TEACHER RETIRING

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 68, 13 December 1938, Page 15

TEACHER RETIRING

Headmaster of Newtown

School

PRESENTATION .MADE

■Members of tile Newtown School

Committee and the Parents’ Assoeta i,ion. residents of tlie district and members of tire stall of the school met last night to bid farewell to the headmaster, Mr. W. .Hickson, who is retiring al the end of Hie year after long service in schools in England and in New Zealand. Mr. Hickson lias been headmaster of the Newtown School since 1932 and at last night's gathering at the school general regret was expressed that, because of indifferent health', be had not been able to postpone bis retirement I ill he could have had at least a year in the new school for which lie had worked so hard. The chairman of the school committee, Mr. W. B. Bradley, presided, and among the guests, in addition to Mr. and Mrs. Hickson and Master Peter Hickson, were tire M.P. for the district, Mr. McKeen, and Mrs. McKeen, and Mr. C. H. IV. Nicholls, representing the Wellington Education Board. Messrs. J. J. Clark ami L. J. McDonald. two other members of the board, were also present.

Mr. Hickson was presented with an antique crystal decanter. Mrs. Hickson receiving a handbag, and their sou a fountain pen.

In making the presentation, MrBradley referred to the regret everyone felt that Mr. Hickson should be retiring on the eve of the opening of the new school. It was a well-earned retirement, however, and Mr. and Mrs. Hickson would carry with (Item to Auckland the best wishes of all for their future welfare and happiness. Since its foundation in 1579, the school had had many able headmasters and not the least of them was Mr, Hickson, said Mr. J. Fyfe. The success of the school, jubilee in 1934 had been largely the result of Mr. Hickson’s powers of organization and lias interest in the hospital side school ami the Otaki Health Camp were well known. Mr. Fyfe welcomed Mr. I. Hubbard, the new headmaster and assured him of the utmost help and co-operation from the committee. Mr. McKeen referred to Mr. Hickson’s popularity among his staff and the parents and wished him many years of well-earned rest.

The good wishes of the education board were conveyed by Mr. Nicholls, who apologized for tlie absence of the chairman of the board, Mr. W. V. Dyer. Headmaster's Reply. Replying, Mr. Hickson said that the whole period of six years ami a half at. Newtown had been marked by tlie happiest of relations with the staff and the parents. Only in this way had he been able to continue, without, flagging, the work lie had had in mind. He said he owed much to a sympathetic committee, and he was sure tlie same generous help would be accorded his successor.

Constantly-changing staff bad made his work more difficult, continued Mr. Hickson, and in tlie six years and a half there had been no fewer Ilian 11l different teachers. The Minister of Education, Mr. Fraser, was to be complimented on his effort in the new salary scale to stop such constant changes.. On behalf of himself, Mrs. Hickson and their son, Mr. Hickson thanked the gathering for the gifts and said he deeply appreciated the kindly references made to himself and his wife. Items were given by the following:— Piano-accordion duets and piano-accor-dion and saxophone duets, Messrs. J. Bradley and A. Heppelston ; song, Mrs. H. Dunn; duet, Mesdames H. Dunn and P. M. Jackson; songs, Miss A. Gilpin; duet, Mr, and Mrs. 11. Dunn ; song, Mrs. P. M. Jackson; musical monologues, Miss S. Phillips. After supper, provided by the women members of the two organizations, the gathering dispersed after the singing of Auld La'ng Syne and the National Anthem.