90-YEARS-OLD YESTERDAY

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28821, 16 February 1959, Page 7

90-YEARS-OLD YESTERDAY

Former Teacher, Administrator Mr C. T. Aschman, gave long and distinguished service to education as a teacher, an instructor of new teacher trainees, and an administrator in Christchurch, celebrated his ninetieth birthday yesterday. More than 35 persons—including many former education associates and pupils, called at Mr Aschman’s home in Gracefield avenue yesterday. Among the callers was one of his closest friends. Sir Arthur Sims, who with Lady Sims arrived in New Zealand only yesterday. As well as the frequent callers, he received numerous telephone calk, including one from his son in Hobart (Mr G. T. Aschman), and nearly 30 telegrams. Mr Aschman began his career in education when as a lad of 13 years 10 months he was appointed a pupil-teacher of standard six at the Lyttelton School. Most of his teaching career was spent at the Normal School in Christchurch, where he was on the staff for 32 years—about 20 as headmaster. Mr Aschman has almost the longest record of service on the Canterbury University College Council. During his 27 years as a member he was ehairman of all the standing committees and chairman of the council from 1932 to 1938. For 12 years he represented the college on the board of Canterbury Agricultural College and bad been chairman for two years when he retired in 1950. He was awarded the 0.8. E. in 1946. Mr Aschman was a member of the Waimakariri Trust Board, the Wheat Research Institute and a foundation-member of the Canterbury Progress League. A prominent official in sport years ago, Mr Aschman takes an interest in rowing, lawn tennis, boxing and swimming.