KAIKORAI SCHOOL JUBILEE

Otago Witness, Issue 3430, 9 December 1919, Page 6

KAIKORAI SCHOOL JUBILEE

JUBILEE CELEBRATIOKS. With interests arid opinions, habits and ideals as diverse perhaps as the. poles, the tie of common pupilage is still, as it always has been and always will be, one of the strongest by which men and women are bound. We remember our schoolmates long after business and social acquaintances made in later life are forgotten, and the staunchest friendships amongst grown men and women are those which had their inception in the school playgrounds. And in such a vein of happy reminiscence will the grandparents and parents of the present pupils of the Kaikorai School forgather to-day. On the 28th ult. the. first of the series of entertainments in connection with the jubilee was .held. It was essentially a children's entertainment, and was designed as the special treat of the present pupils. It was a splendid lantern-illustrated talk—hi no sense a lecture —on the early days of Dunedin, and the Kaikorai district in" particular, b v Mr J. W. Todd. With picture, song, and story the tale of the Dunedin of their forefathers was unfolded to the children in a delightfully understandable way, and the close attention with«which Mr Todd was listened to showed that the children thoroughly appreciated the treat. Mr Bert Rawlinson sang several songs in his usual fine_ style, and on each occasion was undeniably encored. Mr W, Simpson operated the lantern, which projected the slides very clearly. The Jubilee Committee is having erected a very fine memorial arch in the front of the school grounds in honour of fcbe brave men who have made ' the - great sacrifice. This will bo a permanent and fitting way to ever keep beforo the minds of the scholars their great and Morions pa«t. The Jubilee Committee is making an appeal for £SOO towards the cost of building Wis memorial.

The iii'it teacher in eharga of the so!

was Mr M'Alister, his wife being sovvin; mistress. After these teachers resigned Mr i Machlin was appointed head teacher, and h was succeeded by Mr and Mrs Sutherland. On their resignations Mr v D. M'Lanch'ian who was head teacher of the Wakari School. assumed the hcadmastership, and after 15 j'ears of devoted service he resigned in favour of Mr John Allardice. who did excellent service for five years, when death overtook him in 1893. Mr Allnutt. who .had been first assistant for seven years, was appointed his successor, and for over 26 years he has very successfully extended the eifi-' ciency and popularity of the school. If there is one outstanding individual who has made his mark in the school it is -none other than the boys 1 and girls' favourite, Mr li. P. Kelk. He joined the staff some 33 years ago, and has remained_ steadfastly at his post ever since, turning aside all other possible appointments because of his high sense of duty. He has exceptional musical ability, and has acted as school accompanist for many years, and also taken a lively interest in the school concerts and break-ups. Congratulatory messages have been received -from Messrs J. Wallace (chairman of the Ota.<ro Education Boai-d). J. Moir (Wakari School), and J. A. Fitz Gerald (Maori Hill School).

The celebrations in connection with the jubilee of the Kaikorai School were continued on the afternoon and evening of tho 26th and 27th ult., and again [ on . Sunday afternoon. _ Saturday was I "scholars' day," and in the afternoon all the present pnpils, with a very largo number of their parents and pupils of ; former dkys, gathered in two large marquees I which had been erected on tho school 1 grounds. The Hon. G. M. Thomson pre- ! sided over the gathering, in the absence ' of Mr John Roberts, C.M.G. Apologies for absence were also received from Professors D R. White and Gilray, Messrs W. J.

VJorreil, James B'-gg, Allan Thamson, ami rtksrs..

Mr James Wallace (chairman of the Otago Education Board) was the first speaker. •His message to the scholars was to "carry on' and seek to emulate the attainments of those who had gpne before them. Mr .R. S. Black, after describing the different schools he had seen on his recent tour of America, said that those in New Zealand compared very favourably with them, and told them that with all the advantages of the modern methods of teaching which they enjoyed, they should be able to equal what their fathers had done. Mr Allnutt, the head master of the school, spoke of the high honours that the Kaikorai School had attained. With the -exception of the Normal School their pupils had gained more scholarship honours than any other individual school in the Otago Education District. He paid high tribute to the ability of the education authorities of Otago. ' They were further ahead in the application of modern methods than any other district in New Zealand. The speaker suggested a school creed for the pupils, which they could memorise by the letters L, S, D, which in their school life stood for Love of the school, Sympathy between teacher and scholar, and a sense of Duty, which would help them in their work. Mr Allnutt concluded with a moving appeal for greater co-operatioa between the parent, the child, and the teacher. The greatest thanks that a teacher could receive was the appreciation of the scholars after they had passed out of the school. He also paid a high tribute to Inspector C'oyen, who was present, and who had been the speaker's teacher in his school days in Australia. During the afternoon several choruses were sung by the different classes, and the fife and drum band, under Mr J. H. Matheson, played selections. Entertainments for the cnildren, in the form of a Punch and Judy, laughing gallei-y, etc., were also provided.

• In the evening an ex-pupils reunion was held, Mr J. W. Todd, chairman of the Jubilee Committee,. presiding. _ The. programme of miscellaneous musical numbers was gone through, and met_ with the emphatic approval of the audience. Afterwards the younger people adjourned to the gymnasium, where a -dance was held. Those to whom age and other disqualifications denied the pleasure of the dance gathered over a social cup of tea, and many and delightful were the reminiscences which they exchanged. Some of their early recollections were related by Messrs J. Barr,- J. Armstrong, E. Roy, ex-pupils of the Linden School (the parent of the present school), and Mr James Dick, whose early education was received at the Brockville School, which ante-dates the old Linden School a number of years. Over 2000 of the general public wore attracted to the hill on Sunday afternoon by the unique occasion of the procession of present and past pupils of the school. The procession was headed by the Kaikorai Band, followed in order by the present scholars, the present school committee, and the ex-pupils grouped in their years. It is interesting to note that two (Messrs T. Sonntag and J. Dick) were present who had attended at Upper Brockville, two (Messrs D. Y. Millar and J. Haig) from its successor, the Lower Brockville School), two (Messrs T. Jones and R. Watson) from the school under Mr Macklin, and (Messrs J. Barr, T. Jones, T. Sonntag, and J. Haig), who had answered the first roll call of the old Linden School in 1869.

The Mayor (Mr > W. Begg) presided at the service of which the procession was the preliminary, and in a few well-chosen words conveyed the congratulations of the city to the Kaikorai School and all who had been connected with it on this attainment of its jubilee. Mr J. W. Todd, chairman of the Jubilee Committee, expressed the thanks of the executive to Mr Allnutt, his staff, and the scholars for the very great interest they

had taken in the celebrations, also to the conveners and their hardworking committees for the splendid results they had secured,* and to those -who had come forward as speakers and performers. The committee Sloped to secure all the money for the building of the proposed memorial arch before the foundation stone was Jaid, and the speaker made a special .appeal lor funds for this object. An impressive religious service followed, in which the Ven. Archdeacon Fitchettf the Rev. W. R. Hutchison',, and C. Dallaston took part. At its conclusion Mr Allnutt, after a stirring address, read the names of the 96 ex-pupils who had fallen in the war. Mr W. Downic Stewart also made a very eloquent speech, and then called upon Miss Gwendoline Jones, daughter of Mr F. H. Jones, who had presented the honour board to the school, to unveil it, end the 40 names which it contains were thus dedicated as an inspiration to the present and -future pupils of the Kaikorai School.