ST. HILDA’S SCHOOL

Evening Star, Issue 20613, 13 October 1930, Page 11

ST. HILDA’S SCHOOL

1 CHURCH SISTERS TO BE WITHDRAWN ENDEAVOURS TO CARRY ON In the course of his address at the opening of the Anglican Synod this afternoon the following reference to St. Hilda’s Collegiate .School and its future was made by Bishop Richards; — “ It came as a shock to us when we learned that the sisters of the church had received instructions from headquarters that they must prepare to withdraw from New Zealand. This does not mean that they are tired of the work here or that the schools which they have carried on both hero and in Christchurch have been a failure. On the contrary they have been in the highest sense a success, and the decision to withdraw has been arrived at because there are not enough sisters at present to enable the order to maintain all its schools overseas. The sisters are withdrawing from St. Margaret’s at the end of the year, and by a special act of grace they remain at St. Hilda’s until Easter. . “It was in the year 1896 that St. Hilda’s was begun in a small way in a house in Leith street. It was a venture of faith, for sisters in the Church of England were an unknown quantity in New Zealand at the time, and they possessed but little capital; but, what was far more important, they, were sustained by vision of the Eternal and by faith in One Who had called them to leave all and follow Him. The school soon made its, influence felt, and when parents realised its excellence they sent their girls to it from all parts of the diocese and from beyond it ; and it was not long before the, school was transferred to the very fine site in Heriot Row, where it has remained over since.

“ This is not the occasion to give a detailed history of it during the thirtyfive years of its existence. But those who have had experience in education will know that a school cannot be carried on without a largo amount of work and anxiety on tho part of those charged with the responsibility of conducting it. And the sisters have borne without a murmur, and without financial help from outside, a full share of tho difficulties incidental to an institution of this kind. We cannot realise all that this has meant to them; but we can realise in part at least what the school has meant to us—tho influence for good that St. Hilda’s lias exercised upon this diocese and upon tho Church of Now Zealand as a whole. It has been profound. Not only have the pupils been taught all that goes to make up a liberal education, but the higher qualities of soul and of spirit have been cultivated as well. Religion has not been obtruded in such a way as to make it disagreeable to the young; but it has not been treated as an extra; it has been brought to bear upon the life; definite instruction in tho faith has been given, and a tone created — real and spiritual—so that those who have gone forth with the impress of tho school upon them have become centres of influence of the highest kind.

“ All this to a greater or a less extent we have recognised, and St. Hilda’s with all that it stands for, has become so interwoven with our diocesan life that we had almost taken it for granted that it would go on for .oyer, and that for ever it would be maintained and carried on by the sisters. _ When, therefore, wo learned that this was not to be, and that the sisters were to return to England, we were scarcely able at once to understand the situation nor how to regard it. Some things, however, stood out clearly. One was that if through the departure of the sisters the school were closed it would be a calamity of the first order. Ahd another thing was that in order to carry on we should have to incur heavy financial responsibility. We discussed the matter with some of our leading clergy and laymen, and the position was saved by two laymen coming forward with an offer of £2,000 each, on such generous terms'that the situation was no longer in doubt. We thank God Who inspired the thought in their hearts, and wo thank the laymen for giving faithful and willing response We trust also that others may be moved to come forward in the same way, and may give substantial help, so that the position tnay be rendered even more secure. “Steps are now being taken to receive the school from the sisters at Easter of next year, and we are doing our best to secure a head mistress of highest qualifications so that the school may fulfil the high purposes for which it was started. What 1 wish to impress upon our people throughout the length and breadth of the diocese is that there is no talk of closing tne school, noi will there be a break in the continuity either of its teaching or ol its tradition; but that St. Hilda’s will still be carried on as a church school. Wo look to the diocese to regard it as its own, and to our people everywhere to support it. “ Wo are told by a modern writer that ‘ The part played by _ woman in giving direction to the mind of the young through the emotion of the ideal far exceeds that imagined by the world. It has become one of the determining factors throughout human history.’ And ‘it is in woman that we have the future power in civilisation.’ If this » true—and we have no reason to doubt it—then we see tremendous possibilities in our girls’ schools, not only in rela tion to the church, but to the nation. St. Hilda’s was begun with spiritual vision and with faith. It has had a great past. Pray we that it may have a still greater future.”