MORNINGTON SCHOOL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3742, 1 December 1925, Page 31

MORNINGTON SCHOOL.

DIAMOND JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS. On Saturday afternoon and evening were held the central functions in connection with the diamond jubilee celebrations of the Mornington School. The Aveather was at its worst for such a occasion and the pouring rain in the afternoon made it impossible to cany out in the open air the many arrangements that had been planned. Fortunately even the wettest of rain cannot damp the enthusiasm of a gathering where children are concerned, ana great heartiness and happy cordiality characterised all the proceedings. Apart from the home nothing so lays hold on the deepest memories and affections of life as the school of childhood’s days, and men and women had travelled from distant parts of the North Island to be present at these celebrations. A City Council bus connecting with the Mornington tram brought visitors comfortably along to the school. The spacious gymnasium was soon crowded. Round the walls were arranged a very comprehensive collection of photographs dating back to the earliest days of the school. Anyone who can look back a quarter of a century or half a century to school days will not need to be told vvith what eager delight and amusement these pictures were studied and how gladly the recognition of faces long ago familiar was hailed. The gathering inevitably took the form of a re union, and so absorbed were the majority in discovering old friends and reviving old memories that it seemed they could have quite cheerfully dispensed wiih any formal programme whatever.

The Artillery Band, with Mr E. Franklin as conductor, were placed on the platform, and after a bugler had sounded the assembly call the band led in the singing of the National Anthem.

Mr W. R. Don, president of the Mornington School Diamond Jubilee, presided, and expressed his great pleasure at the privilege of welcoming those present. He nad met that afternoon men and vvomen whom he had not seen for 40 or 50 years. There Avere some present Avho remembered the first of the Mornington School 60 years ago. Unfortunately the first records of the Mornington School had been mislaid and they had not. been able to trace them apart from receiving from the Caversham School a fevv minutes referring to the appointment of Mr Andrew Russel, the first teacher. These showed that Mr Itussell took charge on the first Monday after July 4, 1865. (Applause!) He referred to his own earliest recollections of (he school Avlien lie Avas partly carried to it from his home in Roslyn. In those days there Avere only two houses betAA'ecn Roslyn and Morning ton. The committee had received something like 100 letters of greeting and goodwill from ex-pupils who Avere unable to be present, and this served to show that the ex-pupils still retained happy memories of their oil school.—(Applause.) As they looked back they had to be very thankful for the tuition they had received at the bands of their respective teachers.— (Applause.) In response to the chairman’s request a large number present of those Avho had attended the school between 1865 and 1875 stood and gave their names. Other ex-pupils subsequently rose decade by decade and were received with vigorous applause. All joined in singing a verse of “God Defend New Zealand,” led by the band.

Several unveilingg and presentations took place during the afternoon. Mr J. Wallace, chairman of the Otago Education Board, unveiled a memorial brass tablet to the late Messrs A. W. Russell, Alexander Kyle, and W. Davidson, the three past head masters of the school. Those three men, he said, were men worthy of the trust that had been placed in their hands. They had shown by the pupils who went out from the school that they were true workmen. Referring specially to Mr Russell, Mr Wallace said he was a Scotsman who came out here in 1858, and was appointed first of all to the Anderson's Bay School and then to Caversham. He served in the Mornington School for 13 years. He was typical of tho old school of Scotch dominie, men who knew their job, who got the best out of their pupils and put a lot into them that was greatly for theic_good. He had much pleasure in um'ciling the memorial (ablet. —(Applause.)

The Rev. W. J. Hannah offered dedicatory prayer.

Miss MTntosli, who was long head mistress of the school, unveiled memorial photographs of these three head masters. She was enthusiastically greeted with the singing of “For she’s a jolly good fellow 7” and cheers.

