DIAMOND JUBILEE

Grey River Argus, 23 October 1936, Page 8

DIAMOND JUBILEE

GREY MAIN SCHOOL Celebrations Commence YESTERDAY’S Celebrations, which will continue until to-morrow night, commenced yesterday in commemoration of the GOith anniversary of the opening of the Greymouth State School, now known as the Main Schoo'. The sky was overcast, but the weather remained tine, and pleasant conditions prevailed for the day’s proceed, rigs, which began (with a grand procession through the) streets early in the afternoon, the participants converging on the school grounds], where the celebrations. were opened.

The procession, in which over 3ol' children in fancy dr'ess and many firms participated, left Boundary Street, proceeding v.a Mawhcra Quay into Taiini.i Street, and was witnessed en route by a large number of people. The marshal's were, Mo-srs Troulatid and (). McLean, together with members of the Ju.bi.’ce Committee. Features of the process'on we.re more than thirty decorated bicycles many of them being really wed dressed; numerous airmen an,] airwomen amongst whom Jean Batten 'he general favourite; “Dionne Qu'nfn pW.” hardly lifelike, but n"ver'he jlcss quite original; and numemn children in fashions depicting’ tlv goo,] old day-. Outstanding anmngs’ the exhibits'were a school yisp’ny re presenting the School Savings Bank, which is conducted by the Standard VT. boys, and the Greymouth Harbour Board’s'ex'hib t of a diver fully (Ir’ys eq for descending, and being sni>p ’cd with air.

Several of the children e’evorhpresented trades firms,, whilst flier' wqrc, also d'splays by the PmrnmH Gas Department and Fire Brigade. Amongst the firms represented w' m : Para Rubber Coy.: P. R, 0”’n” tors;, Greyniouth Motors; Champ’O Baking Powder; Schaef’s Ltd ■ S ’’ White: W. 11. Boucher and Go.; and Smith; Opera House (a parly of “Three Live Ghosts’’); A. Cox “Speedking Cycles’’; H. Dinmnd and Bell CvcTes. On arriva? at the school proiino* the fancy dress entrants were judge.’ by Air R". 'T. Bush, who made awards as follows:—

