EARLY SCHOOL DAYS

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 16, 13 October 1933, Page 6

EARLY SCHOOL DAYS

Thorndon Ex-pupils

SOCIAL GATHERING

Three happy hours spent in renewing old acquaintanceships and hearing reminiscences of early days in Wellington were enjoyed by a large gathering at the Lyceum Club last evening, when the Thorndon School Ex-pupils’ Association held a delightful social. Mr. J. Costyn Webb, for 24 years headmaster of the school, and life-member of the association, presided, in the absence of the president, Mr. Frank R. Picot, who Is at present in Auckland. Thorndon, formerly known as the Mowbray School, was the first to be opened in Wellington. Several prominent people have passed through its doors, and last evening two of its earliest pupils, Mr. W. B. Allan, Clareville, aged 86, and Mr. Mark Maxton, Greytown, aged 80, were present, and gave interesting and amusing accounts of the school life. Mr. Allan said that the gathering was called to do honour to the late Mr. W. B. Mowbray, the first schoolmaster, and pay a compliment to the work he did for New Zealand in the early days. Mr. Mowbray, he said, was a great master, and he had made very many good scholars. Mr. Allan said that that day he had been taken for a motor drive about Wellington, and was astonished at the changes he had observed.

Mr. Maxton humorously'spoke of his school experiences, and Mr. Costyn Webb gave an account of the changes made in its history. Musical items were given by the following:—’Cello solo, Miss Maunder; contralto solo, Miss Christine Young; recitations, Mrs. J. K. Edie and Master lan Galloway; songs, Mr. Claude Moss, Mr. K. Tahiwi, and Miss Luke; pianoforte solo, Miss Eileen Roache; duet, Masters I. and J. Galloway.

Among those present were:— Mr. W. B. Allan, Mr. Mark Maxton, Mr. and Mrs. J. Costyn-Webb,' Colonel R. St. J. Beere, Mr. W. J. Melody, Mr. and Mrs. E. Picot, Mr. and Mrs. J. K. Edie, Mr. C. Sanders, Mr. and Mrs. R. McDonald, Mr. and Mrs. H. Paton, Sir. A. Bright, Miss A. Bright, Miss M. Williams, Mr. and Mrs. McKay, Miss Donkin, Mr., Mrs. and Miss McCarthy, Miss G. Bird, Mr. and Mrs. Claude Moss, Mr. and Mrs. A. Luke, Mr. and Mrs. A. Williams, Mr. and Miss Martin, Mrs. M. Armstrong, Misses M., J. and L. Wilson, Misses Conlin. Mrs. Gorman, Mr. H. Bannister, Mrr. Webb, Mr. and Miss Tahiwi, Mr. and Mrs. E. Williams, Mrs. A. Raven, Mrs. and Miss Coldstream, Miss Dimant, Mrs. Geyard, Mrs. G. Grey, Mr. and Mrs. R. Robb, Mr. Parsons, Mr. Widdop, Mr. A. E. Manning, Mrs. Hardie Boys, Mrs. N. Johns, Miss Wallace, Miss E. Brown, Miss Lobb. Mr. Martin. Miss E. Hargreaves, Mrs. Press, Misses McCluggage (3). Mr. C. Parsonage, Mr. and Mrs. N. Galloway, Mr. C. Batt. Miss Freeman, Miss M. R. Sinclair, Mrs. F. Bakewell, Mr. Sutherland, Miss Joan. Maunder, Miss Paton, Mrs. and Miss Gundry, Mrs. Spence. Miss Bodley, Mr. Lang. Miss Withers, Mr. Rivers.- Mr. and Mrs. McCarthy, Mr. Donkin. Miss B. Boyes, Mies E. Moore, Mrs. H. S. Fowler, Mrs. Sherwood, Miss Brown, Mrs. A. Williams, Miss Larkin, Miss Workman, Miss K. Maunder, Mr. Leighton, Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Chitty. Mr. J. J. Costall, 'Mrs. N. Standidge, and Miss E. Williams. ■ An excellent supper was provided by the ladies.