ANOTHER YEAR ENDED

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18273, 16 December 1933, Page 4

ANOTHER YEAR ENDED

HIGH SCHOOL BREAK-UP QUARTER CENTURY CLOSES CANON HALL’S ADVICE Leavened with humor of a type which the pupils could not fail to appreciate, and which served also to drive his points home, a most helpful address was delivered hv Canon A. F. Hull at the annual breaking-up ceremony at the Gisborne High School last evening. Canon Hall, who was the principal speaker of the evening, directed his advice mainly to those about to leavp school for good, but he offered encouragement also to those younger pupils whose educational career is still before them. The function was held in the school hall, which was filled to capacity with the pupils and their parents and friends. The chairman of the High School Board of Governors, Mr. L. T. Barnard, presided over the gathering, and with him on the platform were Canon and Mrs Hall, the majority of the board members, the rector, Mr. .T. Hutton, and the members of the teaching staff. Canon Hall's address‘preceded the presentation of prizes, which were distributed by Mrs. Hall. Canon Hall recalled the 10 years he himself had spent at school, and the fact that he had had to endure two breaking-up ceremonies in each year. “There were speakers of various ranks,” he remarked, “and looking back, I don’t remember a word they said. I have waited for 2d years, and at last 1 have a chance of getting my own hack.

“ALWAYS RULES TO KEEP.” “I want to sneak to those boys and girls who are leaving school.” went on Canon Hall. “Probably many of yon are immensely pleased, and aro saying to yourselves: ‘After to-night there won’t be any more rules to keep.’ I’m sorry to say that you are mistaken. No doubt you are glad and happy to be going out away from what you probably designate as irksome trials, but you will find that there are always rules to keep. You are only jumping out of the frying pan into the fire. The new rules will be given to you by other people, and later on you will find that you will be making them yourselves.

“This school life is really only a kindergarten. Wo are always at school, and to carry the analogy a step further, when iri after life you have a hard lesson to learn, you will have it to learn only because the. Great Headmaster thinks you are capable of learning it; and He is ready to help. I want you to be proud of having been at the Gisborne High School, and to keep in touch with the school in after life. Many join up with the Old Students’ Association, and in a year or two drop out. 'Only a few stick on right through. I hope that won’t be the ease with you. “Try to come back to the school sometimes, and remember that the teachers will always be glad to see you, and glad to have your sympathy in what is, after all, the worst paid and least appreciated profession in the world. They will be glad of a word of gratitude from you. DANGER OF “CpOK-SURENESS” “Another word to those leaving school: there is a tendency soon after leaving to become what I shall call ‘cock-sure.’ Most people go through that phase, and it’s a most unpleasant one. it consists of a boy or girl trying to think that he or she is capable of setting the world right. I want to pass on a piece of advice I had given to me years ago, and which I did not appreciate at the time: However certain you may be that you are right, it may be perfectly possible that someone who differs from you may be equally right. That is worth remembering, and it happens to be true.” Canon Hall offered a word of congratulation to those who had been awarded prizes. “In years to come,” he remarked, “you will say : ‘What on earth did I do to win these! —because I’m sure 1 couldn’t do it now.’ 1 am sure you will treasure these tangible evidences ol success—or good luck. Those of you who have not been fortunate enough to be placed in the category of prize-winners, if you have done your best you can be perfectly satisfied. There, is no failure In the world except just giving up try-

mg. Addressing Ihe younger pupils, Canon Hall observed: “There is a tendency sometimes to say, T don’t like so-and-so,’ mentioning some member of tile staff —usually not by his own name—‘and I’m not going to do any work for him.’ 1 gather by your appreciation that I have said something that is true. When you say a tiling like that you are being very foolish, because it isn’t them you are punishing, but yourself, They get paid whether you work or don’t.” Canon Hall concluded by wishing the pupils and the staff a very merry Christmas and happy New Year, and, to the staff, added : “And six weeks of pure unadulterated selfishness.” TRIBUTE TO RECTOR