The Rev. G. E. Moreton offered dedicatory prayer. The Chairman then handed over the memorial in trust to the School Committee the gifts being acknowledged on behalf of the committee by Mr J. W. Patton. Mr G. L. Stewart, of Wellington, an exfirst assistant of the school, was also received with musical honours and cheers. He said that those who had gone out from the Mornington School and moved by other places had in some instances formed little colonies of former scholars. There was one such in Wellington, and they took a keen interest in (he old school and in its diamond jubilee. They thought they would like to send some substantial greeting to the present scholars because of the love thev had for the old school. They had had their message handsomely ongrossed and mounted and he proceeded to read it to them. He earnestly begged the present. scholars to give the principles contained in it their most earnest and willing acceptance.—(Applause.) The present head master (Mr J. R. Rutherford) and a senior boy and girl received the address on behalf of the school. Miss M‘lntyre presented to Miss M‘lntosh a beautiful bouquet of flowers, after which the band contributed a selection.

Mr F. W. Waite, M.P.. an old boy of the school, responded to a request for a

few reminiscences, and at the close of his remarks paid an impressive tribute to the pupils of tl.e school who had given their lives in the Great War.

The teachers and ex-teachers present were called on to stand up and were heartily cheered. Mr W. J. Strong acknowledged on their behalf the hospitality and kindness shown.

The formal part of the proceedings closed as they had begun, with the singing of the National Anthem. During the afternoon a memorial wreath was laid at the gates erected in memory of the old pupils who fell in the war. HAPPY SCHOOL DAYS. AN EVENING OF MEMORIES. In the evening a social reunion of exteachero, ex pupils, and others took place in the Art Gallery Hall, where a very happy evening was spent. Mr W. R. Don again presided. First names were the order of the day, and tho atmosphere was alive with enthusiastic greetings of longseparated schoolmates and merry with tales and jokes of long ago. A lengthy toast list was honoured, and supper was served in the middle of the evening. The Chairman, in his opening remarks, welcomed especially those who had not been present at the afternoon gathering. Among those were the Hon. C. E. Statham, M.P., of whom Mr Don said he had it on good authority that he had attended their school. He went on a Monday and left on a Friday. —(Laughter.) He referred to the distinguished men in many spheres of life that the school had produced, and said that their success had been mainly due to the type of teachers who had been in charge since its inception. He expressed his gratitude to the Rev. G. E. Moreton, Mr P. J. Priest, Mr J. P. Sainsbury, and others who had laboured to make the diamond jubilee celebrations such a success. The results had more than compensated for all they had done. He read a letter that had just come to hand from old pupils now living in the North Island conveying greetings and referring to the sweet and helpful atmosphere of the old school. Tho Rev. G. E. Moreton read and referred to a large number of letters and apologies that had been received from distant old pupils, some of Avhom are in Australia.

Mr G. L. Stewart proposed the toast of “Ex-teachers and Ex-pupils, - *’ a toast which he said included quite nineteen-twentieths of those present. His recollections cf tho old school were exceedingly pleasant, and he greatly valued the long-continued friendship of scholars there. He went on ro make mention of a number of old pupils who were filling important positions with credit to themselves and to their old school. Among others, he recalled Mr Murray Glaister, the Rev. Frank Jeffreys, Mr Charles Jeffreys, Dr Alexander Crawford, and Mr Val Crawford. Coming to speak of ex-teachers, he said he took it that the finest influence that ever was exerted in the Mornington School—and nobody would feel at all jealous if he said it —was. the influence of Miss MTntosh.—(Loud applause.) She seemed to have the gift of perennial youth, and she deserved it. —(Applause.) Ho was glad to think that her successor, Miss Nelson, was following in the fine even way that was set her by Miss MTntosh.—(Applause.) Among old Mornington masters he made special reference to Mr William Grey, Mr J. P. Malcolm, and Mr William Davidson. The response to this toast was in tho hands of Mr T. R. W. Coutts and Mrs Turner. Mr Coutts said he had been privileged to be associated with 10 male teachers at Mornington, and of these seven had risen to distinction in their profession. He mentioned specially Messrs G. L. Stewart, W. F. Watters, Stewart, Grey-, and Don, and went on to speak of Mr James Jeffery, Mr George Turner, Mr Service, and other educationists who had served on the staff of the school. He had always been proud to be associated with the Mornington School, more especially in view of the splendid record its boys made in the Great War.

