THE OTAGO GIRLS’ HIGH SCHOOL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3489, 25 January 1921, Page 5

THE OTAGO GIRLS’ HIGH SCHOOL.

AN HISTORICAL SKETCH. 11. (Specially written for the Otago Daily Times.) During 1873 the school was much hampered by lack of accommodation. There were really very few available class rooms, and the work was carried on under very unfavourable conditions. In this year, at Mrs Burn’s request, the Education Board appointed Mr Pope, then on the staff of the Boys’ School, to be teacher of liigher English, mathematics, and science, a position which he filled with great success till the middle of 1876, when lie was appointed head master of Ballarat College, in Victoria. James 11. Pope was a native of Jersey, where he received his early education, and where he learned to speak French as well as English colloquially. Mr Pope would, perhaps, not have passed muster in these days of close school inspection, where teachers are graded more V external qualifications than by the things which —though not measurable by set standards —are the truest measure of teaching power. He had no university degree, and lie taught by methods of his own, which might not have satisfied one who did not know his real power. Big, loosely built, careless of personal appearance, he was utterly unconventional in manner. But he was truest of gentlemen, purest-minded of men, a cultured scholar and musician, a man such as women and girls love, because he was almost unconscious of their admiration and devotion, and was earnest in his work, and saturated with its aesthetic beasangs. He had had an excellent English and classical training, was well versed in mathematics and science—yet—like many another good teacher —without the hall mark of k the university. Sitting somewhat carelessly at his table —he mostly sat while teaching—he yet kept excellent order in his classes. Though apparently inattentive and effortless, lie held his pupils by his wide knowledge, and Ins keen genuine interest in them and in their work. The affection of the girls _ took many and quaint ways of expressing, itself. He wore a big, loose coat, with .gigantic side pockets, and into these the girls used to drop their love gifts as they came up to his side to hand in their papers or exercise books. If he knew of these gifts he certainly never gave any sign, and so in went apples, cakes, and sweetmeats; —and the recipient, in the intervals of. his teaching, would go on steadily munching these tangible proofs of the donors’ regard. Truly a teacher whose heart would have been hurt by any mechanical inspector, and whom any ordinary one would have to label as quite outside the ordinary rank and file of the profession; but a born teacher who could impart his stores of choice and pure knowledge, and whose pupils revered him and profited to the fullest extent by his teaching. Of pupils who entered between 1873 and 1875, may be mentioned: Isabella L. Gillies, who was dux of the school in 1876. She then entered the Training College, and at the end of two years, joined the staff of the Girls’ High School, a position which she resigned at the close of 1881. She rejoined in 1383, retiring at the end of two years. She later married Mr Ninian Thomson, of Sydney, where she has resided since. Mary Isabel Fraser was a pupil for a short period, leaving to become a teacher oin the George Street School. At the beginning of 1890 she joined the staff of the High School, resigning in 1893 to become lady principal of the Wanganui Girls’ College. She built up this school to a J quite famous position, and retired a few years ago. But she was too energetic to rest, and on the opening of lona Presbyterian Girls’ College, she volunteered her services, and has made the school one of the pronounced educational successes of the North Island. She proposes to retire for a well-earned rest in May next. Mary Montgomery, daughter of Mr A. Montgomery, vice-principal of the Normal School and Training College, was dux of the school in 1877. She was an able member of an able and brilliant family. Later she married Mr Baker-Gabb, of Palmerston North. In 1876 the enrolments numbered 125, a record for the school. Among the pupils who entered in 1885 and the following few years was Margaret Alves, who was dux in 1878, and who joined the staff in 1891. In 1902 she went Home and to France for further 6tudy, and rejoined the staff in 1905. remaining on it till her retirement in 1915. Miss Alves was for a time matron of the boarding establishment, and has a large circle of friends among her colleagues and c-x-pupils. Perhaps the most brilliant of a clever : coterie was Flora M. Allan, daughter of Mr Colin Allan, immigration officer for Otago. Miss Allan was dux of the school in 1879, 1 but remained as a pupil till 1882, taking senior subjects. She graduated M.A. in 1889, and joined the teaching staff in the j following year. In 1912 she was appointed I lady principal of the school, arid after a I most successful period of service proposed i to retire at the close of 1920, but at the j request of the board and of all interested in the jubilee of the school was induced to remain at the head of affairs for another year. ITor fine record speaks for itself, and j is well known to all interested in educaj tional affairs. | No fewer than five provincial scholars ; joined the school in 1880, and all gave a l good account of themselves. Marion Steel, | from Palmerston School, was dux in 1880, 1 gained a junior University scholarship in | 1883, and graduated B.A. in 1886. She, and Miss Will, who took her degree from ; Canterbury College, were the first pupils J of the school to gain university degrees. | She has been a very successful teacher in j the service of the Otago Education Board. Annie Forbes, from. Mataura, was dux in j 1881. She entered the University three j years later, graduated M.A. in 1887, ! but changed from the scholastic to the | domestic sphere, by marrying Mr Christie, 1 of Gore. Isabella Duncan, daughter of ; Mr G. Duncan, head master of Green Island . School, was dux in 1882, graduated M.A. in 1889, and later married Mr W. Cochran,

