44 YEARS’ SERVICE

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 53, Issue 32518, 18 December 1944, Page 5

44 YEARS’ SERVICE

MR & MRS DAY HONOURED

PRESENTATIONS MADE

FUNCTION HELD IN PAEROA

Forty-four years’ service in the teaching profession, the last 13 of which have been spent in Paeroa, will be brought to a close at the end of the present school year when Mr A. E. Day, headmaster of the Paeroa District High School will retire and fitting tributes to this outstanding record were paid at a public function held in the Regent Theatre on Friday afternoon when the guest of honour was presented with a handsome writing desk and Mrs Day with a handbag and gloves to match. The function had been organised by the Paeroa District High Scho’ol Committee and the Paeroa Parents’ Association, the official party consisting of Mr and' Mrs A. E. Day, Messrs C. C. Webb and S. Wheeler (Paeroa District High School Committee), Mrs S. Wheeler (Paeroa Parents’ Associa-. tion), Mr A. Bell (Auckland Education Board), Mr R. P. Callaway (staff of Paeroa District High School) and Iris Catton, Dawn Poland;, Rex Finlay and Warwick Aston (pupils, paeroa District High School). Apologies for absence were received’from the chairman of the Auckland Education Board, the senior inspector of the Auckland Education Board, Mr J. Thorn, M.P,, the Mayor of Paeroa, Mr Edwin Edwards, Mr W. Marshall, and Archdeacon W. 'G. H. Weadon a former chairman of the paeroa District High School Committee Thirteen Years in Paeroa

“My feelings to-day are of a mixed character. We are met here to say farewell to an old friend —Mr Day, headmaster of the Paeroa District High School. Mr Day is leaving us after 13 year's’ service as headmaster of the Paeroa School and a total service of 44 years in- the teaching profession. Truly a record to look back upon with' pride,” said the chairman of the Paeroa District High School Committee, Mr C. C. Webb. “I personally do not like partings, much less do I like this- one and I am sure that all who have been associated with Mr Day will have the same feelings that I have,” continued Mr Webb. “It is not altogether an easy matter for me to tell you, in a few words, what I think of Mr Day and indeed it would hardly be right and proper that I should. His record speaks l for itself. But it would be ungrateful if I did not remind- you of his devotion to his work and his unfailing loyalty to his staff and his school. His enthusiasm for any improvements to the . schools or the conditions of the staff and the pupils is well known to any committee member who has served with Mr Day. I have had the privilege of serving as chairman of the school committee for the past three years and I wish now to pay a tribute to Mr Day for the help and assistance he has always so readily given the committee. Will Be Remembered “In some respects Mr Day is a lucky man. IHe will not have to jump out of bed, swallow down his breakfast and rush over to school in time to heat the first bell. All his time will be his own and l I sincerely trust that it will be enjoyable—every, hour of it. “I would remind him that though his old place in the school will be filled by a new headmaster he will always have a warm place; in the hearts of the many friends he has made in- Paeroa. I hope he will remember this and that we shall see a lot of both Mr and Mrs Day at any school functions in the future. “Other speakers will, I hope, touch on the many points I have omitted l but I would like to pay a tribute to one who is deserving of all we can say. I refer to Mrs' Day, the wife of our guest. Tribute To Mrs Day “Without the help and assistance of a good wife no man will go far in any profession. It has been said that great women belong to history and self-sacrifice. Mrs Day truly, has the quality of self-sacrifice. Life in our younger days would have been- a cheerless existence without our mothers and sisters and the same can be said of wives in later life. “Mr and Mrs Day, I extend to you both the sincere good wishes of all and trust that you may both live long and be happy in your retirement,” concluded Mr Webb.

Mr Bell spoke of the excellent work done by- Mr Day and the influence he had exercised on the character of the children who had passed through the Paeroa School. He expressed the hope that Mr and Mrs Day would enjoy their well-earned retirement and

thanked him for the good work he had done for the board. Interest In Children

Mrs Wheeler said that on behalf of the parents she wished to thank Mr •Day for the interest he had shown in the children of Paeroa. Mr Day had not only been interested ip the children while they had been at school but he had followed their activities' in later life. She expressed- pleasure in the -knowledge that ‘Mr Day was not leaving Paeroa and urged the children to remember Mr-Day as they, grew up, assuring them that Mr Day, althqugh he had retired, would still be interested in their progress . In conclusion she wished Mr and Mrs Day all possible happiness l for the future.

Mr Callaway speaking on behalf of the staff, thanked Mr Day for his loyalty to them. Mr Day had always had the interests of the school at heart and though the- school- was- losing him as- a headmaster the staff felt they were not losing a friend as Mr Day would be still living in Paeroa. He wished them all happiness in their retirement.

Tributes From Pupils

Tributes' were also paid by the representatives of the pupils' who were among the official party. They wished both Mr and Mrs Day good health and happiness- in their retirement. Mr Day in replying thanked the speakers for the very kind words spoken and the kind thoughts, expressed in- those words, saying that actually his retirement would be a wrench. He spoke of his. early days in the teaching profession and traced his progress in various parts of New Zealand until he came- to Paeroa some 13 years, ago. He had only intended to stay in Paeroa about two years but had been so happy in the town and among its people that -he had continued on until his retirement. He thanked the Paeroa District High School Committee and the Paeroa Parents’ Association for the work they had done for the school and the progress that had been made. In conclusion he expressed appreciation for the gifts, saying that he had always wished to possess l a writing desk. During the function the Maori children of the school under the direction of Mr R. Greenslade sang two songs', “Pamai” and “Poatarau.”

■Mr Webb thanked- the management of the Regent Theatre for the use of the theatre for the afternoon and the function closed with the singing of the National Anthem.