NEW BOYS' SCHOOL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22351, 24 February 1936, Page 12

NEW BOYS' SCHOOL

OPENING CEREMONY ST. PETER'S, CAMBRIDGE IDEALS IN EDUCATION VALUE OF EARLY TRAINING [from our own correspondent] HAMILTON, Sunday The official opening of St. Peter's School, Cambridge, which was built by the enterprise of Mr. A. F. B. Broadhurst, was officially opened by the Minister of Education, the Hon. P. Fraser, yesterday afternoon. The ceremony followed the dedication of tho school chapel by Archbishop Averill, and when Mr. Fraser had declared the main buildings open the archbishop blessed them. The weather was fine during the early part of the proceedings, but rain fell rather heavily when Mr. Fraser was speaking. Over 800 guests attended the function, among them being Archbishop Averill and Mrs. Averill, the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates and Mrs. Coates, Sir Henry Horton, representing tho Auckland University College Council, Sir George Wilson, of Auckland, Mr. C. A. Barrell, M.P. for Hamilton, Mr. and Mrs. J. R. Fow, Mayor and Mayoress of Hamilton. Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Priestley, Mayor and Mayoress of Cambridge, Sir Stephen Allen, of Morrinsville, Mr. J. N. Peart, headmaster of King's College, Auckland, and Mrs. Peart, Mr. G. M. Watt, representing the Waikato County Council, and Mr. R. A. Lippincott, architect. Dedication of Chapel The visitors were received by the joint headmasters, Mr. Broadhurst and the Rev. J. M. Beaufort, and were accommodated on the picturesque lawn in front of the main buildings. When the guests had assembled the dedication service followed in the chapel. The accommodation was insufficient for all those present, and precedence was given to parents and friends of the pupils. The archbishop was assisted in the impressive service by Archdeacon H. R. B. Gillespie, of Morrinsville, the Dean of Hamilton, the Very Rev. T. P. Weatherhog, Canon E. H. Strong, warden of St. John's College, Auckland, who acted as chaplain, Canon C. W. Turner, of Te Aroha, and the Revs. J. M. Beaufort, P. Cleary, S. R. Wareing, C. W. Chandler, R. J. Boyt and A. H, Bott. Keligious Basis of School Following the service the clergy processed to the lawn, where the archbishop addressed the gathering. He said that in the absence of the Bishop of Waikato it devolved upon him to dedicate the chapel and bless tho school buildings. He congratulated the joint headmasters on their enterprise. His chief concern, he said, was that the school was to have a religious basis. There was room in New Zealand for such schools as well as the ordinary State schools. Religion 'was essential to a full education and to a full development of the personality and character of the pupils. He felt confident that St. Peter's would make a valuable and worthy contribution to the educational system of New Zealand. Mr. Broadhurst paid a tribute to the friendship he had experienced since coming to the district. Referring to the school, he said a large proportion of the time spent by the pupils was to bo devoted to music, art and handicrafts. The real reason was to give the boys the chance of developing naturally, of doing, as well as thinking. The intellectual work would not suffer, and he hoped St. Peter's would become known as the hardest-worked school in the Dominion. No Secondary Department Mr. Broadhurst said many people wondered why a secondary department was not attached to the school. The general idea of a secondary department was a few added classes tacked fn at the top of the school to enable the boys to pass the matriculation examination. That kind of secondary department was never likely to be added at St. Peter's. In his opinion the stage through which the boys attending St. Peter's passed, from eight to 14 years, was the most important in their lives. Boys within those ages should have the very best teaching. Life in a boarding school and the prefect system were of the highest importance in training a boy's character. When the bov moved to college he made a clean break and started again at the bottom. He said he would like to see a St. Peter's College established with several hundred boys, but that was a dream of the future. As things were King's College, Wanganui Collegiate School, Christ's College and similar institutions could carry on tho good work. Official Opening by Minister The Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates wished the principals, staff and boys of the school a succesful and happy future. He said the ideals expressed by the Archbishop and Mr. Broadhurst must appeal to everyone as being the right foundation for an education. The opening ceremony took place in the square at the entrance of the main buildings. The architect, Mr. Lippincott, thanked the contractor and workers for the splendid service they had given. He then handed the Minister of Education a gold key, with which to open the door. Mr. Fraser said the Government did not take a narrow or unsympathetic view toward Church schools. St. Peter's represented the materialisation of the great ideals entertained by Mr. Broadhurst, who, after having been in business, felt that he had a mission in life other than the work he had been doing. It was a wonderful tribute to New Zealand and to the Cambridge district that he should have travelled 12,000 miles to select the site of St. Peter's. Mr. Fraser joined with Mr. Lippincott in congratulating the workmen on the splendid craftsmanship they had put into the buildings. Archbishop Averill then blessed the buildings.