PRESENTATION AT PUKEURI.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 10440, 28 April 1910, Page 2

PRESENTATION AT PUKEURI.

■MISS PATERSON'S FAREWELL. A gathering of a social character wan held in the Pukeuri H:ill 4nst evening, in which parents conihined with the children of the school in bidding a formal farewell to Miss J. Paterson, who for the past five years has occupied the position of mistress at Pukeuri, and who recently received promotion to the fourth assist a ntship at Mornington. The Hon. T. Y. Duncan presided. The Chairman, explaining the object of the gathering, said they had met to do honor to a lady who hud been amongst them for several years —one who had been "teaching the young idea how to shoot" with very great success. Miss Paterson was leaving Pukeuri. not to say good-bye to the work of teaching, but to take up a position in a much larger school: Speaking of Miss Paterson's success as a teacher, Mr Duncan said the moment he put his foot into a school and saw the order and discipline he could at oncel gauge the merits of. the teacher. ' He had been in a good many schools and had seen a good many little ones, and lie thought Pukeuri during the last few years had been equal, if not superior, for discipline and good conduct to any of them,-both in and our of school hours. Mr Duncan said he had not heard a com-' plaint as'to the' management of of the teaching in the school for a good many years, and he did not think that this happy state could altogether be attributed to the little ones themselves, but a" good deal of it was due to the tact and good judgment of the teachers. It was with mixed feelings that they had met that night. They were sorry that Miss Paterson was leaving,' but' pleased that she-was. to better herself, because she deserved it. There were two reasons connected with Miss Paterson's departure, and either, one would be quite sufficient to warrant her making the* change. One was that she was going to better her position, and the second and even greater reason was that she would be at home with her own people. The residents of Pukeuri regretted that Miss Paterson was leaving, because they might not get another mistress as good. The Rev. J. Steven, to whose lot fell the pleasing duty of making the presentation, said he left that he could just say "Amen" to all the Chairman had said, and that nothing more was necessary for him —Mr Duncan had expressed their sentiments so nicely. In going through the homes of the children he (Mr Steven) had found that there was really genuine regret at Miss Paterson's departure. Miss Paterson' j had the imperial power of being ableI to constrain others to obey her will and pleasure, and there was no doubt that what she wished the little ones'to do would be for their good, nor was there a single mother who expressed a fear that her little ones would be abused when they were under Miss Paterson's care. After counselling his young audience to endeavor to be worthy of the | teacher they were losing, Mr Steven, on behalf of the school, presented Miss Paterson with a handsome dressingcase, and a pearl brooch, pendant, and hair ornament combined. Hearty cheering and the singing of "For she's a jolly good fellow" followed the presentation. Mr Nelson, the headmaster, expressed Miss Paterson's thanks for the presents," not only for their intrinsic worth, but more especially for the associations connected with those who had subscribed I towards them. Since Miss Paterson came to the school five years ago she I had done what she considered her duty j and it was satisfaction now that she was leaving to find out that her efforts had been appreciated by so many. Miss Paterson had made many lasting friendships in Pukeuri, and the beautiful presents she had received would tend to make those friendships more lasting. Miss Paterson had the welfare of the school children, both present and past, very much to. heart, and to them fpr I their kindness to her she expressed her very sincere thanks, and nothing would please her better at any time than to hear that they were making a name for themselves. Mr Nelson went on to remark that as one. who had been very closely associated with Miss Paterson he could say that it had been a pleasure to work with her. She had been a very j efficient teacher, and he (Mr Nelson) could truthfully say that her work in the infant room had been of a very „high order. She strove to do her work well and she did do it well, and she had the happy nack of being able to get the most out of the children with the least possible effort. Personally he was verysorry to lose Miss Paterson from the school. It had been said that there was as good fish in the sea as ever came out of it, but sometimes he found that good teachers were just as difficult to catch as good trout• in the Waitaki. Mr Nelson concluded by saying that he had no doubt that Miss Paterson would make a name for herself in her profession and that her friends in Pukeuri would be pleased to hear of it; During the evening songs were rendered by Misses Botting and Steven, Messrs S.-Goodall, Hartley, Doig, Hunter, and Nelson. The musical accompaniments were played by Miss Hartley and Mr Allen. A vote of thanks to the chairman brought the proceedings to a close, and the company adjourned to one of the class rooms for supper. On Sunday afternoon Miss Paterson was presented by her Sunday-school pupils with a writing desk as a token of their affection and regard. The presentation was made on behalf of the donors by Miss Edie Hartley.