Technical College Begins Its Jubilee Celebrations

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28080, 22 September 1956, Page 2

Technical College Begins Its Jubilee Celebrations

“The development of technology is proceeding apace. The point has been reached where we will have to decide which classes will be attached to the universities and which to the technical colleges. Quite a number of our classes are equal to stage 1 at university,” said a former principal of the Christchurch Technical College (Dr. D. E. Hansen) at the opening of the college’s golden, jubilee celebrations yesterday.

More than 1000 old pupils and their friends and relatives attended the opening, at which the chairman of the board of governors (Mr J. E. Jones) presided. Among the guests were at least 10 old pupils who enrolled on the college s opening day in 1906. The academic side of life had to be co-ordinated with the technical side, said Mr Jones. There was a very great future in technical education, which would increase with the migration to New Zealand of tradesmen. The college had always had a good record in sport, and a former pupil would go to the Olympic Games in November, he said. “You will revive many memories—those youthful memories that seem to become keener as the years go,” said the principal (Mr D. W. Lyall). “The spirit of the school hasn’t changed with the passing of the years. “You will invariably find that the pupils of 1956 are inferior to those of your decade; but you will still find them very good indeed. They will agree—if they do agree would they signify the same with a round of applause,” said Mr Lyall. The present pupils of the college clapped heartily. “That, you will agree.” continued Mr Lyall, “is a very great weight of opinion.

“We would like you to know how much we appreciate your coming. The school is at yout disposal.” said Mr Lyall. Room 16, where assembly used to be held, had seating for 60 pupils and always had some seats empty in the early days of the college, said Dr. Hansen. “The room had been known as room L, but was changed as the staff thought it wasn't proper to tell a pupil, ‘Now you go to L,’” said Dr. Hansen.

In its early days the college had about an acre of ground, where it now had four, and had been dominated by the buildings of the old East Christchurch School, Dr. Hansen said. About 1934 Papanui Technical High School was built to relieve some of the pressure on the technical college. Throughout the roofns of the college are displays of pupils’ work ranging

from studies in biology to engineering and woodwork displays. A display of photographs of past pupils and members of the staff attracted a great deal of attention yesterday.

Last evening a conversazione was held in the college hall. The hall was not large enough to hold all who attended, the total number of whom was more than 1100. A three-tiered cake, its top tier a model of the college as it was in 1912, stood on the platform. It will be cut today by Mrs I. M. Pratt (formerly Miss Isobella Stapleton), a first-day pupil. Pieces of the cake will be distributed to those former pupils present. Besides renewing old friendships, former pupils had an opportunity to examine the expansion of the school, and the work of the present pupils. Some of the persons present had come from North Auckland and Dunedin. During the jubilee celebrations a competition will be held to determine which former pupil has the greatest number of descendants who are present or past pupils of the college. A challenge was issued by the Alexander family, which claimed to have had 12 children at the college. The celebration will last until September 29. They will include the official opening of the old pupils’ club rooms this afternoon, and a jubilee dinner this evening; a church service at the college tomorrow; a ball on Monday; and on Thursday and Saturday the presentation of the annual concert in the Civic Theatre.