VALEDICTORY

Grey River Argus, 16 December 1930, Page 8

VALEDICTORY

. A POPULAR TEACHER Presentation to Mr M. - Malone ON HIS RETIREMENT. On Saturday, at Herb Moore’s Cabaret, a large attepdignce of teachers of the Canterbury Education Board’s district gathered for the purpose of tendering a presentation to Mr M. Malone, Headmaster of the Runanga State School and President of the Teachers’ Institute, retiring this month on. superannuation after 41 years service. | Mr. 11. R. Barrett, Headmaster of the Cobden School, presided over the gath- ' ering. Apologies for absence were rci ceived from Mr. S. J. Irwin, Inspector lof Schools, Mr H. J. Bignell (member of the Canterbury Education .Board) Mr. J. Lorking (Headmaster of the Grey Main School). Mr Edwards, Cobden, and Mrs Wise and Miss Wick, who all asked that their best wishes be conveyed to Mr. Malone in his retire ment, and that he bo spared many long years to enjoy it. Mr H. Barrett, in the course of an excellent, speech, asked Mr. Malone to accept from his fellow workers of the West Coast Branch of the Teachers’ [lnstitute a handsome leather suitease | and umbrella suitably inscribed. He I said that they looked at .Mr. Malone. |as he was now retiring, with honour (after his long and successful term of j service completed his release from his ' labours was well merited and he wished

'Jiim long life and the best of health. (Many of his old pupils would be with them there in spirit as well as many [past teachers and Inspectors to join in I their wishes of a happy retirement ;«f--iter such long and faithful service. Mr. ‘Malone had also worked assiduously in ■his office in the Teachers’ Institute (and this was greatly appreciated by 'the members of the profession in the I district. The fruits of his labours as jthey all knew were evident in many re forms he had mad? in the teaching pro ' fession. | Mr. ,1. B. Hutton (Principal of the : Greymouth Technical College) endorsled the remarks of Mr. Barrett. He ad‘mired Mr Malone’s loyalty. The teachers. institute, he said, would have gone 'out of commission partially, but for Mr. t Malone’s god work. He was sure also [that those qualities had b?en carried with him into the schools under his I charge. It gave him great pleasure in extending his heartiest wishes for failure health and happiness. It was. indeed | ja great period to have served. It was | a great day in one’s career when one j was able to look forward to retirenr nt.

I Mr. W. Bicheno (Acting-Headmaster of the Grey Main School, and Secretary of the Teachers’ Institute) said that during the time that he had known him he had had a glimpse of the- real Mr. Malone whose sympathy was great indeed for his fellow teachers. It was only Mr. Malone-s just reward to receive their gift and appreciation, which showed that he was a distinct loss to them. He concluded bv extending the best of wishes for his future health and happiness.: M.r. Laing said that in meeting Mr. Malone one met a kindly gentleman. He felt that in Mr. Malone, those who 'had been associated with him “in the school or out of school,’’ had hbd a I kindly friend.. They had heard of the iexpression, “ a real West Coaster.’’ and in this connection Mr. Malone was one of the persons whom he had often thought about. He joined in wishing The guest a long life and the reaping of a well-earned reward. No doubt Mr. Malone would find an« enjoyable way of spending his leisure. Mr. Selby, on behalf of the Runanga School staff, extended Mr. Malone the best of wishes. He recognised Mr. Malone as a gentleman and a friend. ’Mr Malone, in reply, said that there was always a time when one had io express his gratitude, and, on this occasion, it gave him great pleasure to do so. It was indeed an honour thev had bestowed upon him. He thanked th<m heartily for their handsome gifts and expressions of goodwill. He only hoped that he had done something to .merit those good wishes, lie was the

last cf the original number of the Grey Branch of the Teachers’ Institute. Mr Adams was their first President, and Mr. Smith was their first Sec rotary. He had at different times been Secretary and President and delegate to the New Zealand Conference. Teachers had treated him with every kindness and assistance and it had been always his desire to do all he could in return, He had, however, not done as much as ho would have liked to have done. Tinies were bad at the starting of the Institute and the members had had a. big struggle. Finance was hard at those times. From a small organisation the Institution had grown to a large one, and it was now a fine organisation. Tt had greatly benefited teachers aud also the children. People had said it was for the benefit of the teachers only but it was not. At the commencement, much trouble arose between the Institute and School Committees; but aJI that had now passed away and a splendid feeling prevailed. The Committees’ know that the Teachers’ Organisafon wished to work with them for the benefit of the children. He took it as a hign honor to see such a large assembly. His 11 years of teaching hadi been entirely vn the West Coast, he now found it hard as to whether he would leave the West Coast or not. He hoped to meet them all on future occasions just the same. He thanked them all once more for their kind; expressions of good will. The tokens would remind him of his fellow West Coast teachers. The gathering ended after th.? singing “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow. i}