A special tribute to the work of the rector was paid by Mr. Barnard after tho presentation oi' the prizes. “You have heard in tho rector’s report of a very satisfactory year,” said Mr. Barnard. “Praise is" given to various people, but one person is not mentioned, and that is Mr. Hutton himself. I want to tell you from the board, who have had a good deal of experience oi the work Mr. Hutton has been called upon to do, that they appreciate the very thorough and valuable work that ho has put into the school since he arrived here two years ago.” Mr. Hutton eamo to Gisborne in times of depression, continued Mr. Burnard, and there was a difficult problem of finance to bo faced. That problem was solved by the energy and care displayed by Mr. Hutton, who had thought out a scheme under which it had been possible to amalgamate the two institutions, and, I with the assistance of Mrs. Hutton, run ! them without, a loss. That service had been given without remuneration, and laid enabled the institutions to be carried on, whereas otherwise there would j have been a substantial loss. I Then again tho hoard had recently taken over the technical school, and this change-over had involved considerable reorganisation and a great deal of personal work. That, too, bad fallen mainly on Mr. Hutton. The board fully appreciated the work be had done, and the great assistance he had been to tho school throughout the two years. I THEi PRIZE LIST I The list of prizes distributed by Mrs. ■ Hall was as follows: — —Girls — Miss Reader’s special prizes for typewriting.—Third form: Irene Covic. Fourth form: Nora Cooper. Third Professional.—Beulah Bignell,

1; Margaret Prentice, 2; Josephine Harre, 3. . Third Commercial. —Irene Covic, 1; Marjorie llopps, 2; Joyce Stephens, 3. Form 4B.—Joyce White, 1; Mildred Bagley, 2. . Form 4A.—Maude Baker, 1; Iris Little, 2; Ena Baty, 3. Form sA.—Constance Adlam, 1; Isabel Baker, 2; Dorothea Devery, 3. —Boys— Form 3A.—R. McLatchie, 1; E. Bell, 2; H. Moran, 3. Form 3B.—A. Singer, 1; D. Ross, 2. Form 3 Rural. —R. Cade, 1. Form 4A.—H. G. Bloore, IP. Hockley, 2; M. B. Stevens,' 3. Form 4B.—N. Atkins, 1; W. Toroa, 2l Form SA.—T. Bright, 1; R. Porter, 2 ; I). Armstrong, 3. Form 5B. —E. Gardner, 1; I. Johnstone, 2. Lower Sixth.—Mavis Moran, 2. Ehinesmith Prize. —Barbara Thompson. Dux.—Girls: Barbara Thompson. Boys: Allan Pyatt. —Sports Trophies— The following swimming cups had been previously presented.—D. Armstrong, boys’ senior championship; S. Dodgshun, boys’ junior championship; N. Langridge, girls’ senior championship; N. Henderson, girls’ junior championship. Sports cups and prizes were presented as follow: —E. Ross, senior championship cup and Richardson Cup; L. Kermode, junior championship, Image Cup; J. White and B. Findlay, equal, senior championship, Lysnar Cup; Lois Matthews, junior championship, Garrett Cup; R. Cousins, limes Cup, for mile, and Miller Cup, for cross country race; A. Young, Cato Cup, for long distance; Arneth Williamson, for senior drill championship; Noela Osborne, badge for junior drill; School House (Thelma Utting, captain), San da 11 Cup for inter-house basketball; W. McLean, Lady Godley Cup, for shooting; Thelma Utting, senior tennis championship cup; Beulah Bignell, junior tennis championship cup; Norma Bignell and Beulah Bignell, prize for tennis doubles. LEAVING CERTIFICATES Higher leaving certificates were pro. sented to the following pupils of tire sixth form: —Lillies P. Gunn, Jean 11. Hutton, Ngairo J. Langridge, Mavis Moran, Edith Whitfield, Max Cameron, J. T. Dodgshun, K. G. Monk, R. G. Ogilvie, J.I. Olliver, W. A. Pyatt, E. 11. Ross, and T. M. Sharp. Endorsed higher leaving certificates for a further vear’s work were presented to C. W. Fiavell, R. A. Shaw, Max Stephenson, and Barbara Thompson. The programme was pleasingly interspersed with vocal items by the school and by the girls’ choir, ably conducted by Air. L. H. Thomson, and the gathering, which had opened with the National Anthem, concluded with the , school song, “All Through the Night.”