TECHNICAL SCHOOL

Manawatu Standard, Volume LI, Issue 6, 6 December 1930, Page 4

TECHNICAL SCHOOL

BREAKING-UP CEREMONY. ' DISTRIBUTION OP PRIZES. With the annual breaking-up ceremony, held in the Opera House last evening, tire educational year at the Palmerston North Technical School was brought to a close. There was a largo attendance of parents ’and friends at the function. The principal address was delivered by the Minister of Education (Hon. H. Atmore) who distributed the prizes. Mr J. W. Rutherfurd (chairman of the Technical School Committee and High Schools Board of Governors) presided. Others on the platform with the chairman and the Minister were Mr J. A. Nash, M.P., and Mrs Nash, members of the controlling body and their wives, and the staff. An apology for absence was received from Mr W.. L. Pitzherbert. Under the baton of, Mr William Watters, the girls first sang “Ye Banks and Braes,” and “Highland Laddie.” At'the end of-the function they sang the “Huntsman's Chorus” and “There were Three Merry-Travellers.” • MV Rutherfurd stated that the year just, closing was a significant one. It completed twenty-five years for the school as a separate entity., and next year the silver ■ jubilee would be celebrated. There had been two outstanding events during the year. The recreational ground, complete with pavilion, had been completed, thanks to the excellent support given by the public and the generous attitude of the Department, of Education. Secondly, two large blocks of land had been purchased for the school and it was no secret that extensive additions were contemplated which would not only relieve the present congestion, but enable the school.work to be. carried on with greater efficiency. Another event of significance had been the fact that the enrolments, over one thousand pupils, had again constituted a record.

“There are some people,” added Mr Rutherfurd, “who delight in writing to the newspapers deploring the quest for pleasure by • , modern boys and girls. To realise what the real position is they should go to the Technical School when the evening classes are in progress and see hundreds of pupils at work of their own free will —many of them paying fees out of their still small earnings. I suggest that a glimpse of those classes would convince people that there is no nc6d to despair of the present generation. (Applause). Continuing, the chairman extended a cordial welcome on behalf of the board and parents to tlie Minister who, he stated, was attending the first function associated with the school in an official capacity.- “All politics aside, the chairman hoped that it would be forerunner of many more visits. No school has a more efficient, conscientious and loyal staff than the Palmerston North Technical,” concluded the chairman in conveying sentiments of appreciation.

