OBITUARY Mr L. F. de Berry Gave Wide Service

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31729, 12 July 1968, Page 10

OBITUARY Mr L. F. de Berry Gave Wide Service

Mr Leonard Frederick de Berry, who had three careers —as a schoolmaster, as a festival music organiser, and as an adult education teacher—died in Christchurch yesterday at the age of 87.

The rare tribute of a choral service in Christchurch Cathedral, conducted by the Dean (the Very Rev. M. L. Underhill), the former Bishop (the Rt Rev. A. K. Warren), and his former vicar (the Rev. J. F. Feron) will be paid at 1.15 p.m. on Monday, before the funeral.

Mr de Berry was born tn Feilding, and was educated at the Greymouth District High School. He then studied at Victoria University College and Otago University to take a master of arts degree and diploma in education. Practically the whole of his teaching career was as a headmaster—at Ahaura in 1901, Cobden in 1904, the district high schools at Hokitika in 1911 and Marton in 1918, the Central Palmerston North School in 1921, Dunedin Normal in 1928 and West Christchurch District High School from 1931 to 1935. Mr de Berry then worked at the Correspondence School in Wellington but returned to

Christchurch to take charge of St Mark’s Open Air Day School In Opawa from 1940 to 1946.

Mr de Berry had the unusual distinction of holding the top gradings—l on the primary scale and A on the secondary scale—at the same time. He was president in

1917 of the New Zealand Educational Institute, in which he was a conference representative for 25 years, and president of the New Zealand Primary Headmasters’ Association in 1930 and of many district educational bodies wherever he taught. In 52 years of teaching, Mr

de Berry never lost a day through illness. He was an expert on district high schools, started the first Christchurch intermediate department at West Christchurch, wrote a report on school furniture which led to the general adoption of tables and chairs instead of desks, and also wrote textbooks on spelling, English and geography. In the last 20 years Mr de Berry directed or lectured at dozens of W.E.A. summer schools and for many years conducted a notable W.E.A. class on creative writing. Mr de Berry was active in competitions, musical, and repertory societies wherever he lived. He was a former chairman of the Royal Christchurch Musical Society, organised many of 'its visits to other centres, and was elected a life member.

Then began his notable efforts in combined musical events. He was a founder and secretary of the Christchurch Civic Music Council from 1941, and organised music for the Canterbury centennial celebrations, provincial towns festivals, Royal visits, and other notable occasions. He was also secretary for Dominion brass bands’ contests in 1956 and 1960. Mr de Berry retired from office in the Music Council in 1964 but continued to support all these activities. He was awarded the King George V Coronation Medal in 1935 and the 0.8. E. in 1963.