KILBIRNIE SCHOOL

Evening Post, Volume c, Issue 54, 5 March 1934, Page 15

KILBIRNIE SCHOOL

JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS

A WORTHY RECORD

The jubilee of tho Ki)birnie School was celebrated on Saturday afternoon. There was a large attendance in the school grounds, amongst those present being pupils and many residents of the district. The roll-call of the first scholars, of ISS4, was made.by Mr. J. H. Worboya, ;i former headmaster. Of the 41 pupils who attended on the first day, the following answered to their names:—Mary V. Hewitt, Ellen Mariow, Sarah A. Williams, Annie Sidey, ■ Fannie Higginbotham, Beatrice Marlow, Mary Kershatv, Margaret Brailsford, D. Claridge, W. Bradbury, A. Brailsford, A. Clarldgo, and W. A. Nimnio. Mr. F. H. Porter, chairman of the Parents' Association, welcomed the guests. Mr. Jt. Semple, M.P. for the district, m the course of a short address, remarked that the Kilbirnie School had been the means of sending thousands of persons into the battle of life equipped to take their place and give a good account of themselves. Mr. T. Forsyth, chairman of the Wellington Education Board, said that the Kilbirnio School was regarded as one of the best schools in the city; it was a school which had rendered exceptionally good service to the State: EAELY DAYS RECALLED. Mr. Worboys, who was headmaster from 1596 to 1922, said that he and his wife were pleased to be back in the surroundings where he had spent the busiest and happiest days of his life. He gave an interesting outline of the history of the school, which in Us early days had to serve the whole of the areas on the eastern side of the city. The school's war service, said Mr. Worboys, had been considerable. In the main corridor were the names of some 220 former pupils who went away, and on the memorial tablet at the gate, which had * een draped for the day and honoured with a wreath, there were the names of the 22 who did not return. "The committee and school children during the war years had done wonderful work at home. In both scholasticism and sports the school had been at all times very successful. Mr. J. J. Rodgeis, the present headmaster, said that the presence at the jubilee of such a large attendance, and the numerous messages he had received convinced him that the Kilbirnie School had what was known as a school spirit to a great degree. He thanked the jubilee committee for the large amount of work they had done to make tho occasion such a success. Short addresses were also delivered by Mr. F. Fairbrothe.r (Palmerston North), who in 18S7 was the third headmaster, and Mr. F. Martyn Eenner, principal of Rongotai Boys' College. ' Songs and dances were given by the present scholars. In the evening a reunion ball was held in the Mayfair Cabaret. Yesterday afternoon a thanksgiving service was held, Canon Sykes and the Rev. E. J. Orange taking part in the ceremony. There was a large attendance at the service..