DIRECTOR’S i ANNUAL REVIEW. The annual report of the director (Mr G. G. Haneox) was as follows: —“Tho staff has consisted of 15 full part time teachers and one student teacher. The total number of students enrolled was 1267, 842 being free place, 308 paying and 117 manual. The weekly hour enrolments were for the first term 14,580 (11,759 day, 2821 evening).: for the second term 13,712 (10,697 day, 3015 evening) ; and for the third term 12,738 (9806 day, 2932 evening). That the standard of work is being maintained, is shown by the successes of our students in tho various public examinations: —Proficiency 25, competency 3, senior free place 136, accountants’ preliminary 3 (partial pass 4), accountants’ professional 13, City and Guilds 5, New Zealand technological 6, registered plumbers 7, invalid cookery certificates 15,' speed shorthand certificates 48, speed typewriting certificates 47, public service entranco 8, Government shorthand typist, junior 3, senior 2; Manawatu A. and P. Association, first prizes 34, second 33, third 27, St. John ambulance certificates 6, Royal Life Saving Society, certificates 9, medallions 4. Gratifying features' of the work has been the steady development of the evening apprenticeship classes and the number of apprentices and journeymen who have continued their attendance at the school for six or seven years in order to become more proficient in tho advanced branches of their occupations. These young men would not keep coming year after year voluntarily unless they felt that tho tuition received was worth while. In this connection it is interesting to record that one of our day trades students has been appointed electrical apprentice at Mangahao.,,and another mechanic-apprentice at. the Sockburn aerodrome. The outdoor activities of tho school have shown still further development. Basketball, tennis, - swimming and life saving have been provided, ofr the girls; and football - crioket, tennis, swimming and life saving for the boys. During the first term the annual ; swimming sports and the annual athletic, sports were held, all the events being keenly contested. One of our exstudents, Miss Gladys Pidgeon, who is New Zealand lady champion breaststroke swimmer, represented New Zealand at the Empire Games held at Toronto. Our beautifully laid out sports grpund has been a powerful factor in cultivating the team spirit. Due largely to the efforts of past 'and present students, to the generosity of parents and the - practical sympathy of the' Minister of Education, a sports pavilion has been erected. So that still further grounds - improvements may be made, the sum of £55 :was raised by means of our annual Daffodil Day effort. Nor have the social activities of the students been neglected/• Tennis afternoons were held frequently during the summer and an evening students’ tennis club has been formed. During the winter term, each of tho four clubs held a social, while the day students arranged an evening for. the visiting Mastertpn teams. The need'of* - a room suitable for the physical, social and musical activities of the school has. become bo pressing that) the students have commenced to raise funds for a gymnasium, a concert yielding £3O. Tho problem of accommodation has been so acute that many of tho class have been carried on under adverse conditions. The library and staff room have been used freely for tuition purposes and almost every room has been in use every morning, afternoon and evening. To provide for further extension, the Minister of Education has purchased two properties adjoining the school, thus doubling our building area and giving frontages to three streets. The house on one of these is being renovated for the purpose of giving our senior girls training in. home management. Invita- ' 'tions to visit the school were accepted by the Palmerston North City Council; the Kairanga County Council; the plumbers’, carpenters’, engineers’ and painters’ apprenticeship committees; and tho delegates to the Manchester Unity conference. I wish to express my gratitude •to tho parents for their generosity towards all objects connected with the welfare of the school; to the Cosmopolitan Club and the master plumbers for providing scholarships; to the Palmerston North City Council, Kairanga County Council, and the New Zealand Society of Accountants for their donations; to tho apprenticeship committees for their continued interest in the trades’ classes; to Misses Young for their donation of a challenge cup; to the Press for their ready assistance at all times; and to all others who in various ways have assisted us.” The director concluded by thanking all members of the staff —both full and part-time—for thSir loyal co-opera-tion in all matters pertaining to the wel-

fare of the school, and tho Board of Governors for thier hearty support. Hon. H. Atmore then delivered an address dealing with the educational policy, a report of which appears elsewhere. At the conclusion of his remarks the Minister distributed the prizes to the successful pupils. Mr. J. A. Nask, M.P., said he was proud to be associated with all in extending a cordial welcome to the Minister, who was an exceedingly, busy man and had visited seven schools that day, as well as fulfilling other engagements. The board felt very proud of what had been achieved in technical education in Palmerston North under one controlling authority for the secondary schools. It was an example to the rest of the Dominion. The Minister of Education had given the most sympathetic consideration to tho city and district. Authority had readily been given for the purchase of tho two properties acquired by the school this year Much was due to the Minister for the fine playing ground in Grey Street, with its pavilion and improvements. Mr Nash said he wished to acknowledge the wliole-hearted interest of Mr Atmore for whom cheers were given, arid a motion of thanks was passed with acclamation. PRIZE LIST.

The prize list was as follows: English and Arithmetic.—Day girls, A commercial: Ist year. Miriel Haneox; 2nd year, • Dorothy Pascoe. B commercial : Ist year, Patricia Guthrie. Domestic, Ist year, Mavis Francis; 2nd year, Ethel Adame. Evening, boys: Ist year, William Jensen; 2nd year, William Allen; girls, Margaret Forsyth. Miss Colquhoun’s specials: Best scholar in English, Ist year, Miriel Haneox; 2nd year, Ngaire Blundell. Miss Vautier’s specials: 1 Domestic, English and Arithmetic, Winifred Cockrell. Art.—lst year: Mavis Francis. Junior; Vida Byoroft. Senior: Eileen Revere. Miss Morgan’s specials for raffia; Freda Hart, Mona Baldwin. : Special for art design (donor anonymous): Isabel Young. . Book-keeping.—lst year, Dorothy Clevely; 2nd year, Joyce Elhvood. Accountant’s Society’s specials: Junior, Alma Clarke, Annetta Trollope; senior,

Kathleen Richards, Linda. Wilkinson, Kathleen Reichenbach. Mr W. F. Goddard’s specials: Book-keeping, Mildred Holland; business methods, Lucy Fraser. Mr W. Newland’s special: Daisy Hadfield. Mr P. O. Skoglund’s special: William Allen. Business methods, progress: Jean Barrie.

