BELL TOLLS KNELL

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 148, 19 December 1935, Page 5

BELL TOLLS KNELL

OLD CLYDE QUAY SCHOOL

CLOSING-DOWN FUNCTION

"FOX THE LAST TIME

I The Clyde Quay School bell was tolled for the last time last evening. No longer will the old school corridors eclio with the tramx) of mprching feet. The school, which has been a monument to education in Wellington for nearly fifty years, is to be demolished to make room for the new Central Fire Station, the site having been sold to. the Wellington Fire Board. The dcci-, sion to do away with the school must have caused some heartburnings among the many pupils who have passed through its corridors, but fond memories are hard to banish. . To mark the occasion special functions were held yesterday afternoon and evening. At 2.30 p.m. Mr. W. T. Grundy, the first headmaster of the school, rang the school bell, summoning the pupils, ex-pupils, and friends to assemble in the girls' playground. The gathering was presided over by Mr. W. H. Phillips, the chairman of the school committee, and addresses were given by the Hon.' P. Fraser (Minister of Education), Mr. Grundy, Mr. J. J. Clark, on behalf of the Wellington Education Board, and Mr. Ernest Kellow, the oldest ex-pupil present. It was unfortunate that rain fell in the early part of the proceedings. ■ Numerous telegrams were received from ex-pupils in all parts of the Dominion, conveying good wishes and expressing regret at their unavoidable absence. Among those present were Mr. A. E. Erskine and Colonel and Mrs. A. Cowles, three former teachers at the school. Before the ringing of the bell to summon everybody to attend at the appointed place, many of the former pupils—some bald and some with hair streaked with grey—inspected the scenes of their early school days. The corridors rang with the excited chatter of groups of men and women reminiscing, while in , the classrooms others sought out their seats (or the seats where they thought they sat) of former days and initials carved surreptitiously on desks and walls. When Mr. Grundy rang the school bell conversation was silenced, and one and all hurried to take their place in the school grounds. A hush fell upon those assembled while Mr. Grundy wended his way to the official table after ringing the bell, and when he appeared (almost, shyly around the corner of the school building) he was greeted with hearty cheers. Mr. Phillips extended a warm welcome to everybody. "Today," he said, "is quite momentous. It means the termination of the activities in a primary school that has" been one of the foremost in the Dominion. It is known far and wide, and its reputation will always be the success that its pupils have attained. We are particularly fortunate in having with us today the Minister of Education and the veteran head teacher, Mr. Grundy." (Apr plause.) The school, continued Mr. Phillips, was opened nearly 46 years ago, and it was pleasing to note that Mr. Grundy, the first headmaster, was present after such a long period. Referring to the presence of Mr. Fraser, Mr. Phillips said he noticed when turning up the school records, that in 1889 the Minister of Education was the Hon. George Fisher, whose son afterwards became .the member for Wellington Central, the electorate which Mr. Fraser now, represented. The headmasters who followed Mr. Grundy were Mr. Foster, Mr. Irvine, and Mr. O'Connor, all very highly-edu-cated men and capable 'administrators. The ability of the presenrheadmaster, Mr. Rodger, could not be questioned. "PROUD TO MEET YOU, SIR." Mr. Grundy was asked to give an address, and ■ when he spoke he was greeted with cheers and applause. He gave a.-brief outline of the history of the school. He congratulated Mr. t Fraser on his appointment as Minister of Education,' and said that the new Minister had the welfare of the children at heart and would do everything possible to further their interests. He deplored the limited playground space of the school, and expressed the hope that the Minister would do what he could to increase the area in the new school in Elizabeth, Street. Mr. Grundy thanked the school committee for inviting him to meet his old pupils. "I am very proud to meet you again," he said. ■.-■""■ An ex-pupil: We ,are very proud to meet you, sir. •Following further renewals of friendships and the exchanging of reminiscences, ex-pupils and friends headed by the present-day scholars, proceeded to the new school in Elizabeth Street, where they were received by the present headmaster, Mr. IT. J. Rodger. At this ceremony 'the War Memorial Tablet was handed over to the hew school by the Rev. J. F. Martin, and a photograph of the old school was presented by Mr. F. Wilton. Mr. Grundy briefly addressed the present pupils and. wished them every success during the years before them. Three cheers were accorded-Mr. Grundy, and a similar tribute was paid to Mrs. Grundy, who was unable to be present owing to indisposition. The Hon. P. Fraser expressed his great .pleasure at being given the opportunity of participating in the celebrations. "I apologise for coming here in the humble capacity of Minister of Education," he said. "I wish I could have attended as an old pupil of the Clyde Quay School." Had lie been in this position, he would have had the advantage of- the tuition given under the jurisdiction of: Mr. Grundy, to whom he paid a glowing tribute. A GREAT HISTORY. The school, said Mr. Fraser, had had a great and interesting history. He had read some reminiscences given by Mr. Grundy, and he had come to the conclusion that the.school was very popular, perhaps too popular. On the opening morning Mr. Grundy had to quietly, but kindly, refuse admission to certain pupils on account of overcrowding. "He did it, perhaps, in akindlier way than what was done to the five-year-olds not so long ago," said Mr. Fraser. ■ ■ • The school had a record, not only scholastically, but also in the world of sport, particularly swimming. He did not know of any school in New Zealand which had a better ' record for swimming. . As the member for Wellington Central and the Minister of Education he was very much alive to the disadvantages under which the Clyde Quay School had struggled during many years. A great deal remained to be done, and favourable consideration would be given to any matters affecting the welfare of the pupils. In regard to playground space, he wished to say that like the late chairman of the school committee, the late chairman of the Education Board, and Mr. Grundy he was in favour of the new school being erected on the Town Belt. However, other counsels prevailed, and the school committee fell into line with the new conception of things, and the school was completed