BOYS’ HIGH SCHOOL

Evening Star, Issue 19127, 19 December 1925, Page 6

BOYS’ HIGH SCHOOL

THE OLC-Sll'3 GEREHOHY DR MERRINGTOH ON EDUCATION Tho vacation ceremony of the Otago Boys’ High School took place in tho school hall yesterday afternoon. That part of the hail not occupied by boys of the school was filled with visitors. I)r E. N. Morrington presented the prizes, and delivered the main address of the afternoon, dealing with important aspects of education. Many old boys were present, and members of the Board of Governors and other citizens had seats on tho platform, DE THOMPSON’S REMARKS,

Dr G. E. Thompson, chairman of tho Board of Governors, addressed the gathering. He said that the progress of the school during the past year bad been very satisfactory. The numberg were growing, and if they increased as much during tho coming year the school would be hard put to it for accommodation. It would, incidentally, rise a grade. The board was trying to induce the Education Department to assist it in the direction of accommodation. This matter gave rise to two reflections. The school was one of tho finest buildings in the dominion architecturally, and was not built for extension, so they had 'recourse to a most unsatisfactory expedient—-the building of temporary accommodation. During the coming year they would build on the Littlebourne ground. The City Council bad kindly given leave to do 'that, and had given them a term of five years, and five years only. He hoped that in tho next five years the stony-hearted department would be moved to tears. A further very pressing requirement was a larger playing area. Tho present fields were ridiculously small, and many of the great battles won there would have been far greater if they had had playing field—a Hibernian statement, added tho speaker, but one with a good deal of truth. Tho matter of playing areas was being looked into by the board. Dr Thompson then introduced Dr E. N. Morrington, tho main speaker of the afternoon.

A THOUGHT-INSPIRING ADDRESS,

Dr Morrington, who was received with applause, said he greatly appreciated the high honor done him that day. lie had to proffer to the rector, the Board of Governors, and the staff his sincere congratulations on the successful conclusion of a particularly trying and difficult year’s work. The ’scourge of infantile paralysis laid a heavy hand upon the activities of the schools for the first few months; hut the wise and careful efforts throughout the year of the board and the teachers had brought about a successful result. Then the learners ns well as the teachers had done magnificent work. They had grown weary of inaction, and had had more than their fill of correspondence. At the best of times, except when in love, the average malewas an indifferent letter-writer, and he would scarcely feel the lure of tuition by post as a thrilling and rapturous occupation. (Laughter.) The result was that when the school gates swung open, he had fairly rushed the classroom, embraced his teachers, and gailv given himself up to the joys of swotting.. (Laughter.) He had had enough of the joys of the lotos eaters. Dr Morrington congratulated the hoys on their achievements. “You are,” he said, “members of a great school with a great tradition. You are members of a great fellowship which stretches from the beginning of the school and goes on through all future time.. I envy' you, and I envy (lie old boys who arc able to revisit the scones 'of their former friendships and former fights and former well-de-served lickings. I have for many years boon separated from my school and from those whom I knew in those days.” It seemed to the speaker that the problem of education was twofold—-our objective and our method. An ancient king of Sparta had said, when asked what hoys should learn in school; “ I suppose what, being men, they should do.” That was wise guidance. Our objective looked forward to manhood, but it still left open the question of what our men were to do. To Sparta that meant merely soldiering, as it did in Prussia prior to the war. Given that end in view, the education was admirably adapted to its purpose. _ But the world, still stunned by the Titanic shock- of that catastrophe, had turned away (for ever, he trusted) from warfare. It was .seeking, not without faith and hope, for the means of bringing about lasting peace, and they could now see evidences of real progress being made in the search after permanent world peace. So our education objective should he as lofty and as varied as onr idea of future manhood and the tasks of the modem community._ Our aim was not merely culture, efficiency, or even character; it meant character in relation to the divine and social medium, and that was personality. “ I do not think,” ho went on, “ that the advocates of utility in education aro so far astray if only they will make utility big and broad enough for human nature’s daily food. ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’ There is the bread that cometh from above; and if it is true that philosophy—and in that I include the classics, literature, art, and religion—bakes no broad, it means at most no physical bread, for it certain ly provides enough, and more than enough, of the higher needs necessary to a truly developed life. It isthe part of education to teach how rightly to value and appreciate the past. One school venerates classics; the other school declares such studios to be a wast.c of time. Hegel baa said; ‘To know a thing, know its history.’ Surely an ideal education would lend the scholar through tho through t!m noblest, expressions, ancient, and modern, of human thought, until the well-equipped mind is ready to give itself diligently to tho tasks of to-day.” They could not do quite that. They must have specialists. In a sense they must all be, specialists nowadays; but let them have something more than their special subjects or their special technique, else their lives would become narrow and mechanical. The speaker went on to deal with tho question of method. It seemed to him that they were apt to mould their work too closely on. the requirement!; of tho examiner. Examinations were sometimes necessary, but they were only a means to an end. If the objective of education bo, as the Spartan king had said, 1,0 train boys “ for what, they should do as men,” then it must he admitted that the. ultimate aim of the citizen was not to pass memory tests. Jt was tbc response which the mind of tho learner made to tho contact with his teacher which indicated the course of a true education. True education was not a seal pressed upon warm and soft wax, but a goad that stirred men to action and to advance.

