SURPRISE PARTY

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 69, 15 December 1931, Page 5

SURPRISE PARTY

Presentation to Mr. J. B. Hopkirk An enjoyable evening was spent recently when many former teachers of the Brooklyn School met to do honour to Mr. J. B. Hopkirk on the occasion of his retirement. The gathering took the form of a surprise party, and there was no question as to the genuineness of the surprise when a bus-load of exteachers arrived at the residence of Mr. Hopkirk at Waiwetu, Lower Hutt A warm welcome was given to all by Mr. and Mrs. Hopkirk. A happy time was spent with music and competitions.

A handsome brass standard lamp and a barometer were presented to Mr. Hopkirk by Miss Eva Holm, who spoke of the many kindnesses received by teachers in past years from him and Mrs. Hopkirk, and paid tribute to his fine qualities as a headmaster. Letters and messages from former Brooklyn teachers in all parts of the Dominion were read, all containing sentiments of goodwill and gratitude. Mr. Hopkirk, in replying, said how pleased and touched he was to see so many old friends who had been members of his staff and that he would always remember the happy reunion of that evening. He said that he had spent more than thirty years as headmaster of the Brooklyn School, and was proud to see, in the faces before him, representatives of every one of those years.

Among those present were: Mr. and Mrs. Stevens, Mr. and Mrs. W. 11. B. Britton, Mrs. Yaldwyn. Mrs. Look, Mrs'. Saunders. Misses E. .T. O’Connor, G. Wheeler, J. Howden, Gleed, Thompson, Hitchings, Jean O’Connor, Coster, Tolley, E. Holm, and Messrs. Bowie, Manning, Hamlyn, Whitehead, and Lambert.