Typewriting.—Junior, Olive McLean; Senior. Lois Allen. Mr W. F. Goddard’s special: Thelma Jackson. Mr A. G. Richards’s specials: Gwen Goodrich, Enid Varcoe.

Shorthand. —Ist year, Mildred Holland ; 2nd year, Mary Lynch. Evening students’ special for progress: John Guthrie. Mr F. Hardy’s specials for progress: Frances Matthews, Kathleen Richard, Nancy Moore, Ethel Lane, Edward Coates. Esme Anderson Memorial Prizo: Olive McLean. Miss Mawhinoy’s specials for progress: Enid Yarcoe. Kathleen Wischnowsky. Miss Heard’s special: Joyce Henry. Mrs Black’s special for progress: Bessie Trollope. . . Dressmaking—lst year, Miriel Hancox; 2nd year, Isobel Young. Miss Joan Young’s specials: Kathleen Whitehead, Jessie Costal!. Miss J. A. Young’s specials, Dorothy Tennant, Audrey Hall. Miss C. W. Vauticr’s special; Dorothy Wiggins. Millinery.—lst year, Mary Hansen; 2nd year, Joan Boote. Miss Mardon’s special: Mavis Pope. Cookery.—Junior, Ist year, Mavis Francis; 2nd year, Ethel Adams; senior, Linda Wilkinson. Miss Mac Gibbon’s special: Bertha Ennis. Dinner cooking competition: 2nd year, P.N.C.C.’s., gas range : Winifred Sherriff; eelctric range : Gwynneth Langston; “Zealandia” prize, Kathleen O’Donnell. Senior: P.N.C.C., electric range, Joyce Blackwood; “Zealandia” prize, Linda Wilkinson. Home-nursing and first aid.—Progress: Isobel Manz. Mrs M. Curry’s special: Linda Loveday. Elocution.—Progress: Ist year, Bertha Ennis; senior, Dorothy Wischnowsky. Miss Ulu Hancock’s specials: Peggy McIsaac (Ist year evening); Joan Kelly (best kept note book, Ist year day); Ethel Adams (2nd year day class). Art Needlework. —Progress: Isobei Manz Mrs L. Croucher’s specials: Agnes Golder, Alice Sandham. Housecraft and Hygiene.—Progress : Ethel Adams. Miss Vautier’s specials: Linda Wilkinson, Jean Elliot.

Cake Decorating.—Progress: Agnes Mills. Mr W. Allan’s special: Hugh Kilgallon. Squad Leadership in Physical Culture (Miss Benstead’s special) : Linda Wilkinson and Thora Rodden. Day Trades. —Highest in aggregate : TIA, Cecil Sims; TIB, Maurice Colbourne; TIC, George Passey ; T2, Ernest Quicko; T 3, Bruce Allan. Specials: Joseph Beattie, Rayipond Rowland, John Leddra. Mechanical engineering, theory and practice: Junior, Jack Campbell; senior, Cyril Fuller. Electricity.—Junior, Patrick O’Connell; senior, Claude Hands. Electrical Workshop.—Mr D. Niven’s special: Ralph Treleaven. Electrical Design: Mr W. Coutts’s special: Alan Tucker. Woodwork (apprentice class): Progress : Cyril Dredge. Building Construction. —Mr A. R. Allan’s special: Norman Johansen. Palmerston North Guild of Reg. Architects’ special: Cecil Morgan. Practical Mathematics. —Mr J. A. Colquhoun’s special; Thomas Davidson. Plumbing.—Progress : Bernard Kyle. Mr W. Harris’s special; Roy Cutler. Motor Theory.—Progress: John Harris. Mechanics and .trade drawing.—Progress : Morris White. Oxy Acetone Welding.—Progress: Joseph Eckerslcy. Sheet Metalwork. —Progress : Ronald Langford. Mr Raleigh’s special; George Turner. Salesmanship. Progress: Maurice Boyce. Sign and Ticket Writing.—Progress : Raymond Tapp. Sports Trophies.—Collinghamo Shield : No. 4 Platoon (Ngapuhi), Sgt. A. McIvor. McNab Shield: Corporal Geof- ! frey Eglinton. Girls’ Swimming Cham- | pionship: Nola Milverton. Boys’ Swim--1 ming Championship, M. Colbourne (Colin Telford Memorial Cup). Life Saving I Shield: ‘A” team. Junior Athletic ! Champion (girls), Rita Williams; (boys), M. Jensen. Senior Athletic Champion (girls), Linda Wilkinson; (boys). Bennett Cup, C. Dredge. Inter-Club Basket-ball, Young Cup: Tainui (Joan Shepperd, captain). Those gaining senior freo places were as follow: Ethel Adams, Sidney Albert, William Aldereley, William Allen, Robert Ar-