Philosophy essentially to teach a man to think, and oduclnon must have the same end is view. “ Let us,” said ti[b speaker, “ yet beyond the parish pump, the provincial set, the insular standard, and set a premium upon independence of judgment, the breaking of now ground, and the true originality ■which is not more eccentricity.” “ Tfao ultimate aim of education must recognise that character is the bulwark of nationhood, Inthat greatest of ail training—the making of good citizens demoted to service—fciio athletic and sporting activities play a great and indispensable part. The spirit of the team, of honor, fair play, the discipline of -training, and wholesome exercise, have an influence upon character and life which cannot easily he cstiuufted. The contact with one’s follows, especially in ovichwo a and

in the workaday world, develop! strength' and sympathy.” Dr Herrington, quoting Goethe* said: “A talent may be evoked in quietude, but character in the rushing stream of life.” Above all, religion gave to experience balance, poise, and symmetry. . . „ , “Three ancient cities, he concluded, “ were captured by the Roman power—Athens, Carthage, and Jerusalem. Of these, Cartilage, which once menaced the mighty power of Rome, was overwhelmed, and left not a wrack behind; but from Jerusalem and Athens we derive light and_ inspiration ; even in our modem civilisation, because • while Carthage lived only for tho present, the other cities to a greater or lesser degree son edit after the ideal , which lies behind the things that aro seen and temporal.” l SCHOOL’S FINEST SWIMMER. At this point are arrival of the school f First Eleven and tho Old Boys’ Cricket team, who were engaged in a match outside, was hailed with applause. The Rector (Mr W. J, Morrell) re- ' ferred to the performance of 0. J. McLean, who not only won the school swimming championships and put up records, but had also within the last week won five Otago championships—■ the 100yds, 220yds, 440yds, BSOyds, and the 150yds breast-stroke. This was a performance not equalled before, and M‘Lean was beyond dispute tho best swimmer they had had at the school, (Loud applause.) PRIZES PRESENTED. The Navy League prizes were presented bv Dr W. Marshall Macdonald, a dux of the school. Ho referred to the groat importance of the Navv, Mr F. M. Shortt presented the Chamber of Commerce medals. Tho school prizes were distributed by Dr Herrington, Wien the time came to present the dux medal to William , Albert Cowan, the rector said he came to the school years ago after a splendid primary career, first at Highcliff under Mr Rutherford, and at Anderson’s Bay, where ho spent one year under Ml Coutte. Ho got at those schools a good foundation for his work. In 1923 ho won a Senior National Scholarship. He started in Illb. or 111 c,, and went on from Vc. to Upper V., and the Sixth Form, of which, after one year, he was now the head. He was not merely a boy of ability, but. one of character. He had taken a share in the | outside life of the school, was a sergeant in the Cadet Corps, and one of the school prefects. Every boy and every master who had come in contact with him would say he had well earned hi* duxship. There was loud applause when Cowan received his prizes, Tho school gave a spirited haka, and the old boys another, RECTOR AND STAFF THANKED. Mr Herbert Webb proposed a hearty rote of thanks to the rector and staff, and this was carried by acclamation. The rector returned thanks, and Mr E. Webster (president of the Old Boys’ Society) added a few words of concongratulation.