Mrs Turner said she had the double pleasure of having been both a pupil and a teacher at the Mornington School. Both she and her husband always said that the pupils of the Mornington School were the finest they ever had and that the atmospehero o( the school was the best. Though they were strict and sometimes gave tne pupils had a bad time she was relieved to know that they bore the teachers no resentment. The main part of her school life as she looked back on it was the work done under Mr Stewart for scholarships.— (Applause.) Mr 1. K. Fleming, senior inspector, was entrusted with the toast of “The Mornington School and Members of Committee Past and Present.” He said he had had a good deal of experience now, and he had never been in any province where he found the people taking such a great interest in education as in Otago. He paid a special tribute to tho late Mr Davidson, and said the teachers of New Zealand really did not know and had never really appreciated all that Mr Davidson had done for them.—(Applause.) Mrs Robert Blair, an ex-head mistress, and Mr J. R. Rutherford, the present head master, responded to the toast. Mrs Blair spoke of the joy it was to work with and under Mr Davidson, and also acknowledged much kindness received from school committees. Mr Rutherford spoke of the pleasure with which he had observed the esteem in Avhich old teachers of the school Avere held, and he trusted that the present staff might deserve the same friendship and gratitude in years to come.

Mr W. J. Morrell, Rector of the Otago Bovs’ High School, in proposing the toast of the “Otago Education Board,” spoke of the value of such jubilee celebrations in fostering a school spirit and said that the type of boy sent on by Mornington to (lie High School was sufficient testimony to the value of the work done by the Mornington teachers. He spoke of the reputation which the Otago Education Board had so well maintained for good, just, and economical administration. The toast was aoknoAvlodgod by Mr J. Wallace, chairman of (he Otago Education Board.

The toast of the “New Zealand Parliament” was proposed by Mr Fred Waite, M.P., an old pupil of Mornington, who indulged in some humorous reminiscences and responded to by the Hon. Mr Statham who also is on the roll of the school. He wns received with musical honours and cheers.

The final toast, that of “The Ladies,” was projposed by the Rev. W. J. Hannah, and fittingly acknowledged by Miss Gellaliy. The Ladies’ Committee of the celebrations, provided a three-tier birthday cake,

which towards tiie close of the evening wa# cut by Miss MTntosh amid cheers and musical honours and distributed to those present. Tho enjoyahle programme which interspersed the speeches throughout the eveuing, included items from the following:— Miss Ethel Ililliker (recitation), Miss Agnes Guy Doug), Miss Flora Williamson (song), Mr P. J. Priest (sot g), Rev. (i. K. Moreton (clarionet solo), Mr H. B. A listing (flute solo), and Mr George Mearns (song). Everv item was encorsed. Miss Elsie Ford acted as accompanist for the evening. Cordial votes of thanks were accorded to those who had assisted in the success of tho gatherings. The proceedings closed at 11.20 with the singing of Auld Lang Syno and a verse of the National Anthem. CELEBRATIONS CONCLUDED. The jubilee celebrations terminated with a service in St. Paul’s Cathedral on Sunr day at 3 p.m., when a large number oC pupils, teachers, ex-pupils, and ex-teacheri was present. Prior to the service they met at the Dun* edin Art Gallery, and formed a procession in decades from 1865 to the present day. The Artillery Band provided the music for the march, and the procession was a long one. The form of service Avas shortened evensong, with special prayers, and began and ended with a note of thanksgiving. The lessons were read by the Rev W. Hannah, the Rev. W. Trotter, and the sermon was preached by the Rev. G. E. Moreton, whose text was taken from the fourth chapter of Ephesians, verses 4,5, and 6: “There is one body, and one spirit, even as yi are called in one hope of your calling. One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God anq Father of all, Who is abov r e all, ana through all, and in you all.” Tlie Right Rev. the Bishop of Dunedin pronounced th© blessing, and Mr E. Heywood, F.R.C.0., presided at the organ and concluded the service with an impressive rendering of the Hallelujah Chorus.