figures for last year. The school would celebrate its golden jubilee in 1938.