THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20331, 12 August 1929, Page 10

THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL.

CONCLUSION OF JUBILEE.

FUND FOR A NEW LIBRARY.

GIFT MADE BY OLD BOYS. ADDRESS AT SPECIAL SERVICE. Scenes of enthusiasm marked tho closing stages of tho Grammar School jubilee celebrations. A record gathering of over 2000 persons inspected the school in Mountain Road on Saturday afternoon, there was a largo attendance of old boys at the reunion supper in the evening, and yesterday morning 800 old boys and friends went to divine service in tho school assembly hall. To make permanent recognition of the jubileo the Old Boys' Association decided to erect a school library to house tho fine collection of books possessed by tho school. This generous offer was referred to by tho president of tho Old Boys' Association, Mr. A. St. Clair Brown, speaking at the gathering at the school on Saturday. On the platform were tho Mayor, Mr. G. Baildon, Professor A. P. W. Thomas, chairman of the board of governors, who presided, the headmaster, Mr. 11. J. D. Mahon, and members of the City Council and representatives of other schools. The Auckland Grammar School, said Mr. St. Clair Brown, already maintained a good library, thanks to the generosity of Mr. E. E. Vaile, but there was a decided need of an adequate building to house >t. A number of old boys, therefore, had opened a list of donations for a building fund, headed by Mr. Eliot Davis with £250, and Sir James Gunson,_ Messrs. C. lihodes. O. Nicholson and C. V. Houghton with £SO each, the sum in hand to dale being £SOO. Tho announcement was received with applause. Domocratic Learning. An eloquent address was given by tho Rev. Jasper Calder, himself an old boy, during tho morning service in tho assembly hall yesterday. He spoke of the Grammar School as a great institution of democratic learning, in which tho principle of free education had been adapted with pronounced success. Tlicy wc.ro thankful that education had thus been made possible alike for the son of the plough as for (lie man who could write five figures in his cheque book. Nothing was moio tragic in life than the spectacle of a young man coming in for £20,000 without having earned it. No one was worth "a snap of the fingers unless he had been over the rocks."

A certain amount of "ragging ' at school was of value in forming character, in Mr. C'aldor's opinion. He described'a. boy's first school day when, "his heart missing on one cylinder," he was induced by specious argument on the part of other boys to approach the washstand and take a ducking under the tap. The speaker maintained that a few hard knocks in early life were good for the youngster. Personally, ho remembered thankfully the fow hidings he received himself. He recalled vividly the dramatic stock phrase employed by one grammar master: "First I warn you, second I detain you and third I cane you." He could hear that pronouncement now and would remember it when he was 100 (Laughter.). Such things were splendid aids to the advancement of something in chaiactcr that was very fine. The Boy aad the Master.

Claiming to retain the boy's point of view, Mr. Culder said the wise master would combine tact, which was largely a gift, discipline and respect for himself with a genuine affection for his scholars. Without affection tho other accomplishments were useless. Bullying alone was "called in" and the bullying typo of master probably did not exist to-day. The master who obtained tho best results and won the respect of his pupils was the man who joined firmness with strict fairness. He believed that at the Grammar Schoo'j the boy always got the benefit of the doubt.

Clean sportsmanship counted more than fine learning in building character and for that reason it was emphatically bad forfuno if ;i boy landed the crown without first bearing the cross. It was impossible, referring to the school motto, "per nngusta ad augusta," to attain the peaks without traversing the narrow paths first. It took many years of painful climbing before one was in the proud posit ion of being able to say, "Ladies and gentlemen, it gives me great pleasure to-rlav to present the. annual report and balancesheet; the past year has been a very prosperous one," or to stride into the pulpit and say, "Dearly beloved brethren , . ." Tribute to Headmaster. Mr. Caldcr paid a high tribute to the board of governors, whom he congratulated upon the great work tliey had accomplished in building tho school to its present position of eminence, and to the headmaster, Mr. Malion. "Except for the bishop, the Supreme Court judges and tb« magistrates, Mr. Malion is the only man to whom I say 'sir,' " concluded Mr. Calder, amid laughter. "He has always had and .still holds my deepest respect."

The lesson. Psalm 144, was read by the headmaster, while the' Rev. A. J. Grigg, another old boy, read an exhortation, the concluding words of which ran: "Many with pride have seen themselves again at tho desk or in tho plaground in (ho person of their sons, carrying on tho finest traditions of their school. With hearts athrill on _this happy occasion, let us thank God for the illustrious history of the Auckland Grammar School, for its fine traditions and its splendid opportunities for moulding tho boys of to-day into the men of to-morrow."

On Saturday afternoon § two football matches were played in tho school grounds. A team of old boys first played tho school's second fifteen, the old boys winning by 6 points to 3. Tho second match, in which an old boys' team played the school's first fifteen, resulted in a draw with no score on either side. Mr. A. M. Nicholson was referee. GRAMMAR SCHOOL BOWLERS. MATCH NEXT SATURDAY. School jubilee celebrations with a bowling match next Saturday, when the Grammar School veterans, of whom none joined tho school later than 1896, will play selected rinks from tho Carlton Bowling Club and their usual winter visitors, on tho Carlton green. It was intended to play this match last Saturday week, but showery weather mado play impossible, and it was postponed for a fortnight. For that match 48 old boys had entered, but other names havo como in since, and it is expected that next Saturday there will bo 56 or 60 playing for tho Grammar School.

Disappointed by tho weather, the Grammar School representatives and their prospective opponents spont. the afternoon in the club pavilion, where most enthusiastic felicitations were exchanged. Mr. A. Coutts, president o[ tho club, welcomed tho party, although lie himself is a Grammar old boy of 1876. Mr. S. Coldicutt, president of the Auckland Centro, congratulated the Grammar School on being able to field such a strong body of vetoran bowlers, and doubted whether it could bo dono by any other school in the world. The headmaster, Mr. 11. J. I). Mahon, replied 011 behalf of tho school, and expressed his appreciation of tho loyalty which was shown by the veterans. Tho response to tho suggestion to join in a match was so cordial that 110 hopod it, would becomo an annual fixture, and the applause which greeted his remark may bo taken as a guarantee that his hopo will bo realised.