Character 'lruqdt to type: N’- '' Brown (.lean Batten - ). 1. Trades displays: Boucher and Coy 1. Gas Department 2. Most original costume: Ellen Janie(Jean Batten') 1; I. Quayle (limiter) 2; Gavin Smith (No Taxes) 3. Most humourous costume: W. Hales (Chinaman) ]; F. Patterson (Nigger) 2; Longstaff sisters (1876 schoolgirls) 3. Best decorated bicycle: P. Nolt (3-Sard-Ah), 1; E. Baids (Girl in Red), 2. , Best decorated perambulator: \\. Bone 1, Glen Reeves 2. EARLY PUPILS PRESENT. The following tochers who were at the school "in the earliest years were present on the platform: Mesdames C. S. Perkins (nee Sarah Perkins). Mrs W. E. Thomas (nee Mis-s Eva Kilgour). together with Hie following pupils of the first decade: Mes'dames J. Falvey (neo Drew). C. Brooks (nee Stevens), Ida Brown, J. C. Truscott 7"necj "Wiliams), J. Roynon (nee Cooper). Misses Jane Rotheran. Kato Badger. Lizzie Ne’ley. am' E. Dowling;. Messrs H. Betts. Frank Hamilton. E. Warnes), L. E. Bell. F. A. Kitchingham, J. R. Coburn. C, H Bevnon, G. Cooper, G. E. Perk'ns and Dr'. W. G. McKay. Mr J. Tennent (chairman of 1' Jubilee Committee) presided, and, aswith him on the [dal form were the Mayor and Mayoress (Mr and Mrs W. Mif’dru.m). ami Mr A I Morgan (chairman of the Schoo' Committee). Mr Tennent, on behalf ot the commttee, called upon the May-r fr> <lee.lar.o l.he e.elebrat : ons open. MAYOR’S INTERESTING ADDRESS Mr Meddrum. in opening the celebrations, stated that it was just m well to remember that the State School .was not the first schoo’ open ed in Greymouth, for that honour beilo.nged to St. Patrick’s Cathob< School rounded in ISGI> which opened with a roti of 75 pup'ls. T.n the following year), threp private schools opened, and for ten years the xour schools had carried on the important work of educating the youth of thtown. When the State took up education in 1876, the Greymouth Stat School was "opened in the old Catholic School room in Arney Street; but so many pupils foiled up. that only the juniors could be taken in, 'and it was necessarv for the seniors to wa t two weeks until the opening of another fichod! in a hall on the site- of the present. Opera House. The total ro 1 number amounted to 293. Then steps were taken to build a school on the present siitef the building being opened on" October 19, 1876. A procession mr**.lar to the one that day had .then taken place, more 'than 700 participating with the Fire Brigade and band at their head. At 'the. school grounds a tragic thing had happened, for it was found that -there was not half enough buns and cakes to feed all the children. The school had never looked back), and during lt s sixty years of life had had only nine headmasters. Of the*lr( undoubtedly the most notable was Mr A. A. Adams, who was a very fine type of man. and who looked after the physical as well as the cultural welfare- of the chi’dren. All along. thcV headmasters had been backed up by an exceedingly good staff. The Mayor mentioned that Mrs Perk’ns and Mjs Thoma?;, both early teachers, were ’present on Ihe platform that day. RECORD OF SCHOLARS. . The Mayor said that the school had bqen noted for its many successes in scholastic work, in which a fine aground record had been maintained. In the world ‘of medicine were Drs. W. Me Kay, C. G. Morice (Wellington), Cairney (Professor of Anatomy at Die Otago University), and P. P. Lynch (Path o,legist). Wellington llosiytal). In the Legislature, Hon. James Goodall had recently been raised to the Legislative Council following a lifetime of work in Labour interest?, and Mr W. 8. Glenn had for some years represented Oroua in the House of Representatives. Mr G- E. Perkins,

