Old Pupils Foregather to Renew Acquaintanceships

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

Old Pupils Foregather to Renew Acquaintanceships

Three Days of Festivity For Historic Birthday

“They take their courses— East, west, north, south, or a like a school broke up, Each hurries toward his home.”

Marking the golden jubilee of Terrace End School, celebrations extending over three days ended yesterday afternoon, making the fiftieth birthday party a memorable one for the thousands who participated in the various functions. With cx-pupils present from far-distant centres as well as from Palmerston North and district, the opportunity for renewing acquaintanceships of other days was a rich one, and numerous reminiscences were exchanged. Not in fifty years was a day at Terrace End School more enjoyed. The proceedings, which commenced on Friday with a gala and a jubilee ball, were continued on Saturday afternoon when a monster re-union was held at the school, preceded by a parade of ex-pupils. In the evening there was a most enjoyable banquet held in the city, and yesterday afternoon a commemoration ser- . vice, held at the school, fittingly terminated a most successful jubilee. It was evident throughout that many of the pupils of the first decade were still real schoolboys despite all the intervening years.

responsible positions in public life and private life. After short terms of office by Mr. Buckler and Mr. Overton, Mr. A. W. Thompson, the present head, was appointed, and in him Terrace End had a master who was bound to make a high name for himself. Mr. Mansford congratulated the committee on the comprehensive arrangements made for the celebration of the jubilee, and expressed the hope that the fifty years to come would exceed in high achievement the years now in retrospect. The Mayor officially declared the jubileo open. New Milepost Reached. Mr. J. A. Nash, M.P., joining with other speakers, congratulated the schooi on reaching a new milepost. “I was 16 years chairman of the school committee and with others saw the steady progress made year by year,” said Mr. Nash. “One of our difficulties was the small area of land' attached to the school. However, vte succeeded in raising funds and, together frith subsidies from the Wanganui Education 'Board, purchased two sections between the school and tho old grtivel pit, also a piece of land on the eastern side, but the crowming point was when Sir Francis Dillon Bell made a grant of £2450 to purchase 41 acres at tho back of the school. The pupils attending the school have one of the finest playing grounds in tho Dominion. During my connection with the school Mr. Fairbrother was the headmaster and Mr. Thompson the first assistant. It is a great pleasure to find Mr. Fairbrother still interested in the school and taking an active part in tho celebrations. He did yoeman service and many of thoso who passed through the school owe their thanks to Mr. Fairbrother. Mr. Thompson was later appointed headmaster at his old school. Ho Iras had a successful career and is recognised as one of our leading headmasters. Too much praise cannot be given to tho staffs who have given such good service. With the headmaster they have always had a good record at the annual examinations.

March of Progress. “ Tko passing of the Education Act was in 1577. In the earlier days the churches looked after the education.of the young and a payment had to be made. How different to-day—truly we have progressed. Primary and secondary education is free and bursaries are provided which will take the boy and girl to the university. In 1930 we had 1154,162 primary school children, 31,868 secondary, 11,829 technical and 5007 university students, making.a total of 302,936. The different Governments have done their best to provide buildings and facilities that wo should be justly proud of. In all there are 2600 btate schools. The average attendance has improved each year. In 1930 it was 92.3, which is very creditable. The number of trainees attending the training schools became so great that several of the schools were closed down. I However, another will open this year. I Wc also have 138 schools in the Dornin- | ion where native children are taught, I the number being 7500, so that the Maori children are not being neglected.

“Much could be said about our schools and the ceaseless work of the school committees, who regard it as a labour of love. Vast improvements have been made in tho primary education during the past 50 years. The teachers are better trained and the schools have become more free and more individual. Physical training has been reorganised, hand work and carpentry taught. The children are very fortunate and have even more claim than their parents to call their school days the happiest days of their lives. The atmosphere is changed, there is ' none of the old fear, but a sense of [freedom. Organised games have been [ an established plan in school life. , Now j there are school journeys and educational visits and we are on tho thresI hold of extended use of the cinema and ! broadcasting. A reflective survey of our present elementary system Isaves the observer with, the impression that the situation is full of hope, that great things have been accomplished and greater achievements await us. “Let me wish you a very happy time during these celebrations, and all success and prosperity to the school in the future,” concluded Mr. Nash. Our Debt to the Past. Next on his feet was Mr. E. F. Hemmingway, chairman of the Wanganui Education Board. Mr. Hemingway said

