OBITUARY

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27471, 4 October 1954, Page 2

OBITUARY

MISS D. R. CRUMPTON Miss Dorothy Rangi Crumpton, director of the Risingholme Commun*.ty Centre for the last seven years, died m Christchurch on Saturday afternoon. Although she had been in indifferent health for some months she waj.criticaHy ill for a very short time Miss Crumpton was born in Reefton and was educated there and at Nelson Glr , ls _ College, the Wellington Teachers College and Victoria University College. She taught in the Wellington district, m Hastings and at the Napier Intermediate School. In 1938, she became head teacher of the Turiroa School, near Wairoa. There, during the years of war, Miss Crumpton worked tirelessly as organiser of the Womens War Service Auxiliary. She co-ordinated patriotic work throughout a large and scattered district and gave wise leadership to the younger Maori people, who remember her with affection.

Miss Crumpton’s next post was in Invercargill, where she was senior assistant mistress at Tweedsmuir Intermediate School for four years. She came from there to Christchurch. Miss Crumpton played basketball, tennis and golf and was an original member of the New Zealand Basketball Association. At the request of the Edu?®tlon Department she prepared a film illustrating coaching and technique in the game.

I In 1947, Miss Crumpton was ap- ■ pointed director of the Risingholme • Community Centre at a time when its ' development had hardly gone beyond the experimental stage, for it was the I first in New Zealand to be established . in one of the larger cities and there , were few precedents to guide those charged with making it a useful institution m the city. However, her iniuative, tact and sense of leadership and her capacity for work soon showed her suitability for the position, with the result that the centre is now providing educational and recreational facilities for many groups ranging from pre-school children to adults. Though involved in all the activities of the centre, Miss Crumpton was particularly interested in the young people’s group numbering about 120. and she sought many avenues to find the best means for them to occupy their leisure time. She also did much for the pottery group and became very expert in this craft. Her work in training both children and adults for play production had particularly good results and just before the time of S^le had been busy training children for the production of a Christmas play. During her term of service Miss Crumpton play-ed no small part in the expansion of the centre’s buildings and a hall and two fine craft rooms have been built, largely by members themselves, and money has been raised for their equipment. Always tolerant and sympathetic and always ready to help individuals in developing their ideas, she was held in affectionate regard by all with whom she came in contact, and her death removes an outstanding personality whose selfless work for the community will be long remembered.