Many Speeches at Official Opening

Manawatu Times, Volume 59, Issue 271, 19 November 1934, Page 8

Many Speeches at Official Opening

I’IVE FOUNDATION SCHOLARS ANSWER ROLL CALL

Brilliant weather attended the Saturday afternoon celebrations. The parade of pupils and ex-pupils assembled at the Terraco End Park for the procession to the school, and when it finally moved off presented a colourful picture as it wound down Ruahinc street to the school, headed by the banner: ISS4-93. Reaching the school, the participants filed into place in the quadrangle. The . balcony , was filled with those taking' part in the speech programme, staffs from other city schools, committeemen, and others fully representative of educational interests in the city and district.

“School is in, and the headmaster will now call the roll of first-day pupils,” announced Mr. \V. B. Tennent, chairman of the present committee. As Mr. F. Fairbrother read the names, it appeared that there were far too many absentees, and not till the name of James Brazier was sounded that a response was made and the old bell rang. He was followed by: Minnie Ayres, Alice Smith, Ethel Smith, Thomas Woodroofe.

' “Old wouldn’t let Her off,” remarked one of the crowd when somc- • body failed to respond. 'j ‘ Many of the names that drew only a silence for response were those of ’ past piipils who had passed into the beyond, and in their honour a two ■minutes’ silence was observed, while ‘Messrs H. Blackwood and J. Davidson, .members of tho school committee, hung 'a wreath on the Memorial Gates. The ’boys and girls of the dccado ISS4-93 • dedicated a ffreath to the heroes of the 'Boer War and another to those of the Great War.

A number of notes for absence and messages of goodwill were received, including those from Mrs. E. A. Collins, Mrs. Eda von Blarmberg, wife of an early headmaster, and - her daughter, 'Dorothea; Miss D. M. Nicol, Blenheim; Mr. F. J. Atwood, Blenheim; headmaster and staff of West End School; Mrs. Weir, Fitzroy street, Palmerston North; Harcourt Weir and Loftus Weir, and others.

West End School wrote as follows: The staff desires to extend congratulations to Terrace End upon its attainment of its jubilee. May the next fifty years ot' the school’s history be even richer in results- than those that have passed. “Please excuse us for not being at school this week-end,” wrote the Yveir family.

The Old Still Young. Mr. Tenncnt, on behalf of the committee, welcomed all to the jubilee, hoping it would serve as a means of re-. newing old acquaintanceships. The hand of time had dealt kindly with the J pupils of the first decade, and it made \ one wonder whether the jubilee were a silver or a golden one. Of their old headmaster, Mr. Fairbrother, they would retain mixed impressions, but with all Mr. Fairbrother had left a tradition that had stood them in good stead (applause). It was a far cry today from Mrs. Harvey’s cold classroom, but to pause and look back made them the more determined that in the futufe they would leave no stone unturned to make the education of their children a success and a pleasure. Tfie hearty congratulations of all citizens on the attainment by the school of- its jubilee were conveyed by the Mayor, Mr. A. E. Mansford. The occasion was one when it was fitting to recall the efforts in education of the pioneers, for to-day we enjoyed the fruits of those labours which they had unstintingly carried out. The growth of the school was representative .of the expansion of the whole of Palmerston NqrthrjTo'the pupils of the early days the occasion would certainly recall a flood of happy memories. Terrace End had Tieen -most Fortunate in the headmasters’ itsbad.known.- Mr. Fairbrother was-admirably fitted to direct a school that—was. making, such rapid progress as Terrace -End.- • --- < - - - - Mr. Fairbrother had chiefly laid tha .fquflhfttions of those traditions which .the- ach.ool now enjoyed, and it must gratify Mr. Fairbrother to see his former pupils now holding