COLLEGE OLD BOYS

Greymouth Evening Star, 5 September 1934, Page 12

COLLEGE OLD BOYS

ST. BEDE’S RE-UNION.

The third annual re-union of the St. Bede’s College (Christchurch) Old Boys’ Association, was held at Herb. Moore’s Cabaret last evening, Mr. F. Thorpy presiding over an attendance of over fifty old boys from all parts of the West Coast, and including representatives from the Christchurch and Wellington branches. The annual report and balancesheet, showing a good financial position, were read and adopted. Officers for the ensuing year were elected as follow: —President:” Rev. Father Spring, S.M.; Vice-Presidents: Rev. Father O’Gorman, Dr. J. W. Bridgman, Messrs. T. Anisy and T. H. Lee (Reefton); Hon. Secretary-Trea-surer: Mr. P. Blanchfield (re-elected); i Committee: Messrs. J. O’Donnell (Roa), J. Stuart (Hokitika), T. O’Donnell and W. Hempseed. After the business of the meeting concluded, community singing was enjoyed, and the College hakas were given, followed by a toast list, headed by the toast of “The Pope and the King.” Proposing the toast of “The College,” Rev. Father Spring, S.M., urged all the old boys to strive to endeavour to live up to the ideals and high principles inculcated in their minds while at College, and said they should always be loyal to and proud of their old school.

Responding, Mr. H. Lee (Reefton) spoke of the splendid record of tho College, and of the success of old students in all walks of life, due to the training they had had at College. Spiritually, its record was excellent, nineteeen old boys having already been consecrated priests, while the record on tho field of sport had been equally outstanding. This year, the College team had won all their grades of Rugby, and for the first , time since 1925 the St. Bede’s first, fifteen had beaten Boys' High School. Mr. P. Blanchfield, proposing “The Old Boys’ Association,” said it was one of the most active Associations of its; kind in New Zealand. It existed to i help the old boys to mingle and associate after their school days. It helped the College to educate youth of the Dominion, and each year gave several scholarships to deserving students. Several trophies were donated to encourage study and sport on the part of the present pupils, and it created an insurance scheme in which the College j received an ultimate benefit, and last-; ly had given a magnificent display of loyalty and goodwill in raising £llOO, this year to defray the College debt. | The Secretary of the Association,’ Mr. R. Boland, Christchurch, . responded, speaking of the valuable Work done by the Association, and of the enthusiastic assistance always I given by the Coasters. Speaking of the! sporting record of the College, he mentioned that in the South Canterbury—Canterbury Ranfurly Shield match last season, the rival captains, Gaffaney and Mullan, were both old boys of St. Bede’s. Other toasts honoured were: “Country members,” proposed by Mr. T.

Anisy and responded to by Messrs. W. ) Hempseed (Waiuta), P. O. Boyle (HuIkarere), P. Gilbert (Kumara), W. O’Neill (Kokatahi), T. Quinn (Waiuta), .T. Furlong (Ngahere), J. Chapman I (Hokitika), and D. O’Regan (Reef- ' ton); “Present Boys,” proposed by Mr C. Sanders (Hokitika), and responded to by Mr. W. jHeffernan (senior prefect and Rugby captain.) I 1 Items were given during the evening by Messrs. H. Burns (Hokitika) and J. O’Donnell (Roa), tap dances; Donovan (Hokitika), • banjo; F. Simmonds, violin; R. Boland, piano; and J. Stuart, A. Chapman and P. Blanchfield, recitations. The gathering concluded with the College haka and the singing of “Auld Lang Syne.”