POPULAR TEACHER FAREWELLED AT WHATATUTU SCHOOL

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22696, 22 July 1948, Page 6

POPULAR TEACHER FAREWELLED AT WHATATUTU SCHOOL

Parents and friends gathered at the Whatatutu School to join with the children and assistant teachers in bidding farewell to their headmaster, Mr. H. F. S. Hammond, who has been appointed to the position of educational officer in Fiji. The Maori children, capably led by Mrs. Matenga, entertained wun an action song, poi dance and haka. All the children then joined in singing farewell songs, in which they had been well trained by the assistant teachers, Misses Russell and Mann. From the school children Mr. Hammond received a gift of a folding camera in a leather case, while otoer presentations were made by the old students, school committee, teachers and dental nurse, ar.d Maori mothers respectively. The speakers, Mr. G. Nicoll. chairman of the Whatatutu school committee, Mr. G. Brown, a member of the Hawke's Bay Education Board, and Mr Ben Brown, who spoke on behalf of the Maori mothers, congratulated Mr. Hammond on his appointment, and were very sincere in their remarks about the sterling character of the work that Mr Hammond had done while in the district—work which far exceeded that usually associated with school teaching. In the five years that Mr. Hammond had been in Whatatutu ho had won the confidence and respect of every child attending school. He cared for them ns a mother and father and tended their many ailments from a dispensary which lie had built up at the school, the cabinet being a gift to the school from the Maori parents. Mr. Hammond also acted as voluntary librarian for the Country Service Library and sent out books to the back-country residents every mail-day, a service that took up much of his spare lime and for which a large number of peonle were very grateful. Among those present were the Rev. P. H. Blakiston, Sister Bolton and Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Gregory. Prior lo leaving the district, Mr. Gregory had been chairman of the school committee for several years and with Mrs. Gregory had worked whole - heartedly in (he interests of (he school-