of Tetua, Southland. Mrs Cochran has been teaching for some years under the Southland Education Board. Marion A. Ferguson was dux of the school in 1882, and graduated B.A. in 1887. She married the Rev. Mr Wallis, of the Fiji Methodist Mission, and, after several years of residence in that tropic island, came to live on the west coast of this island. Emilia Moore was a pupil for several years. After leaving school she entered the University, graduated B.A. in 1893, and later qualified for the Foreign Mission field. She has since been doing noble work for many years in connection with the Church of Scotland Mission at Irhang, in China. The year 1884 witnessed a great change in the school. Mrs Burn, finding the burden of its management too heavy to be borne, resigned her position as lady principal, and the board accepted the resignation with much regret. At the . closing ceremony at the end of the session. in making a presentation to her from past and present purfils and colleagues, the chairman of the board, the Rev- Dr Stuart, said:— It is now no secret that under the orders of your physician you have been constrained to lay down the burden of this great school, which you have borne with little intermission for the last 14 rears. As its first principal, you had to organise it and get it into shape, and under your direction it has so steadily grown and prospered that it has furnished a model which has been adopted in its main lines for similar schools throughout the colony. Having been acquainted with it since its foundation, and noted it- methods and progress, I have no hesitation in saying that it has rendered excellent service to the higher education of our girls. It is a striking testimony to its efficiency that its former pupils, from gratitude for the advantages which they derived from its course of study, have formed themselves into a club for its defence and encouragement. My voice has so often been raised to make known its worth and your untiring devotion to its interests, that I feel I cannot add anything to former testimonies. Its highly efficient state is your crown. Take with you into your well-earned retirement the assurance of the confab nee and goodwill of the governors, teachers, and pupils of the school which you have so wisely organised and ably conducted. At this point we may briefly follow Mrs Burn’s subsequent career. Of too active a mind and depositor* to reman idle, she accepted, after a short period cl' rest, rno position of lady principal of the newlyestablished Waitaki Gills' High School at Gamaru, which she conducted with marked success for five years. On her retirement from this office she continued to reside with members of her family, interested in educational, religious, and benevolent work till her death, at the advanced age of nearly 94 years, at the residence of her daughter (Mrs R. S. Allan), on December 3, 1918. The Board of Governors appointed to the vacant position Mr Alexander Wilson, M A., who had been for several years English master in the Otago Boys’ High School, with the title of principal, afterwards altered to rectorIt is difficult to appraise and speak of one who is still very much alive to read this record. The following communication, recently received from Mr Wilson, will be read with much interest by his many friends here: —• A letter from an obi friend and pupil informs me that the jubilee-* of the Otago Girls’ High School is due in January of next year, and that the necessary steps arc being taken to celebrate this anniversary in a way befitting the dignity and distinction of the school. I am sorry that I cannot contribute, as it has been suggested I should, a chapter of “reminiscences” to the printed record which is being prepared for the occasion. Reminiscences are nothing if they do not concern themselves largely with those little details of incident and character which are considered unimportant at the time, but which, intermingling 'like the slight threads in a wen, form after all, in the main, the tissue of life. Serious or amusing incidents and interesting displays of character were in all conscience, sufficiently numerous in my experience during my rectorship of the Otago Girls’ High School. My memory of the past is sufficiently good to assure me of the fact; but it is not sufficiently good to enable me to recall, in such detail and closeness of connection as to make them interesting, the various incidents big and little which made up school life in my time. I remember, of course, my happy relations with the governing body, and with the members of the staff, mv pleasant lessons with the. girls, with the youngest no less pleasant than with the oldest, our jolly games of fives and tennis, and those periodic reunions in the large hall, under the benignant gaze of Sir John Richardson, when teachers and pupils alike forgot their mutual relations and became for the time being romps. My memories are of this general character, and it would be of little use my attempting to be more particular. Rather I will content myself with sending to the school the very kindest message it is in my heart to conceive—a wish that it may, without neglecting learning, continue to be a well equipped training school for honest, honourable and useful women. We all hope that the Otago Girls’ High Eohool has before it a second half-century of equally useful life and work with that of the half-century now closing and presently to be celebrated—equally, or more useful. Rut however the future may excel the past in all desirable achievement, the iiivt halfcentury of the school will ever be the pioneer half-century, and entitled to the tribute of praise and honour due to pioneers who led the way under difficulties. I venture at the risk of being contradicted fas no doubt I shall be) to mention in connect ion with the Otago Girls’ High School two facts which it is entitled to keep on record : 1. Tlie Otago Girls’ High School was the first public secondary school for girls established and endowed in New Zealand. Other such schools followed, and were, no doubt, managed by able teachers. But the Otago Girls’ High School was the first, and at its start had the singular good fortune to have for its principal one of the ablest teachers and organiers in Australasia, Mrs Margaret Gordon Burn. I believe I may further assert that not only was the school the first established in New Zealand for the higher education of women, but that it was one of the earliest in the British Empire. 2. The Oi ago Girls’ High School was the first in New Zealand to furnish women for the learned professions oi law and medicine, some of the most distinguished members of which professions have been pupils of the school. Those interested in this aspect of school achievement will find in the Girls’ High School Magazine of June, 1880 (should that now venerable record be still in existence) an article which I wrote specially to advocate medicine as a career for high school girls. It set the ball rolling, I think, and no article I ever wrote has had more gratifying results. The many able and distinguished principals and assistant teachers which the school lias provided not only for its own equipment, but for the many schools of the dominion is a matter so well known and appreciated that I mod not do more than mention it. The influence of the school on the home-life of the dominion is not so easily measurable as its direct bearing on the professions, but I would fain hope that it lias been and will continue to be no less deep and lasting. 1 hope I have said enough to indicate my belief and affectionate interest in the school. The Otago Girls’ High School began the first oO years of it# existence under the direction of Mrs Burn; it celebrates the close of that period under the direction of her able dux and pupil and formerly my own efficient fellow-worker, Miss Flora Allan —a good beginning, and I cannot help thinking, and a good close.