he had attended many similar celebrations during the year and he could not speak 'too highly of their value, for they served not only to bring old friends together, but also to bring out in bold relief the magnificent work carried out by the pioneers in the past. It was unfortunately true that the younger generation in their enthusiasm for tho new were apt to forget the old to whom they owed so much. However, occasions such as tho present enabled them to do honour to the pioneers who had endured all manner of hardships in blazing the trail for those of the present day. Tho people of to-day with all the modern luxuries and comforts owed the pioneers a debt they could never adequately repay. Speaking of the present system of education Mr. Hemingway said there was no system in the world that could not be improved, but we should be careful when we tampered with a system that had proved its value lest wo make it worse instead of better. He claimed that the system had proved itself over and over again. Tho boy or girl that chose to learn could onter almost any profession and climb to the topmost rung of tho ladder. He instanced a caso of a little rosy-cheeked girl who used to milk cows and then walk three miles to school and the same distance home again and milk more cows. The little girl was now head of one of the largest girls' colleges in England and her brother, who used to walk to school and milk cows as sho did was now occupying a high position in the legal world in the Dominion. Mr. Hemingway said the value of the training received in the schools of tho Dominion was reflected in the conduct of the New Zealand boys at the front. There they were tried in the greatest crucible of all—tho crucible of war. And how had through that ordeal? They had achieved a reputation second to none among the millions engaged on the side of the Allies. Speaking pf tho Education Board, Mr. Hemingway said the board was very often blamed when in reality it was not to blame. The funds were very limited and the district a largo one, and if they acceded to every request some equally deserving school would go short. The board, lio said, was a “happy ship” whose chief object was to do its best for the children under its control. The members of the board when they met did their work thoroughly and well—they did not waste any time.

“In all his 19 years of service with the board he had never once known either politics or religion allowed to enter into its discussions, and so long a 3 he was chairman he would do his best to see that this was so.

Another factor' that contributed largely to the success of its operations lvas the faithful work carried out by its staff. In Mr. Swangcr and tho late Mr. Bree, their former secretaries, they had men w r ho had not their superiors in the Dominion, and the present secretary, Mr. Boulton, was not inferior to them, Mr. Hemingway paid a tribute to the services freely and ungrudgingly rendered by the committees throughout the board's district. There was no education district in the Dominion where grounds were better kept. In this connection he said he was at a loss to understand the action of the Unemployment Board in refusing to allow the committees to have the use of the unemployed labour. It would bo a different thing if the committees were using unemployed labour in place of labour they would otherwise pay for. Committees, particularly those in Palmerston North, often had large areas to look after and the money allowed them by the department did not suffice, and the people were too hard hit with excessive taxation to warrant them being continually appealed to for funds. “For the life of me,” said Mr. Hemingway, “I cannot see any justification for subsidies being granted to wealthy corporations for building purposes and unemployed being allowed to be employed by local authorities who could raise fund 3 by means of rates if necessary, and unemployed labour being withheld from school committees, who have no such power.’’

Mr. Hemingway urged the children to remember that they were citizens of an Empire of which they had every reason to be proud. No nation had set a better example than Britain with regard to disarmament; in fact she had reduced her navy to a point that really courted disaster. The national character caused Britishers to be looked up to the world over, and tho national character after all was the character of the majority of the people and was in the keeping of every one of those present. It was a solemn responsibility resting on tho shoulders of everyone, a responsibility they could not escape from even if they would. Ho urged them therefore if they were ever tempted to do wrong to remember that if they did wrong they were letting • their country down. Mr. Hemingway concluded by wishing the committee, on behalf of the Eclucation Board, every success in its efforts on behalf of the children of their district. Popular Chief. Greeted by cheers and a renewed clanging of tho bell, Mr. A. 'YV. Thompson briefly addressed the gathering. He said that most of tho tradition the school now boasted was the creation of Mr. Fairbrother. His record of 30 years’ service in Terrace End would be hard to beat. Ho trusted tho visit would be most pleasurable for all, and they would return home full of satisfaction at the reunions they had made. Terrace End was only one cog in the wheel of the city’s educational system, and he was pleased to welcome representatives of every other school in Paljnerstou North,

“In conclusion, may I say we are very proud to stand hero for the 50th birthday of the Terrace End School.” An ex-pupil, Mr. Ilanhin, who joined the old brigade in ISBS, thanked the committee for its arrangements for the jubilee. 'He recalled the days when Mr. Fairbrother was known as one of tho finest Rugby wing three-quarters in tho Manawatu. He thanked the committee for the provision it had made, and said that all had found rich experience in the jubilee. The cheering fever seized the gathering before dispersal, with cheers for Mr. Fairbrother, Mr. Thompson, the chairman (Mr. Tennent) and the committee.

Following the opening ceremony, pupils gave an exhibition of folk dancing (trained by Miss Jessie Chapman) and of drill (trained by Mr. L. Morine).