BOYS' HIGH SCHOOL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 14955, 29 March 1909, Page 7

BOYS' HIGH SCHOOL.

PRESENTATION TO MR SPEIGHT. A large gathering of scholars and old boys of tho Christehurch Boys' High School was held in tho new gymnasium at tho school on Saturday evening to bid farewell to Mr R. Speight, who has left the staff to take up the position of assistant curator of the Christehurch Museum and lecturer in geology at Canterbury College. The headmaster, Mr C. E. Bovan-Brown, presided. Mr Speight has been connected with tho Boys' High School since its inception in 1881, having been one of tho first scholars. He gained a Junior University Scholarship in 1884 and left tho school for Canterbury College. There he gained a Senior Scholarship in 1887, his B.A. degree in 1888, M.A. (first-class honours) in 1889 and B.Sc. in 1891. ' In 1889 he returned to his old school as part-time master, and two years later was appointed .to a position on the permanent staff. He has thus been on tho school staff for twenty years, and in token of tho esteem in which he is held tho gathering on Saturday evening presented him with a prismatic compass and gave him an enthusiastic farewell.

Tho presentation was made by the headmaster, who spoke in terms of the highest praise of the services Mr Speight had Tendered to tho school during the tonuro of his position. Both in the school and on the football field, he said, Mr Speight had proved himself an excellent coach for the boys, and it was mainly duo to his efforts that the school teams had done so well and had made such a name for themselves. During all tho time that he had been headmaster at the school he had always got on excellently with Mr Speight, and in losing him he felt that ho was not only losing a very valuable assistant but a great personal friend. Ho asked Mr Spoight to accept their present as a tokon of their appreciation of his worth and of their best wishes for his success in his new position. Mr Speight, who on rising to reply was received with enthusiastic cheers, expressed his thanks for tho gift. Ho said that he had been at the school for over nineteen years and ho could not readily tear up the roots of his connection with his old school and transplant thorn to another institution without a feeling of regret. It was a wrench to leave, and ho felt it keenly, bub he would always bo willing to help the school iu any way as long as his timo allowed. He hoped that his successor would get on as well with tho boys as ho had done, and ho attributed the successes of tho school to the loyal way in which the boys had supported the masters. Mr W. Walton and Mr T. Bain eulogised Mr Speight's services. Mr Walton said that some of those present that evening know and some of them did not know how much Mr Speight had done for tho school. For nineteen years Mr Speight had given his time, labour and patience for the benefit of tho boys on tho football field, working gratuitously for the lovo of tho sport. Ho was very sorry indeed "to lose Mr Speight, and he was sure that he would succeed in his new position. Speaking for the Rugby Union, he said that the members thoroughly recognised the good work done by Mr Speight in connection with sport and that ho had contributed greatly towards the success of Cantorbury football. Ho wished Mr Speight every success in his new position. Tho health of Mr Speight was drunk enthusiastically, and other toasts were honoured, tho singing of " Auld Lang i Syno " concluding tho gathering.