Dedicated To Education In “Wider Sense”

Press, Volume C, Issue 29502, 2 May 1961, Page 2

Dedicated To Education In “Wider Sense”

Miss V. F. Townsend, retiring headmistress of Avonside Girls’ High School, had dedicated her life to education—not to education in the ordinary sense but in a wider interpretation which could only be summed up in the character development and life of the pupils who ha,d passed through the school.

This tribute was paid to Miss Townsend, who has been principal of the school for more than 13 years, by the chairman of the Christchurch Post Primary Schools’ Council (Mr W. J. Cartwright) at a farewell to Miss Townsend last evening.

The work of a fine headmistress was immeasurable in its influence on the advancement of pupils, the school and in the community itself, he said. “I cannot feel that Miss Townsend is retiring from education,” he said. “It seems to me all she is doing tonight is shaking off the shacklee of officialdom. She is starting out on a freer phase of her life’s work and she will now have opportunities for a wider scope in whatever direction she chooses,” he said. Avonside Girls’ High School bgd done its part with the education of able, intelligent girls, said Mr T. Archer, superintendent of the South Island regional office of the Education Department. ‘‘Non-academic" Girls

"But I remember Miss Townsend for her interest in the pupils she calls the ‘nonacademic’ girls,” he said. “It is false to call these pupils ‘reluctant learners’ when they are gifted in other directions, and I thank Miss Townsend and this school for doing as much for these pupils as any school in New Zealand.”

At this school a special counselling service was being tried out and it was clear that the Education Department would not have selected it as a pilot school for this service unless sure of success, he said. Dr. G. Jobbems, chairman of the school board of governors, presided at the ceremony. He paid tribute to Miss Townsend’s fine judgment and said parents held her in affectionate gratitude for what she had done for their daughters. Care of Scholarship Students at the University of Canterbury from Avonside Girls’ High School had been a credit to her. In apologising for the absence of the new vice-chancellor of

the university (Dr. L. L. Pownall), Dr. Jobberns expressed the vice-chancellor’s appreciation for Miss Townsend’s care of scholarship. One of the first duties of a school was the development of the intellectual capacities of those who attended it. “For it is to these pupils we look for leadership,” he said. Old girls of the school appreciated the tremendous capabilities of Miss Townsend, said the president of the

a cheque from the association, old girls of the school and friends of the school. He thanked her for the practical help she had given the parent-teacher association and for her keen encouragement. Miss Townsend said she had always tried to do something for every girl who passed through the school. “This school has meant so much to me that I wanted to give it something back,” she said. Miss Townsend said she came to Avonside Girls’ High School thinking it was a small suburban school. But this was not so. A small fellowship had given her the opportunity to work out a plan of administration and she had been deeply appreciative of the wonderful life the board had given to the school. Christian Foundation

Discussing the tremendous growth of schools, the difficulty of controlling them and the confusing forces confronting pupils. Miss Townsend said she was convinced that the basic need in life was for a Christian foundation. “I am sure this school does what it does because of a fine Christian foundation and will continue that way if this foundation is preserved and cherished,” Miss Townsend said.

MISS TOWNSEND Avonside High School Old Girls’ Association (Mrs R. Creevey). Their good wishes to her were expressed in the hope that she would now have “that elusive thing, spare time,” in which to do whatever she most wanted to do. Presentation The chairman of the school parent-teacher association (Mr A. W. Baxter) presented Miss Towmsend with an electric sewing machine and

A musical programme was presented by .the four house choirs and a special choir. About 500 parents, teachers and old girls of the school attended the ceremony.