O.B.H.S.

Evening Star, Issue 14636, 4 August 1911, Page 2

0.8.H.5.

OLD BOYS' SOCIAL. A social reunion of Otago High School Old Boys was held last night, the- 48th anniversary of the opening of the school, in the Waratah Tea Rooms. There was a large attendance, and those present had a very happy time. Mr"J. F. M. Fraser, K.C., who presided, said that he was gratified to see so many present, and it gave him pleasure j to see there, in addition to Mr Morrell, ! their old friend Mr Brent. (Applause.) j The association was now very nearly at i the parting of the ways, and they would i have to consider whether it should be enlarged in scope or limited to the old school. His own opinion was that it should be limited to the old school, and made a live organisation. Mr S. Solomon, K.C., proposed the toast of " The School," and in the course of his speech said that while the association was a means of renewing old and unselfish friendships, the only sort of friendship worth calling friendship, he thought it would not have performed an unworthy part. The school had not played such a large part in the life of the country as it would in the ! future when historical associations had i gathered around it, and if the association ! were limited-to these who had attended ! school in the old building he thought what I would be its greatest force would be taken away —that was, its continuity. Mr Morrell (rector), who responded, paid a tribute to the memories of Messrs M'Pherson and M'Cullongh. He stood there, he said, as representing the new school, the boys of the present day, and he would like to say a word or two in their name. In the first place, he would ask the old boys to stick to the school, not merely to the memories of the school, but to tlio school itself, and not merely to the buildings which had departed from them. The present boys were proud to feel that the school had a history, and he was perfectly certain that if the boys coidd hear the reminiscences of the old patriarchs of the school they would be very pleased to hear them. The present boys claimed to be worthy of the school. (Hear, hear.) With regard to the future of the old boys' organisation, he thought that it should .be as inclusive, not as exclusive, as possible, and he would like if that gathering could be made an annual one. Mr F-. Calvert proposed a toast "To the memory of our old masters and boys who have gone to that ' undiscovered countrv from whose, bourn no traveller returns.'" There was no necessity, he said, why there ehoukl be a note of melancholy in a reference, a kindly reference, to thosa who were no longer in their midst. Each had his life to live, he it long or short, and it was sureiy some satisfaction to recall that those who were here at one time, the old boys who had passed away, had loft behind them a record and a name of which the school might -very well be proud. Amongst so many men good and true it would be invidious to single out any among the list. The recent deaths, however, of two of the masters were too recent an occurrence to pass over without au expression of sympathy to thoso near and- dear 7 to them. . . . He was glad to '- say that there were scores and scores of old boys who had left behind them a record for industry, for unselfishness, and for a useful life in whatever sphere they were called to. That made those present feel proud of the school and at having been old High School boys. Mr William Henderson (Gore) proposed "Our Old Masters." Ho had been present on the opening day of the school, and had some interesting reminiscences to relate. The name opposite to Mr Henderson's in connection with the same toast was "D. Brent, M.A-" But the chairman only rose and said: ''Gentlemen, Danny Brent." It was quite enough; for everyono rote and cheered and cheered again; there were cries of " Good old Danny! Good old Danny!" and they sang "' For he's a jolly good follow." And Mr Brent, after he had risen and said ho had never been a good speaker—he supposed they knew that—passed in review some of the old masters— Wmmonds, Pope, Hawthorn, Nome, Dr MacdonaJd; and he would have stopped when ho had spoken for his allotted time but they called for more. . . . Then there was more cheering. Other - toasts honored were "Absent Old Boys" (proposed by Mr W. Bluckie and responded to by Mr W. Kirkland) and "Major Fulton" (proposed by the chairman). Messrs W. H. Rase and J. A. Haggitt sang solos, and Messrs Finch, Braithwaite, Haggitt, and Ganteir a quartet ('The Boys of the Old Brigade') ; Mr Solomon and Mx Stilling told funny, stories.