PORTOBELLO SCHOOL

Otago Witness, Issue 3524, 27 September 1921, Page 26

PORTOBELLO SCHOOL

JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS.

REUNION OF EX-PUPILS

The celebrations in connection with the diamond jubilee of the Fortobello School were advanced a stage further on Tuesday, 20th inst., when a reunion of the expupils was held in the Coronation Hall. The weather was all that could be desired, and in consequence there was a large attendance from the surrounding districts, representing every generation since the foundation of the school. Many of those present had travelled a long way—some even from the North Island —to visit the scenes of their childhood once more and to renew friendships formed in the early days, when the conditions were vastly different from those prevailing now. Many reminiscences of the early days were related with enthusiasm, and many incidents which had been forgotten long ago were brought back to memory, to the delight of the speaker and the listener.

Mr W. 13loy (chairman of the school committee) presided, and after making a few introductory remarks said he would vacate the chair in favour of Mr D. D. Seaton, a very old ex-pupil who had done a great deal for the school, and who had beeii associated with the district from the very early days. Mr Seaton opened his remarks by reading apologies front a number of ex-pupils who were unable to attend, and proceeded to extend a hearty welcome to all present, mentioning at the same time that he recognised the faces of many who were pupils at the school in the very early days. After mentioning that he had been born and reared in the district, the speaker mentioned that incidents relating to the days before 1E63 had to be gleaned from the memories of the original pupils as the early records of the school dated back only to 1863. The first teacher, so far as could be ascertained, was Mrs Edwards, and one of the first pupils afterwards attained distinction in the legal profession. He referred now to Sir Worley Bassett Edwards. The speaker mentioned incidentally that Mr Edwards undertook ail the relieving work at the school. Mrs Edwards remained in charge for two or three years, and was succeeded by a Mr Greenwood, who, however, did not remain very long. The oldest minutes in existence showed that in 1863 a meeting of residents was held for the purpose of electing a school committee. The lirst committee consisted of Messrs Ridley, White, Giant. M'Cartney, and Seaton. The last-named was the father of the speaker, and Mr Ridley had a son living in Portobello at the present time. 'The first duty to be undertaken by that committee was the appointment of a teacher, and the choice fell on Mr Thomas Tiley, who was appointed on December 28, 1863, and who commenced his duties on January 20, 1864. Mr Tiley and iii.s family arrived in a small vessel, but the water was too shallow to allow a landing to bo made so they had to be floated ashore on u kitchen table. Mr Tiley was in charge of the school for about 14 years, and in addition to carrying out his ordinary duties be took a prominent part in the church work of the community. Four months before the retirement of Mr Tiley the committee found it necessary to appoint an assistant, arid Miss Rosalie M‘George was selected to fill the position. She was appointed mistress on May 2. 1873, and held that position for a considerable time. Mr Tiley was succeeded bv Mr Barton, who had charge of the school for some 28 years, during which lime, the speaker thought, not one complaint, had been made by the parents regarding the manner in which the educational welfare of the children had been carried out. When Mr Barton retired Mr Fergus a very efficient teacher--as-sumed control, retaining his position for some 13 or 14 years, after which he retired on superaiiniial ion. This was followed hy the appointment of Mr Hanna, the present head master, to whom the speaker paid a tribute for the painstaking and excellent manner in which he had carried out his duties. 'The district had also been fortu-

nate in regard to the selection of the lady teachers at the school —Misses Milne, Kirkland, Grieves, Mitchell, Park (now Mrs A. G. Lewis), Ash, Weir, Fox, Crawley, Kay, Blair, Smith, Hutton, and Cable (the present mistress), —to all of whom Mr Seaton referred in terms of praise for the excellence of their work. Mr Seaton paid a tribute to the committeemen of the early days for the enthusiasm which they displayed in looking after t.he affairs of the school, some of them travelling several miles to attend the meetings. One of the duties of the committee in those days was to provide the salary of the teacher, and in order to raise the necessary funds it imposed a levy of Is in the £ on the rateable value of the land. Mr Thomas Tiley returned thanks for the appreciative references made to the work of his father, and recalled several interesting incidents that occurred during the time his father was in charge of the school. Mr J. M. Dickson, M.P., who also delivered a short address, said there appeared to be some misconception in regard to the first teacher at the school. Some time ago he wrote to Sir W. B. Edwards in order to secure first-hand information, and the reply he received stated that his (Sir W. B. Edwards’s) father was the first teacher, that his mother followed, and that the next teacher was Mr Greenwood. The speaker’s recollection took him back to the time when Mr Tiley was the teacher, and he could not speak too highly of that gentleman’s capabilities as a teacher. The pupils he had turned out, had taken their part effectively in the life of the community in later years, and some of them had risen to high positions. Although the gathering was a very pleasant one, it was tinged with regret when they remembered that many of those whom they had known in their youth had gone to their long rest. Mr Dickson concluded with eulogistic reference to the work of the late Mr Barton. Short speeches were also delivered by the Rev. G. M'Dctnald, J. H. Seaton (one of the first pupils of Mrs Edwards), J. P. M'Cartney, who spoke in a humorous vein regarding Mr Greenwood, Mr Clark, and Mr Hanna. The last-named stated that he felt proud when he realised that he had followed such capable teachers as those who had conducted the Portobello School, and if at the end of his term he could feel that he had earned the appreciation that his predecessors had had bestowed upon them he would be quite happy. The suggestion had been made that the head master was the driving force behind the committee, but he wished to emphasise the fact that no committee or teacher could carry out the work successfully without the co-operation of the residents. During the evening songs were contributed by Mrs Dick, Mrs Brown, and Mr Charles Ridley, and a violin solo by Miss Rene Weir. After refreshments had been handed round, the young people indulged in dancing, the accompaniments for which were supplied by Mrs Brown and Miss Chisholm.