TRAINING COLLEGE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18735, 13 December 1922, Page 9

TRAINING COLLEGE

BREAK-UP CEREMONY. MR E. FINDER’S RETIREMENT. The students of the Training College brought their year’s work to a close with a break-up ceremony in, the school gymnasium yesterday afternoon. Mr J. Wallace, chairman of the Otago Education Board, occupied the chair. He took the opportunity, on behalf of the board, to express appreciation of the students and their work during the past year. The principal’s report was submitted by the principal, Mr E. Finder, who had a very cordial reception from the gathering. I'he report stated that at the end of last year. 37 men and 91 women had left the college, and of these three gained their A certificate, 15 the B, 66 the C, six the D, and 38 partial C. At the beginning of the year 45 men and 94 women joined the college, making the total number in attendance 75 men and 207 women. The report went on to refer to staff changes and to the social and athletic activities of the college year. There were 163 students leaving at the end' of this year, and ot these he recommended one for the A certificate, 11 for B certificates, one for a partial B, 113 for U, and 26 for partial C. Mr A. E. Lawrence (Oamaru), one of the newly-elected members of the Otago Education Board, addressed the students ottering them congratulation and encouragement. He pointed out the greatness of the teacher’s opportunities and obligations particularly in a young land like this. He assured them that those who took an interest in education were doing their level best to impress upon the Government that many of the school classes were much too large to be efficiently taught. From the case of Germany he pointed the moral of the danger of learning without character. The Hon. D. T. Fleming, on behalf of the Education Board, made reference to the retirement of the principal, Mr Finder. Teachers and students as well as members of the board regretted very much that tlie time had come' for him to make room for somebody else. Mr Finder was one of the products of their own education service and had worked his way up from a pupil teacher to his present honourable position. One of Mr Finder’s characteristics was his absolute devotion to duty and his high sense of efficiency. He kept an open mind and was a wide reader of sound judgment. The speaker said he would not give twopence for a man who stuck rigidly to the regulations laid down for him by some oflice. He read Mr Finder’s record with the Education Board beginning as a pupil teacher in 1880. By the time he retired altogether he would have had 10 years as principal of the college. The attendance during that time had grown from about 100 to 260. They all wished him many years of happiness in his retirement, and their good wishes would assuredly go with him. Mr T. R. Fleming, senior inspector, represented the inspectorate of Otago in conveying to Mr Finder all their good wishes. He heartily endorsed the remarks made about Mr Finder from the work of the students of the college as he knew it. Giving advice to the students he said he found that the older he got the less he knew about education. Mr P. S. de Q. Cabot, president of the Training College Students’ Association, on behalf of the students, made two presentations to’Mr Finder. They sincerely hoped that Mr Finder’s memories of the past two years would be very happy. They all valued hia work very highly and had grown to like him very much indeed. He desired to thank Mr Finder publicly for his sympathetic treatment of the Students’ Association. The presentations consisted ot a handsomely illuminated address and at an easy chair. Rousing cheers and a haka were given for the retiring principal. Mr Finder, in responding, said he had felt in the last year or two that his nervous energy was decreasing, and that was really the reason why he was now laying aside his duties. He referred to the great improvement in teaching conditions that had taken place since he entered the service 42 years ago. They were fortunate in entering a profession where the demands were much more sensible and rational now than they were in the past. Ho referred to the growth of the college staff and work during the past 10 years. He looked back on hia time at the college with a great deal of pleasure, and he had met many men and women whom it was an honour to know. He gave some useful practical advice to the students about to take up work in little country schools. In these small schools they could quite easily leave the strap at home. In fact they could take it as an absolute axiom that if in such circumstances they found themselves using the strap it was their own fault. He expressed to Mr Oabot and the Students’ Association his great appreciation of their arduous work for the college. He thanked the board and inspectors for their great consideration and the students for their kind gifts. All sang ‘‘For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow’’. and gave three cheers for Mrs Finder. During the afternoon the students contributed some excellent musical items under the direction of Miss J. Crawley. These were—“ The Heavens are Telling,” “Now is the Month of Maying” (unaccompanied), “On Wings of Song” (by the women students), and the part-song “To Sylvia,” by a group of men and women students. Recitations were given by Miss Ethel Hilliker and Miss Roemer Boecking. The gathering concluded l with the singing of “Auld Lang Syne” and a verse of the National Anthem.