the first winner of the Watkins Medal;, had been Mayor for five years, Air W. H. Parfitt for stix years, Mr J. W. Greensladc, for eight years. Air P. J. McLean had been chairman of the Greymouth Harbour Board tor many years. So many old pupils had served on the Borough Council ami other local bodies that he could not recall all their name-s. Amongst th old girls of thei school was o,nc who, through her .s-on_ had a.ddc|d lustre to the school—Mrs Lovelock, mother of the famous Nc.w Zealand athlete. (Ap plausc. Th business life, many old pup Is had succeeded, not onjy in Greymouth, but also in othep- parts of thDominion and overseas;, amongst them Mr F. A. Kitchingham, now Crown Solicitor and a former Borough Councillor. The war records of the schoo stood out particularly well, and. at the Boer and Great Wars quite a number of ex-pupi?s ha ( ] served, some paving the supreme sacrifice. Those who had served on the School Committee had done a wonderful amount of solid work. Addressing the children of to-dbiv. Mr'W-drum said: “You belong to' a. school that has turned nut manv distinguished citizens whose careers have added lustre to the school. You should rinvc tn fol,ow their example and make up your minds to d<> your best to follow the r example, and, by doing so, bring lion our to the .school which has served you so well.’’ The Mayo.r then dedared the proceedings open. The chairman re-ad apologies from Tlon Jam* G'OodaP;, M.L.C.. Mcsr--11 Morgan, S.M.. Kim W iliams am A. Thompson, also Mr James O Biien. MP., who stated that he would be present at the co’ebrntions on Saturdav evening. Mr Morgan -=:fd that, although not an old bov of the school, he wa- chairman of the present committee whom dutv it was to see that 'he jub lee was fitting'v celebrated. The committee was doing its bed to provide entertainment. for the old pupds -sho. h.. wr.s pleased to hmirbTv welcome on beha'f of the committee and •“Luff ID hoped that old pupils, when the returned to their homes, would carry back pleasant memories of the jubilee. Mr Perkins su’d he wa* s f" rapture to bo present and to take part ’n the D'amond jubilee of the school. At three score and nine be ft? l't. vCr - v wel'. and h.nfl much to be thank!ul for. He was proud to sep a few. but not manv, of the original pupds pre sent. He' trusted that all would have a good time. He- had the greatest respect foi his oM teachers, Messrs Thompson, Golding and ad of whom had been very popular. Mr Clements he had met' two years ago. and although now over SO. the olu gentleman was .st,ill hafo and hearty. Mr Perkins referred to a number of 'old pupils who had become prominent, amongst them Tommy Goodall, cornet so'o champion of Australasia, and McPherson, who was chief engineer on the steamer “Tahiti” when she foundered in mid-ocean some years ago. A'hother early pupil, -Smithersy who came from Maori Creek, had made a name for himsdf in the literary world. Those -who were still with them were] doing well in the world. He (Mr Perkins) was now the senior trustee of the Watkins Medal Fund, -and he referred to the way Ike fund had been carefully conserved over many years. Mr Perkins concluded by saying he was grateful W be. there' 56 'years after ho hail left the school, anq hoped that success would m'dpt the project for the assemblv -hall. Mr H. Betts said that he was pleased to be present. Sixty years was a long way to look'back, but it seemed to him like yesterday. As a small boy at Ike owning, lie' had no recollection of th'.e- shortage of eatables as mentioned by the Mayor. (Laughter). If he remembered correctly, there wn 1 ' an abundance of everyth’ng. _ The opening day wap very much siniilat to that day insofai a.* weather wa u concerned. lie was presept and enjoyed himself ai the Golden Jubilee, bnwas sorry (that there were not smany oricfn;il pupils present to cole hrat’ei the Diamond JubVee. The o'd pioneers were passing away gradua a and the time woul ( ] coma shortly when none of the or!g ; u«l pup Is would be left. irb-hovr-d the young ones to take the fulb'i-t jiossib-'e advantage of ■'he education they were gel ting, .'in- 1 to strive to do the best thov eon d I" their fellow-c. t.'zens. P.v so do-ng they wouL] have lived good livos. D wa* the srMal, friendlv man who fulfi’led th- noblest part in th’s wor'd.

Vrn. Archden rm \ .T. A. Jermyn. _on behalf of the Ministers’ As-m Mal inn. vb" P b had the r-ivilbgo of visi'Hiig the school for Scripture uisfruefon. couvratubit-Id the school on He bi 1 '" ’eo. As a. humble suc.ce?”'Or of Rev. Wallen?, he took the opporunity W congratulating holders who were present, and m f, rit’on 0 d that ho wa? pleased to know that g'rls had equal e.nportunitics of securing the medal. He hoped the young girls nrrn-ent would be able to preserve their g"'’d looks as iwielji a,s some- of the first- lay pupils. (Laughter). The chairman sa : d that the school undoubtedly had a. record of whet it might wol.i be proud, and if H' day’ s pupils followed the example of those before them they could not gfar wrong. Ho hoped that ’lmse present would do all they could to make the celebrations a success, and Hint the rising generation would take a pr'"de in the school’s record. The schopl was doing the most it could for 't'hemj, and it was- up- to them to do the oamO: for the school. (App’iauso), Tl- ■ National Anthem was then sung, follciived by the ring ng of Hie school bell. Stalls had been ereefed in the corridors of the school, .whilst afternoon tea was obtainable in one of the large classrooms. Outside the school, many pafronl'sed the side-shows conducted -by My'srs„C. Neville-. A. M. Jamieson and assistants. The folliowing wore the stall-hold-ers: Sweets —Mesdames. Batty and Payne. Ice-cream —Mesdames Sheard. Hodgkinson. Neville, and Miss Opie. Produce —Mesdames Perrin, Chapbn, and Gilbert. Afternoon tea—Mesdames Hansen junr. (in charge);. Hansen senr., Nott, Glee.son., Robertson. Wilson, Nightingale, Sotheran, Ellery and Dickson, assisted by g'rls from the school and Technical School.

