HUTT HIGH SCHOOL

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 143, 14 December 1929, Page 36

HUTT HIGH SCHOOL

FOTJETH YEAR CLOSED

THE PRIZE-LIST

The fourth year of the Htitt Valley High School was closed by the breaking-up ceremony which took place in the King George Theatre, Lower Hutt, yesterday afternoon. Mr. H. G. Teagle (chairman of the Board of Governors) presided, and his Honour Mr. Justice Blair was chief speaker. There were also on the platform Captain Olphert and Messrs. H. J. Sladden, J. C. Burns, A. J. Stonehouse (members ?] the board), the principal (Mr. H. ±". Jvidson), and members or the teaching staff. Apologies for absence were received from Mr. E. P. Rishworth (ex-chairman of the board), the Mayor of Petone (Mr V. M'Kenzie), the Mayor of Lower Hutt (Sir Alexander Roberts), Mr. T. B. Stronc (Director of Education), Mi: A Bell (Assistant-Director), and Mr. L. T. Watkins.

Mr. 1 eagle expressed, the general regret that was felt at the absence of their late *™an (Mr. Rishworth), who through ill-health had been forced to resign his position after holding it since the school began He had filled the position .with marked ability, and had been held in the highest respect by tho pupils and the staff.

Mr. Teagle spoke of the proposed assembly hall, which he considered was a matter of vital interest to the school. The late Mr. Henry Baldwin had had the erection of such a hall deeply at heart and m his generosity had laid the foundation of a fuud for that object. As chairman of the board, Mr. Teazle expressed his appreciation of the support received from the Parents' Association During the year £475 had been handed over by the association for the benefit of the scholars, but the board derived a greater assistance by knowing that it had the support of the parents of the scholars. _ Mr. Teagle also expressed the appreciation of the board of tho fine work (lone by the principal (Mr. Kidson) and ins staff. ■_ 2* ever on any occasion had there been friction between them and the board. '

PRINCIPAL'S REPORT. The principal read his fourth annual report. The principal said the official roll number was 412, as against 292 last year, and the increase had made necessary the appointment of four additional teachers The accommodation question had also become acute. The position had been placed belore the Department at the beginning of the year, and somewhat tardily, but not ungenerously the Department had granted four additional classrooms, cloakrooms, and an additional heating unit for 1930. Work had already been begun by the contractors. Sir. Kidson said the school continued to be conducted more or Jess on the lines that are traditional in the secondary schools of the Dominion An endeavour was made to make the pupils work hard in the classrooms, and an opportunity was given to them of participating in all the healthy extra classroom activities which were such an important part of a British school. Mr. Kidson referred with satisfaction to thesuccesses which had been achieved during the year. The necessity for an assembly hall had become more acute this year, owing to the great increase in the roll number. Their work in building the character and stimulating, the intellect of the pupils would be badly hampered until they had a hall where the whole school could gather together. He was quite sure it would pay the State handsomely to erect assembly halls with every new secondary school, but for the present they had to face the fact that local effort was neewssary before the hall wpuld be forthcoming. Through the great generosity of the relatives of the late Mr. Baldwin they were able to begin with a foundation gift of £1000, and a campaign for further funds had been set -afoot. The response had been good, but there was no doubt that the campaign would have to be vigorously renewed in the new year. Mr. Kidson appealed to parents to support the appeal, and mentioned that the pupils, by their own efforts, had raised £45. Mr. Kidson concluded by thanking the parents for the interest they had shown in the school, and the staff for their loyal co-operation. .Mr. Justice Blair said it was the first time he had been asked to address a school o£ such size—he was informed the pupils numbered nearly 500. At the school where he was educated there were only 89 pupils, but even in those days thu masters had a habit of getting some old fossil to come and address the school on breaking-up day. Evidently the habit had not yet been lost. In the words of a friend of his, why should the high school children's holidays be embittered by their having to listen to his talk? He proposed to make their punishment therefore as light as possible. Continuing in the same humorous vein, his Honour gave the children some advice for their guidance in life, illustrating his remarks by apt personal experiences. He exhorted them always to work and enjoy it, and pointed out that whereas man-made tools wore out_ with use,, the God-made tools, their brains and hands, became keener with use and dull from inactivity. Unless a man did his work and did it to his utmost, he would not be a success in life.

At the conclusion of his speech, . his Honour was given three cheers by the school, and he then presented the "leaviug gifts" of books to those whose last year it was at school and gifts to the prefects. THE PRIZE LIST. Highest places iv forms for the year:— Form VI.: 1 Jean Langtry, 2 Gwen Slack, 3 R. J. Lawrence, 4 T. R. Hawthorn. V.L: 1 Mary Boyd, 2 Rhea Evison, 3 J. P. Heggie, 4 Agnes Carey. V.A: 16. R. Douglas, 2 J. C. Nicholls, 3 C. H. Tunnicliffe, 4 R. B. Burke. V.B: 1 Ethel Parsonson, 2 J. E. Healy, 3 Poppy Young. IV.A: 1 Maud Allan, 2 G. N. Tustin, 3 Audrey Jones, 4 K. R. Hutclieson. IV.B: 1 C. A. Mouat, 2 A. A. M'Lellan, 3 A. Cameron. IV.C: 1 G. F. Kaye, 2 A. F. James, 5 H. A. Barron. IV. Com.: 1 Norraa jVlavrson, 2 Lucy Wood, 3 Eileen Pearce. III.A: 1 Vera Shepherd, 2 D. Cairns, 3 Adele Barker, 4 R. Meek. III.B: 1 Pat. Chambers, 2 Olive Castle, 3 J. Berbinehaw, 4 D. H. Whitcher. III.C: 1 R. Ai Skerton, 2 J. H. Lines, 3 Eunice Haden III.D: 1 C. A. M'Dougall, 2 A. R. Frame 3 R. G. Howard. 111. Com. I.: 1 Una Swaysland, 2 Beatrice Calder, 3 Rita Clark.

111. Com. II: 1 Monica Edwards, 2 Freda Griersou, 3 Eva Kayo. Pupils whose year's work is commended: —VI.: D. Andrews, Esme Burrell, Ada Stamton. VL.: D. Jenkins, Beryl Pembertou, Margaret Turner, Pauline Mowutt. V.A: A. V. Bornholdt, Vera Burns, M B Cooper. V.D:.Enid Whitcher. IV.A: X Kilmister, G. N. Watson-Munro, Winnifred Double, Mollie Best. IV B: G T Beban, R. K. Burgess, H. O'Connor. IV .C: S. R. Hcppleston. IV. Com.: Lilian Cairns. III.A: Doris Baker, T. G N Carter, C. A. Langtry. III.B: Marjorie Doig, J. G. Adams, I. Pears, Rita Gillen. III.C: Myfamvy Collie, S. R. Anderson, T. D. Murray. III.D: A. E. Parkin, D. D. Roberston. IH.Com. I.: Rachel Leggett, Edith Sawyer. lII.Com. II: Ida bmith, Laurie Wakeliu. The following obtained Higher Leaving Certificates, with a University bursary: Esme Burrell, Jean Langtry, Zoe Lowry Gwen Slack, Ada Stainton, Ailsa Wallace, Hazel Williams, H. T. Allison, D E. Andrews, E. J. W. Fry, T. R. Hawthorn, E. G. Heggie, R. J. Lawrence, J. C. Lopdell. The ceremony was brought to a close by six of the pupils describing, from the platform, the activities of the school during the past year. The sports .trophies won during the year were presented on Thursday.