Popular Headmaster Retires

Northern Advocate, 20 December 1945, Page 7

Popular Headmaster Retires

The depth of a headmaster’s love for his pupils and his school was shown in a touching scene at the farewell to Mr T. W. Bowman at Whau Valley yesterday. His feelings were symbolised in his final remark: “Whau: Valley will always be in my heart.” The first speaker to laud the work of Mr Bowman was the chairman of the school committee (Mr D. J. Thomson). “Mr Bowman has been our headmaster for nine years,” he said. “Whau Valley has been most fortunate in having a man of his calibre' to guide the destinies of its school.

“He gave unselfishly of himself in working in the interests of those whom, in his heart, he loved. He symbolised good fellowship and good sportsmanship. He taught folk dancing and music. We are very grateful to him for the interest he has taken in the welfare of the school.” INTERESTING CAREER The outstanding success of the school ball this year was attributable to the interest Mr Bowman took in this phase of the school activities, Mr Thomson said. Mr Bowman was born and bred in England and had had a very interesting career, the chairman informed the gathering. He served four years in the trenches in France during the first World War and had paid for that with his health, as many other men had done. He was awarded the Military Cross.

“Mr Bowman is a man of unfailing consideration, decency, co-operation and integrity—all the best qualities in a well-bred Englishman,” the speaker added. “I am sure you will all join with me in wishing Mrs Bowman and her husband good health and prosperity.” FINE TEACHER, CITIZEN Mr Thomson expressed the hope that they would enjoy their retirement full of the knowledge that they had rendered a service to humanity, to New Zealand, and particularly to the Whau Valley school. The Mayor (Mr W. Jones) spoke of Mr Bowman as a teacher and as a

citizen of whom Whangarei might well be proud. "As Mayor of the town, I am very proud of Mr Bowman for the manner in which he helped me during the years of war,” Mr Jones said. “He has been a true citizen, Assisting in any activity that has been worth while. He always did his bit.” Mr Jones wished Mr and Mrs Bowman good health in the future.

The member for Marsden (Mr A. J. Murdoch) stated that Mr Bowman was well known throughout New Zealand for his prowess as a teacher, but was also held in high esteem as a friend. “Whau Valley school is losing a wonderful man,” Mr Murdoch said. “I hope that in his retirement Mr Bowman will develop into as champion a bowler as he has been a teacher. I am glad he is not leaving Whangarei.” Congratulations and best wishes were also voiced by the headmaster of the Whangarei school (Mr H. Horner). “BEST WE EVER HAD” Miss G. McMillan, head mistress, spoke on behalf of the teachers at Whau Valley. “‘Mr Bowman is the best headmaster we have ever had,” she said. “He is just/like a father and we were a very happy family. He loves the children and they love him. Thanks to Mrs Bowman and his happy home life, he was always able to l’adiate happiness throughout the school.” As a token of the esteem in which he is held by the committee and parents of the school, Mr Bowman was presented with an enlarged photograph, attractively framed, of the pupils and teachers of the school. He also received a bowling bag, suitably inscribed, and a travelling bag. Mrs Bowman was given a travelling bag. The presentations were made by Mrs Thomson.

“One must arrive at the age when it is time to give up the reins and hand over to the younger generation,” said Mr Bowman.

“When a man reaches the age of 65 or thereabouts, I do not think it is fair that he should carry on. Actually, I feel that I could keep going for another dozen years.”

FIRST DAYS AS TEACHER Mr Bowman took his audience back to his first days as a teacher. T had been living in Ireland,” he told them, “and when I returned to England I had a brogue that could be cut. I went to a school, but the headmaster informed me that he had no standard .high enough for me. “He suggested that I had better be a teacher, so there I started. In my first year, I received 5/- a week, in my second 7/6, and in the third 10/-. I then attended a training college, where I had to keep myself in clothes and books.,

“All my expenses came out of my earnings. However, I left that college a fully-fledged teacher. “My first school was half a mile from Westminster Cathedral,” Mr Bowman went on, “and was run by the church. “After two years there, I’ moved to Manchester, where for seven years I taught in a. slum school, the like of which does not exist in New Zealand.

“It was attended by 3000 children who, in the winter time, did not know where their next meal was coming from nor how they were going to keep themselves warmly clad. Still, they were grand children.”

Mr Bowman was first assistant there. TAUGHT IN PERU He then left England to teach at a school in Peru, established by a millionaire. This was in a town called Arequipa, 8000 feet above sea-level. Spanish was the spoken language there and it was his job to teach the English tongue to the children of the aristocracy. Arequipa had an ideal climate, rain falling for only six weeks, at Christmas time. “However, there were many earthquakes,” said Mr Bowman, “and one was more severe than that at Napier. “Smallpox and typhoid were rife there. All green vegetables had to be boiled to be eaten. Strawberries could not be touched.” The family had a pleasant three years in Peru. STARTED AT BOTTOM On the outbreak of war, they returned to England and Mr Bowman enlisted. The English climate was so bad after South America that Mrs Bowman and the children left for New Zealand Mr Bowman rejoining them in this country after the war. “I started my teaching career in New Zealand at the bottom of the ladder,” the retiring headmaster stated. In conclusion, Mr Bowman thanked the committee for the splendid presents. “Whau Valley,” he said, “will always be in my heart.”

FATALITY.—The victim of the fatal accident at the Woburn railway station on Tuesday was Mr Jens Peder Sorensen, aged 05, believed to bo single.