HIGHLAND DANCING. G<md entries were received in the Highland dancing section, which was judged by Mr R. B. Collett (Hokitika). Piper D. Oullcu provided the accompaniments., whi.’st Mr O. McLean noted as call steward. The award: made were:— Highland Fling (novice, 5 entries). —J. McMillan, 61 pts, 1 : D. Hager. 60 p"ts, 2. Highland Filing (10 and under, '

entries). —V. 66 pts, 1; F. McLean, G 5 pts, 2. Shvord Dance (6 entries).—F. Monk, 6(1 pts, 1; M. Coll, G 5 ptsj. 2. Sailors"’ Hornpipe (12 anj under, .11 entries). —F. Monk, 70 pts, 1; A. Goodall, 68 pts, 2. Irish Jig (12 and unde.q. 12 entries). —V. Goodall, 68 pts, 1; F. Monk, 67 pts, 2. CONCERT AND CIVIC RECEPTION. The Town Half was packed last evening when lire concert arranged by the staff and presented by the children was preceded by a brief civic reception. Mr A. E. Morgan (chairman of the School* ’Committee) said tluit il had been decided that the reception and concert wan’d be put on together, thus serving the doub’e purpose of welcoming tlfe old pupils and of providing the annual school concert. The) Mavor (Air W, Meldrum) on behalf of ' the citizens, extended a warm welcome back do- Greymouth to all the old boys and girls- of the school who had come to take part in the jubilee celebrations. It iwias good, lu\ s'a'd, to see- the -spirit of the school so wcdl demonstrated by ,h e ’arge gatherings yesterday afternoon and evening. He wished rill the old pupils the happiest, memories of Ihe.tr vis t to Greymouth. Mr 'L’ennent (chairman of the Jubilee Committee) returned thanks to the Mayor for -the reception ho had given them in the afternoon and again ; n the evening. It- was indeed pleas’ng to ■-co so many old faces p’-’c-si(nt„ an ( ] be was- sure all won’d enjoy their vis't to Greymouth. It wa fmemory to- look back rind iwot o'd faces and make again assoc tat ions of 50 or 00 ye<airs ago. Ho hoped the •'iiib'dee would bc> an incentive to the rising generation to enrrv on the w-ork do.no far them, for he sriid the reflex of the school was a reflex of the town, and good' oilizcnsh'p was essential to the country and d'striet. Uo trusted that the metmory of the Diamond Juibilcie- would be a lasting and profitab'o one for all the pup’* past' and present. The concert was the” proceeded with.'and a -Vngthy pw-gramino wns staged with miu ; mnni delay. AH the items w'ctc uniformly good, and reflect h’gh credit on the' teachers who had HO pat’ent'y trained the eli'klron. The urogra.mm'A was as fotlows:— Ovortnlro, Grevinon.th Orelios ,! ral Societv’s Orches'ra; s'ong-, M “Ton Little Nlgimr Roy.” G'l ,?: \ r >' in th'e Mo'rning”; opomtm dance. Pal Girkins, ranibow fairies, Gtd. 2 pup Is; humorous character Toc'ln’ on M■’ or- Jane ” Lorna T-T- elm-’ items (a) “Tn a Harden. ’’ (bi ”f the Lari-', ” Std. 5b rmn’ls: folk daneeq. Std. 4 gir’s; song and elmrii = . “SnfMv Frst”. S‘d. I’- "”n :i s: ors’ TTornnipe. P.ettv and Pegg” '"m“ per; humorous sketch. “ A Bourne School.” senior elocution c’ass. TmHe—Orchestra : choral items, (a) <<Of t : n the Stilly Night,” (M “p,lcs’-r>l