OLD BOYS MEET

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 35, 10 August 1925, Page 5

OLD BOYS MEET

SUCCESSFUL COMBINED

RE-UNION.

Enthusiasm was the keynote of a combined re-union held at Gamble and Creed s rooms, Lambton quay, on Saturday evening, of old boys and the former and present headmasters of the various colleges and high schools of the Dominion. Many of those, present had come to- Wellington to see the inter-college football tournament at present in progress, and the evening's talk turned, largely on the subject of forming a combined old boys' association. Dr. J. Elliott, president of the Wellington College. Old Boys' Association, was in tho chair, and Mr. M. Denniston acted as toastmaster.

Mr. Walter Bethune, in proposing the toast of the "Headmasterß," said that the primary function of headmasters wag to build up the character of the boy» under their control, and he thought that New Zealand had beeii particularly fortunate in the stamp of men given th» task. The present headmasters wer» carrying on the splendid work of the old headmasters, and it was for the old boys to do their best to help their former schools. ' -

Father Gilbert (St. Patrick's College) said that he thought that the organisation- of -one big old boys' association would be of great service to the Bchools, and would bring about a better public spirit.

The toast of the various associations represented was in the hands of the chairman, who said that they ought to recognise that they'were privileged to have had a secondary school education, partly at the expense of the State. That privilege brought with it a very great obligation. The colleges ot the Dominion were lineal descendants of the old Eublio schools of England, where the oys were taught the sense of straightforwardness, and decency, which lay at the basis of our national character, and at the basis of civilisation. He appealed to those present to live up to the traditions of their old schools, and to the principles which they had been taught. Other speakers in the same vein were the Rev. E. C. Cross (Christ's) arid Messrs. 0. Broad (Nelson), T. R. Urcs*well (Wellington), J. P. Firth (Wellington), L. O. H. Tripp (Christ's), R. Barltrop (chairman of Nelson College Old Boys' Association), A. H. .N orris (Christchurch High School), A. E. Cowper (chairman of. Wangauui College Old Boys' Association), Montague (King's), Stubba (Palmerston North High School), and Dr. M'Evedy (St. Patrick's). Mr. -K. S. Williams proposed the toast of "The Chairman," Dr. Elliott replying. An excellent musical programme was contributed to by the following artists : The Lyrio Quartette (Messrs. W. Goudie, H. Phipps, Howe, and W. B. Brown), and Mr. Albert Russell, Messrs. Fisher and Sutcliffe playing the accompaniments. .

Community singing and popular numbers kept the proceedings lively until a late hour, when the re-union broke up. It is intended that functions of this nature shall be held regularly in the future.