Whangarei High School Year Ends; Prize-Giving Ceremony

Northern Advocate, 16 December 1938, Page 7

Whangarei High School Year Ends; Prize-Giving Ceremony

'J'HE EXCELLENT SPIRIT PERVADING THE ACTIVITIES OF THE WHANGARES HIGH SCHOOL WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE TOWN HALL LAST NIGHT. It was the occasion of the annual prize-giving, marking the end of another school year. Accommodation was at ,a premium, the floor of the hall being packed with pupils, and all other space was taken up by parents and friends. The whole of the proceedings struck the brightest note ever in evidence at this function. To both pupils ,and parents the distribution of academic awards and sports trophies for the year was the most important feature of the evening, but added interest was lent by several items by the scholars, while the speeches were full of interest to young people as well as their elders.

Official Party. Mr, H. C, Rishworth, chairman of the ..Board of Governors, presided, and with him on the platform were Mrs Rishworth, the headmaster, Mr A. R. Ryder, the member for Marsden, Mr J. G. Barclay, and Mrs Barclay, the president of the parents’ association, Mr R. G. Hosking, thd vicechairman of the board, Mr G. A. Beth§ll, the president of* the Old Pupils’ Association, Miss D. Lupton, Mrs J. Donaldson, a member of the board, and Mr J. Reid, secretary of the board. Education’s Purpose. “Education is not for the purpose entirely of fitting you to earn your living,” remarked Mr Rishworth in speaking to the boys and girls, j ‘‘Rather it is to take your mind off the monotony and tedium of your work.

of young manhood and young womanhood before them on that occasion.

He spoke in high terms of the school, saying that he had never heard of one instance which would bring disgrace to it. “And that’s saying something, because boys will be boys, and girls will be girls,” he added. He asked the young people to remain true to their school, their homes and to themselves. “Others will then be true to you,” he said. Pupils’ Singing. ‘

The singing of the pupils was a feature of the evening. The whole school sang “Gaudeamus Igatur” and “Forty , Years On,” while the girls sang “Pipes of Pan” and “A May Morning.” ' The boys’ choir sang the part-songs “Drink To Me Only With Thine Eyes" and “Hunting The Hare,” the first number being unaccompanied, while the girls’ choir rendered “Umbra Mai Fu” and “Bird Songs at Eventide.” The girls had been trained by Madame E. Brainsby and the boys by Mr H. B. Massey. Prizes were distributed by Mr and Mrs Rishworth, after which H. I. Rogers, head boy of the school, calicd for cheers for the visitors, the Board of Governors, and the staff, to all of which the school responded lustily.

“True education enables you to live above that aspect of life and to enjoy the great heritage of arts and literature handed down to you, and perhaps to enable some of you to enhance that heritage. “There are millions of others in the world who are just as capable as yourselves, so don’t take life too seriously,” was his advice to the young folk leaving school this year. Spirit of Tolerance. Mr Barclay appealed to those leaving school not to go out into the world with single-track minds, but to develop a spirit of tolerance to others. “Make up your own minds, but try to see' the other fellow’s point of view,” he said. ; Array of Youth. ' “Where would the, school be Without the good old parents?” asked Mr Hosking, who spoke of the pride which parents would feel at the array