N’ight.” “Awkward and Qt-horwi-e,” Std 5n liovs- tap dance, Vonnie Goodall; v orge sn’or'k'ig cho’i’t “The Best School of A’l.” senior c’oetit'on chins: Jane” fb’o, TTarleou'n and Cobimb'ne Fat GiflGns and Von. Gooda’l; ear. “Toads Fseame from Pr’son.” Std. > n’U'iL’T bumnlfou' eliaraetea- rec tat ion. “Mrs' Gubbinu. ” Ida MacDonald, dances bv the sen Yr girls, (ol ina ” (bi “Curtsey.” (<’] Skatei.s Gance”: clmra’ 1 ’'ems ; (a) “Wlv m Hie Morn'ng,” (b) “List to the -°n vent Bidls.” Prior to the final item. Mr Morgan thanked the audfem'e for attending in such large- number, "nd and M's-o< Thwaites Pnd Push for th"’" woik in making the concert suecessTul. JUBILEE BALL There was only a fair attendance at the Grev Main School’s Jubilee bal a Schaef’s Hall last evemng Ihe hall was urettilv decorated and the ilooi was in splendid order. The music was supplied by the Marina Orchestra, and Messrs G. Batty and F. McGrath were M’sC The ladies’ committee, who so ablv provided a dainty supper were Mesdames Collins, Gilbert, Batty, Tsott, Willis Hansen. Sheard, McDougall, p. lV ne- whilst the men's committee consisted of Messrs W. Williams M. Sheard, G. Baity, L. Pattinson and !■,. Ellerv. , Amongst those present were Mesdames W. Meldrum, IL T. Smith. R. McCarthy, R. J. Webber. W. T. MeKay, P Warnes. L. McGlashan. S. Trotter, Batty, Willis, Payne, Sheard, McDougall. Gilbert, Orr, 0. McLean. Misses M. Stopforth, V. Millar. K. Coaklev. J. Bonny. A. Tomasi, J. Wasley, AleCarthy, Trembath, Guy, Pearson S. Greenwood, H. Greenwood. C. Furness. P. Wise. L Brown; Messrs J. Tennent, W. Meldrum, "G. Batty, F. McGrath, A. E. Morgan, E. Baird, J. Doyle, C. Restieaux, R. Minchin, W. Minchin, G. Bidgood, C. Thompson, C. Dudley, L. Martyn. G. Watson. H. Coumbe, R. T. Smith, W. McKay, R. McGillivray, S. Johnston, T. Lim, 0. McLean, R. Weir, J. Perrin, P. McDonald, J. Morris, H. Hope\ B. Goodall, McCarthy, J. Haines, B. Shepherd, Hansen, A. Dalziel, L. D. McGlashan. J. Costello, H. Hogg. W. Weir, R. Tomkies, R. J. Webber, W. Stolz, R. Stopforth, T. Steele, V. Me Herren, N. Mcknight, D. James. TO-DAY’S FUNCTIONS.

The principal Jubilee function todav will be the re-union afternoon tea to'be held at 2.45 p.m. The committee has issued invitations to all pupils who attended the school prior to 1920, so far as can be ascertained. However, the list may be incomplete and all pupils prior to .1920 will be welcomed. During the afternoon vocal items will he given by Mrs W. J. Cogswell and Miss Elsie Finch and the Convent. Orchestra will also contribute to the programme. This evening commencing at eight o’clock special attractions at the school will be selections by the Greymouth Civic Band, topicalities by Mr Pat. Coll, and Items by the Camp Fire Band. Stalls and side shows will all add to the fun of the fair. The celebrations conclude to-morrow with children’s sport at the Recreation Ground at 2.45 p.m., torchlight procession through the streets to the school at 7.30 p.m. and an entertainment Toy the Greymouth Women’s Institute at the school commencing at 8.30 p.m.