NELSON COLLEGE

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 7, 8 July 1935, Page 6

NELSON COLLEGE

SUCCESSFUL REUNION

OLD BOYS' ASSOCIATION

About eighty members of the' Wellington branch of the Nelson College Old Boys' Association attended tno annual meeting and reunion smoke concert, which was held on Saturday night. The chairman of the association, Dr. \V. P. Evans, presided. The chairman said the finances of the association, were in a fairly satisfactory state, but he stressed the fact that unless the secretary was given some definite idea as to the number of people that would attend the monthly luncheons these would have to be abandoned.

The following officers were elected ■I for-the .ensuing year:—Chairman, Mr. |B. A. Moore; vice-presidents, Sir FranIcis Frazer, X.8., Professor E. J. BoydWilson, Dr. W. P. Evans, Mr. G. W. Barltrop, Mr. F. W. Richmond, Mr. G. A. Broad, Mr. A. Sclanders; secretary, Mr.' A. N. Davies; committee, Messrs. R. W. Samson, A. D. Moss, J. H. ißeaney, C. W. Holdsworth, R. A. C. JHollis, D. Carey, R. Newman, L. R. Palmer, and J. O. Burnett. In .proposing the toast of "The Old School," Sir Francis Frazer, who was at Nelson College from 1895 to 1897, remarked that it was very pleasant to meet his old companions after forty years had elapsed. All old boys had good cause for being loyal to the old school that was now in her eightieth year. The school had occupied its present site since 1861, but was founded in 1856. In the .school motto—"Pietas, probitas, et sapientia"—were all the implications of the highest ideals of citizenship. The college had been foi> tunate in. its great masters, especially the Rev. J. C. Andrew, who left a great monument behind him in raising the school almost to its present high position. He would like to mention also Mr. J. W. Joynt and Mr. Littlejohn, who was principal for twenty years. Those were the men'that built up the college's ideals and developed citizens to- play a great part in the affairs of the world. Forty years ago, said Sir Francis, Mr. Littlejohn had held Ernest Rutherford up to them as an example, saying that he would- go far. Mr. Littlejohn was the epitome of soundness and-thoroughness, with a peculiar admixture of idealism. "Our college," he continued, "is small numerically, but it'has achieved a wonderful mana. It ■ has a wonderful war record. We have just cause for pride in our college and in her noble traditions." "Our- college has shaped and moulded us far more than we realised while we were there," said Professor BoydWilson, replying, "and if we look back over the years we can see how fortunate we were in our foster-mother. Her old boys are in positions of trust throughout the world, in places that were to us only quaint names in our geography lesson." The present building, he continued, was unworthy of the college, but what really mattered was the affection felt by old boys for the school. In proposing the toast of "Kindred Associations," Mr. L. R. Palmer .referred to the fact that there were other secondary schools doing good work in the country, and Mr. J. D. Willis (New Plymouth. Boys' High School), Mr. Gledhill (Waitaki Boys' High School), Mr. R. E. Tripe (Christ's College), Mi-. Littlejohn (Wanganui Collegiate School), and Mr. McKenzie (Wellington College) replied, wishing the association and the college every success. . During the evening Mr. Will Bishop gave an item, and Mr. D. A. Canty sang the college sone.