The New Boy

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 146, 17 March 1934, Page 20

The New Boy

APROPOS of the visit of Mr. Bernard Shaw to New Zealand, the. following story should be of special interest "The best of this story is that every word of it is true. It happened long since, when I was a boy of twelve years attending a private school in Dublin, and yet the whole thing is clear in ..v mind as though it happened yesterday.” writes the Rev. Canon Edward <>nke, in the “Scotsman.” “It was a good school, and one of the undet-masters had a gieat fascination for the boys: he was a clergyman, and bis most popular subject was what he called ‘Scripture.’ . He had about six or eight boys in his Classroom- and he used to give them the choice of what passage each would liki for reading, and the suggestion.that commended itself to his judgment waeliosen. “After ‘rending round/ this lino, scholar gave a few /Fords of critica ornnmnt. and cleared up any difficulties that had occurred to any of us. "One day we had assembled for ‘Scripture,’ but the work did not begin at once, and the teacher told us he was waiting for a new boy, who wno'ing Interviewed by the headmaster; he said this boy was very clever, ami came of a brainy stock, and that his uncle was a Fellow of Trinity College. Dublin, and they were uncertain where to place him in the school.

“Presently the Principal and the new Iboy came in, and the usual introduction was made, and the Head retired.- The new boy was about ten years old, with a long face, a long body, and clothed in a Knickerbocker ■suit of grey tweed; quiet and self-possessed, yet with restless eyes, he seemed to take in the situation at a glance. "Various suggestions were made as to what the reading should be; most were in favour of some part of the Gospel story, a few wanted ‘The Acts.’ and one suggested ‘Revelations.’ The new boy said he would like Genesis xlix. ‘That’s a good choice,’ said Mr. C.; and so we read the whole chapter of thirty-three verses. Some of us had never heard the noble words before, and I don’t think they made much impression on us. Out the new boy asked for explanation of anything he did not understand sVhai's the meaning of “the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power”?’ 'What’s unstable as water?’ .. ‘Who is Shiloh?’ Why was 'ssaehar a strong ass?’ “A few words from Mr. C. made things clear enough for us to see .tie whole dramatic situation of the Patriarch blessing.bi= twelve sons, and die lesson was over. “The new dot and I walked away together after school, and I pumped had just begun to keep rabbits) ; and then I asked him his name. He said, George Bernard Shaw,’"