MISS BATHAM RETIRES

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 111, 12 May 1937, Page 15

MISS BATHAM RETIRES

MANY TRIBUTES

COLLEGE PARENTS' FUNCTION

"1 am glad of this opportunity to express my appreciation of Miss Batham and her work, and sorry for the cause of it, for the girls of Wellington are I losing a great teacher, great in every sense of the word," said the Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Education (the Hon. P. Fraser) at last night's gathering of the Parents' Association of the Wellington East Girls' College. Tribute to Miss Batham's work was j also paid by the Mayor, Mr. T. C. A. Hislop. "Miss Bathan/leaves the headship of a leading school with the respect and admiration of not only the girls themselves but of parents and j friends who have known her service," he remarked, and he expressed, on behalf of the citizens of Wellington, appreciation of the great work Miss Batham had done in her influence upon the youth of the community. She had

established herself as a true leader in the sphere in which she had performed her life work and he hoped that her activities would still be at the disposal of the community though she had retired from her official, position. On behalf of the Board of Governors, Mr. W. H. P. Barber supported the tributes paid to Miss Batham by the previous speakers and spoke of her work in conjunction with the board. Her energy and work for the school had resulted in many endowments which would always remain. "When one has the opportunity, to take over a school at its inception, whatever fails, the thought remains that one.has had an opportunity to lay the foundations/ of a great tradition. Miss Batham has done, this with great success," said Mr. W. A. Armour, headmaster of Wellington College. He ex.pressed his admiration for Miss Batham's work in the Dominion in the past and described her as one of the most illustrious of the many women he had' known in education. Presentations were made to Miss Batham by Mr. E. Proctor, president of the Parents' Association, who was chairman of the gathering, and Miss K. Holdsworth, president of the Old Girls' Association. Mr. Proctor spoke of the deep personal gratitude which the parents felt for Miss Batham, who, he said, had exercised a splendid influence over the girls. In her reply, Miss Batham, after thanking the speakers and donors, attributed the success of the school to the loyal co-operation of the teachers and the fine quality.of the pupils. Help and encouragement, she added, had j been received from many sources. During the evening items were given by Mrs. Marshall, Miss Joyce Myers, Mrs. Wilfred Andrews, and Mr. L. G. P. Whyte. An instrumental trio, consisting ,of Mrs. Keys. Miss O. Burton, and Mr. D. Woodward, also played. The accompanist for the other items was Mrs. Howard Cook. On account of the restrictions imposed because of the infantile paralysis epidemic no students were present at the function.