cher, Ivy Armstrong, Mary Badhe. M Baldwin, William Barlow, Ngaire Blundell, Jean Boote, Albert Boris, Ray Brann, John Browning, Kathleen Butters, Veda Bycroft, Henry Campbell, Jack Campbell, Reginald . Carr, Sheila Casey ChnstuM. Christiansen, Peter Cole, Arthur CostaU, Jessie Costall, Nora Croad, Roy Cutler, lan Davey, Noela Day, John Dredge, Dudley Driver, Edna Dryden, Burness Dunsta , Geoffrey Eglinton, Jean EUiot, Joyce LUwood, Lyndall Ferguson, lan Finn, Gladjs Fitzgerald, Albert Fitzsimons, Edna holey, Margaret Foreyth, Gladys Foster, Maurice Gardner, Irene Golder, Arthur Grayson, lan Grundy, Charles Hackshaw, Muriel Hallett, Jean Hallman, Annio Hancock, Ronald Hands, Doris Hansen, Ezra Hansen, Monica Harper, Freda Hart, Doris Hawkins. Mavis Hawkins, Alfreda Heard, Joyce Henry, Beatrice Hickin, Haidee Hills, Jpan Hislop, Donald Hoare, Phyllis Holdaway, Joyce Holywell, Thomas Hopcroft, Neta Hosking, Reginald Howe, Annie Jackson, Annie Jacobs, lan Jarman, Thora Johnston, Thelma Jones, Joan Kelly, Patricia Kelly, Alwyn Kemp, Mary Kirk, William Kirk, Phyllis Kneebone, Donald Laing, Gwynneth Langston, Desmond Lashlie, Ronald Leng, Mary Lynch, Basil Marshall, George Marshall, Frances Matthews, Roy Metcalfe, Nola Milverton, Dorothy Mitchell, Vida Mitchell, Molly Mouldey, Christina McConach'y, Olivo McLean, Edward Newton, Patrick O’Connell, Kathleen O Donnell, Muriel O’Kane, Frederick Oliver, Ronald O’Neill, Dorothy Ower, Dorothy Pascoe, Nancy Patchett, Francis Pope, William Purcell, Ernest Quicke, Jean Raleigh, Florence Ram, Dorothy Ratcliffs, Dorna Rix, Phyllis Roots, Robert Roulston, Olive Rule, Guy Russell, Robert Russell, Cora Seifert, Joyce Shaw, Raynor Shearer, Winifred Sherriff, Joan Signal), Helen Smillie, Bazeley Smith, Ivan Smith, Ljde Smith, May Smith, Maud Stenberg, Mervyn Taylor, Cecil Thomas, Freda Thomson, Victor Tippler, James Todd, Neville Turner, Violet Tweeddale, Frank Yoss, Elsie Wagstaff, Marjorie Wagstaff, Albert Waterhouse, Rowland Watson, Jean. Watters, Thomas Webb, Charles White, .Kathleen Whitehead, Sheila Whitehouse, Jessie Wiggins, Thomas Wilkinson, Ita Wischnewsky, Kathleen Wischnewsky, Ernest Wood, Isabella Young, James Dynes. Proficiency Certificates. William Barrett, (Gordon Diffey, Lyol Puthie, Sidney Eagle, Ronald Hanford, Edith Hibell, Frances

Potbury, James Pritchard, Richard Proctor. Mervyii Toms, Joyce Teppett, Jes=ie Tueedd f'omoetencv Certificates— Molly Allen, StSey Collis, Nanetta Faulkner All,err Homan, Ada Jones, Conrad Judd Dons n ’ Douglas Meehan, Mary 0 Farrell, Frajfcis g, -Leslie Smith, Albert Tro,-.