A POPULAR TEACHER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18498, 7 September 1923, Page 8

A POPULAR TEACHER.

MR. T. U. WELLS HONOURED.

CAUSE OF ' EDUCATION. ;■ ; A','warm tribute to the life-work ar.3 personality of, Mr. T. iCJ- Wells, who retired from the teaching profession, some time ago, was paid by the teachers' of Auckland last evening at a largely-at-tended social held in - the Training Col- : lege. • Apology was received from - the; Minister for Education, the Hen. C. J. l?arr. 4 1 > Mr. W. H. Newton, president of the Auckland branch of the New • Zealand) Educational 'Institute, who presided, pro • sented Mr. and Mrs. Wells, (in behalf 'of the members of the branch, with a handsome canteen of cutlery, exquisitely designed in the Queen Anne style. Me. Wells wag . also the recipient of a case of pipes. Mr. Newton expressed the appreciation of the profession of the, great services rendered to education in New Zenland by Mr. Wells, who had won the hearts of all teachers by dint both by his efforts.on their behalf and by h.i:3 personal qualities. He moved that tha_ branch; place on record its great appreciation of the services rendered by Mr. Wells to the cause of education generally and to his fellow teachers in particular during the 32 years he had been one of its most active • members. They specially thanked him for Ills services as president of the branch as representative of thn teachers for nine years on the Council of Education, as a member of the superannuation board during Mr. Cousins' absence* in England, as a member of the Royal Commission on Education in 1912, and more j recently as the Dominion representative at I tho Empire Conference in Toronto. Mr. C. W. Garrard, senior inspector of schools, speaking with 18 years' knowledge of the work performed by Mr. Wells, referred to him .as a courteous gentleman and a ' leader of. educational thought in the Dominion. It was his personality which imbued visiting' teachers from overseas with a feeling - of respect I for the New Zealand teaching profession I and for the standard of the work achieved. [ The outstanding features of the schools I with which he had been associated were the splendid harmony of the teaching staffs, the excellent "tone of the schools, and the paramount influence of Mr. Wells himself. ■

Mr. Wells, in reply, entered into i a 36 years' retrospect. He was strongly convinced of the progress that had boen made, of the better conditions which prevailed, and the numerous improvements which had been effected in the educational system. He forecasted accelerated progr 253 in the future.

Regarding the grading scheme For teachers, Mr. Wells sounded a note of warning. He was afraid it would lead to over-keenness, resulting in narrowness and possibly se'fishness. It might be well to remember the advice of the first physician, Hippocrates, namely, freely and willingly give to others any discovery you have gained. He deprecated the praise which had been bestowed upon him, saying that much of his success was due to his excellent staffs and the great holp he had always received from the inspectors. Cheers were given for Mr. Wells, followed by the singing of "He's a Jolly Good Fellow."

A musical and elocutionary programme was given by Mrs. Sharpe anil Messrs. Harvey, Denton, and Carden, the accompanists being Mrs. Harvey and Miss Carden. •; •