A TEACHER HONOURED.

Otago Witness, Issue 3993, 23 September 1930, Page 11

A TEACHER HONOURED.

On a recent afternoon the staff and pupils of the Rangiora High School, together with members of the Board of Governors, met at the school to bid

farewell to Mr A. J. Ferguson, the first assistant and agricultural science master, who is retiring from the teaching service. The principal of the school (Mr J. E. Strachan), who presided, said that he had been associated with the guest for longer than he had been associated with any teacher. He traced Mr Ferguson’s progress in the teaching profession up to the time of his joining the staff of the Rangiora High School in May, 1918. If Mr Ferguson could carry away the knowledge of anything good accomplished at the school he would know that Jie had had a large share in the creation of it. As a teacher he was a man of absolute integrity and character, and as to his honesty and sincerity of purpose, all who had passed through the school would agree, as he had inspired these characteristics in his pupils. As a token of esteem, Mr Strachan presented Mr Ferguson with a booklet executed in the form of an illuminated address by an ex-pupil, and on . behalf of the School Council, of which he had been a member since its formation, he presented him with a silver badge as a memento of his election as a life honorary- member of that body. . On behalf of the staff Mr G. C. Beattie presented Mr Ferguson with a folding camera, yvhile from the pupils he was the recipient of a leather suitcase. In the absence of the chairman (Mr C. I. Jennings), the Rev. W. R. Hutchison, on behalf of the Board of Governors, presented Mr Ferguson with a case containing a gold-mounted fountain pen and eversharp pencil, as a token of appreciation of the members of Mr Ferguson’s work at the school during the past 12 years. Mr Ferguson suitably responded. At a later date the ex-Pupils’ Association presented Mr Ferguson with a handsome oak chiming clock and Mrs Ferguson with an electric travelling iron. Farewell functions were also held, and presentations made by various organisations of the John Knox Presbyterian Church, with the work of yvhich Mr and Mrs Ferguson had been closely associated during their • residence in Rangiora. Mrs Ferguson yvas also the recipient of a handsome leather handbag from the Rangiora branch of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, of yvhich she had been secretary for seven years.

Mr and Mrs Ferguson purpose next year taking a trip to the Homeland, and will leave New Zealand towards the end of March.