WAITAKI HIGH SCHOOL

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22795, 22 August 1939, Page 10

WAITAKI HIGH SCHOOL

-— l —♦ —— OLD BOYS’ ANNUAL . DINNER ** : CHRISTCHURCH BRANCH’S REUNION Tributes to the service giver* to education *in New Zealand by the Rector of -Waitaki Boys’ High School (Mr F. Milner) formed part of the speeches at the annual (dinner last night of the Christchurch' branch of ’the Waitaki High School Old Boys’ Association. The dinner; Which was the sixteenth held by the branch, was at Coker’s Hotel. There was an attendance of about 36 old boys. Regret was expressed that Mr Milner would retire next year, and high praise was given to his work for education and particularly for the school. The president of the branch (Mr E. T, Beaven)- was in the, chair. In proposing the toast of "The School,” Dr. A. L. Haslam expressed the gratitude of old boys to Mr Milner for having come from Oamaru to attend the function. Mr Milner, he commented, had always understood the frailties of schoolboys, and this knowledge’had never deserted him. Replying to the toast, the president of the Dominion executive of the association (Mr R. H. Hill) appealed to old boys to continue to give their support to the .school which, he said, had the reputation of being the bestequipped school in New Zealand or Austrsli&i . . Mr Milner proposed the toast of "Old Boys and Professions.” The school had been established some 56 years ago in very happy circumstances, he said, and he had always felt grateful to the prescience of the founders, Affection for the - school was a real factor in the mentality of old boys that was not just sentimental idealism of the days of bid. He said that the professions had received very hue conteVwxtions from Waitaki. "Whatever profession I think of I can always single out old Waitakians adorning , it,” he added. "Intellectually the school is justified, nor is its sport deteriorating." Replies to the toast were made by :Dr.: P. A- Ardagh and Messrs:. A. Thomas and R. Guthrle/represqnting bid-' boys from 1901 to .1914, 1914 to 1926, and 1928 to 1939, respectively; and by the following on behalf of the professions: , Messrs A. T. -Bell (legal), A. E. Bartrum (commerce),' H, Wilkinson (primary Industries), and C. S. Peate (engineering), and Dr. Ardagh (medical). Recitations ;were ; given ,by Mr CV Rbmeril.Ahd Mr G. E. Ridgen sang.