TECHNICAL SCHOOL

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18163, 10 August 1933, Page 5

TECHNICAL SCHOOL

DIRECTOR FAREWELLED

MR. LANCASTER’S TRANSFER In connection with the impending departure of Mr. A. G. Lancaster, director of the Gisborne Technical School and' a senior assistant on the Gisborne. Central School staff, to take up the headmastership of Porangahau .School in Hawke’s Bay, a farewell function was tendered to him last evening by the committee of the Gisborne Central School and his colleagues on the staffs l of the respective institutions. Mr. J. H. Sunderland, chairman of the committee, presided oyer the gathering, and during the evening a number of speeches were made, expressive of regret at Mr. Lancaster’s departure from Gisborne, and congratulating him upon his promotion. In the opening remarks of the chairmau, reference was made to the fact that Mr. Lancaster had been a member of the Gisborne School staff for 10 years, and that during the past six years he had been director of the technical education facilities in the town. Everyone who had come in contact with Mr. Lancaster, and luul had an opportunity of judging the quality of his work, would deeply regret the loss of his services to this district, said Mr. Sunderland, hut tiiey would join in congratulating him on his well-deserved promotion, ami would anticipate further substantial advancement for their friend and colleague. Under Mr. Lancaster’s supervision, the work of the Technical School had made considerable advances, and' the relations between the- committee, staff and pupils had been most harmonious. In his attention to his duties, the retiring director had provided an example for all, and his loss would he much felt. Mr. Sunderland mentioned that at the close of the current term there would he a change in the control of the Technical School in Gisborne, with the object of enlarging the opportunities for young people to equip themselves with technical training, but he felt sure that no one could have done more with the limited facilities available in the past than Mr. Lancaster had done.

The chairman then proposed the health of Mr Lancaster, the toast, beihg accorded tire usual musical honors.

An interesting review of the history of technical instruction in Gisborne was given by Mr A. F. Rowley, n former director and headmaster of the Gisborne Central School, who mentioned that the technical department had been founded in 1!>03, under the control of Mr W. Morgan, later M.L.C., who was then secretary of the High School Board. The Education Board 'took over the institution in 1914, and the speaker was placed in charge of the facilities, which were extended to include England and arithmetic classes so that free place holders might secure their tuition there. From 1914 to 1923, the technical side of the school had grown tremendously, and though the actual growth since then did not appear to the speaker to kjave been in the some proportion, Mr Rowley could endorse fully the remarks of the chairman as to the quality of the instruction afforded to pupils. In congratulating Mr Lancaster on his promotion, and on the success he had registered in his post las director of the Technical School, Mr Rowley commented that technical education should be as successful here as anywhere in the Dominion. COLLEAGUES» PRESENTATION

A tribute from the follow-members of Mr Lancaster was voiced by Mr J. M. Primrose, who mentioned that, he was the first to welcome Mr Lancaster on his arrival in Gisborne 10 years ago, and had worked under him in the technical school, having ample opportunity to .appreciate his tact, administrative capacity, and splendid .personality. The extension of the curriculum from 25 to SO subjects had been one of the achievements of Mr Lancaster’s directorship, and the regard of staff and pupils was indicative of keen appreciation of his talents. The promotion gained by the guest of tho evening was noted with much satisfaction by his colleagues of the teaching profession, Mr Primrose added, and it was felt that it would not be long before Mr Lancaster would again make his presence felt in the educational world of Poverty Bay. The speaker then presented to Mr Lancaster a handsome fountnin-pen, as a mark of esteem and admiration, and expressed the warmest wishes for the continued success of the guest, and the enjoyment of the best of health by Mr and Mrs Lancaster .and their family. CLASSROOM INSPECTION This tribute was endorsed hy Mr. John McLeod, former head of the Gisborne Central School, who warmly commended the many good qualities of the guest, and remarked that* his classroom ( was always a place of happiness and inspiration. Even in awarding necessary punishment to primary pupils, Mr. Lancaster had contrived to keep the goodwill of the delinquent, Mr. McLeod remarked smile. In his career as a teacher, the speaker added, he had not met a more genial and obliging colleague, or one who was, more thoroughly devoted to his duties. The promotion given to him was thoroughly deserved, and they would expect further promotion as time went on, and Mr. Lancaster made his mark in the fresh field to which he was proceeding. The chairman then carried out a presentation of a volume of H, G. Wells’ works, the gift of the Technical School Committee, with appropriate remarks. Opportunity was taken by Mr. J. S. Shimmin, present headmaster of Gisborne Central, to express his appreciation of the splendid assistance given to him through the early months of his hendrnnstership here by Mr. Lancaster. In losing Mr. Lancaster, the town was losing one whom it could ill afford to spare, he felt. He. was of the type with whom it was a pleasure to work or to play, and with, whom it wits good to associate. Mr. Shimmin added that when his time came 1 to move on from Gisborne Central he would ho well pleased if Mr. Lancaster was his successor here. MR. LANCASTER’S REPLY 'l’he guest of the evening found .some difficulty in expressing his thanks to the gathering, for the warmth of their tribute and the overwhelming evidences of goodwill towards himself. He stated that he had taken over the directorship of the technical department with some diffidence, knowing that he followed some very notdhle men in Messrs. Rowley, Flunk, and'McLeod, but he quickly found that he had an excellent «taff, and that had made his pntli infinitely more easy than it, might have been.

His policy had been, whenever the opportunity came to add to the number of classes, to maintain the excellent standard of the* staff in making new appointments, That had meant that he must secure the best teaching talent in town, and ho had remained determined on that point. He believed he had been successful in regard to the staff, Mr. Lancaster remarked. He wished also to express his appreciation of the relations between the Technical School staff and the committee, the latter hav-

ing taken over tho additional responsibility at a time when there was no obligation on it to do so, and having shown ri fine public spirit by its willingness to accept the responsibility. He regretted the necessity for giving up ins connection with both the Gisborne Central School and the Technical School; in regard to the latter, he felt that the girls and boys who were prepared to spend three or four nights a week in study deserved every help. Ho hoped that the work would* go on unhindered, and that the classes would prove more successful under the new system of control about to be instituted’.

Tho gathering later partook of a dainty supper prepared by Miss Anderson and the staff of the cookery department of the Technical School, and the function closed with votes of thanks to the ladies concerned, and also to the chairman.