FIFTY YEARS OF EDUCATION

Southland Times, Issue 23408, 15 January 1938, Page 19

FIFTY YEARS OF EDUCATION

Drummond School’s Jubilee CELEBRATIONS BEGUN YESTERDAY The achievements of the Drummond School during 50 years, the part its pupils had played in bringing the district to prosperity and the changes in the educational system since the school was opened were discussed yesterday when more than 600 people, former pupils and teachers and those in any way associated with the school, gathered in Drummond for the beginning of the golden jubilee celebrations. The main event of the day was a banquet which began at 1.30 p.m. and did not end till after 5 o’clock, and at this there was an attendance of 350, all that the hall could accommodate. A jubilee ball last evening drew another big attendance. At 9.30 yesterday morning when the celebrations began, the school and its ground were filled with the biggest crowd of the 50 years of their existence. A photograph of the assembly was taken and this was followed by a roll call. The former pupils of the school then formed into decades and a procession began from the school to the Drummond Hall, where the banquet was held. The parade was headed by pipers, and there followed former teachers of the school—Miss M. L. Hanning, Mr A. L. McCaw and Mrs J. Kincaid—past and present committee men and former pupils in their various deThe president of the jubilee celebrations committee, Mr J. Kincaid, was chairman at the banquet and associated with him were the Leader of the Opposition (the Hon. Adam Hamilton) and Mrs Hamilton, Mr J. Hargest, M.P. for Awarua and Mrs Hargest, and Mr W. Excell, a member of the Southland Education Board.

Mr D. Brown, who was toastmaster, read a number of messages of goodwill and best wishes from former pupils and teachers in various parts of New Zealand. A separate function was held for the children, an arrangement which was warmly commended by several speakers. An impressive ceremony surrounded the cutting of the jubilee cake. The candles were lighted by Mesdames Buckingham, Miller, Campbell, Minnie and Calder, and the cake was cut by Mrs J. Kincaid, a former teacher. Later, the candles were extinguished by five of the first pupils, Misses Ward and McLeish, and Mesdames J. Johnstone, D. Jones and Carter. Miss Cameron, who gave the jubilee cake, and Mrs John Lindsay, sen., who gave a cake for the school children, were presented with bouquets. VISITORS WELCOMED Mr Kincaid, in his opening remarks, said he hoped the postponement of the celebrations from last year had caused no inconvenience. Because of the postponement, there were some who were not present who would have been present last year. The speaker referred to some persons, associated with the school, who had recently died. A motion of sympathy was carried, the gathering standing for a moment in silence. “I wish you all a very warm welcome,” said Mr Kincaid, “and I hope that you will have a day full of enjoyment.” Proposing the toast of the school, Mr Hargest said it was one of the most important of the day. When one thought of the school one thought not of bricks and mortar and wooden walls, but of the personal contacts made. A move was made to establish a. school at Drummond in 1886, tenders being called in November and accepted in December. The successful tender was £179 for a building to accommodate 75 pupils. That sum today would not build the front porch, he said. The school was opened in the following May* and in the succeeding years had produced many fine citizens. Mr Hargest referred to those who had taught at the Drummond school, mentioning their many high qualities and referring in particular to Mr James Lumsden, who, he said, had been well known and highly esteemed by the residents of the district. Discussing the Drummond district, the speaker said that when he had first known it, it was famous for draught horses and oats. Times had changed since then and Drummond had changed with them. Now it was famous for fat lambs and dairy produce. The big attendance at the banquet despite the school holidays, was an indication of the live interest taken in the school and its activities. Mr Hargest expressed the wish that the jubilee celebrations would be a complete success and thanked the committee for the invitation to himself and Mrs Hargest to be present. In reply, Mr W. J. Mackintosh said it gave him great pleasure to be there and to see so many happy, smiling faces. He recalled the day when the school was opened and remarked how he had gone to it in “fear and trembling.” But he had' soon found it to be a place of real happiness. Mr Lumsden had been a good teacher and a kind-hearted man—perhaps too kindhearted for the welfare of its pupils. Mr Mackintosh also referred to the growth of the educational system and its great efficiency today. FORMER PUPILS The toast of former pupils was proposed by Mr A. L. McCaw, who said that, as Mr Hargest had mentioned, the school was, after all, only, a place of bricks, or wood. Of .chief importance were the pupils. He had taught in the district for about two and a-half years, but his term, though short, had been very happy. During that time he had developed a very high regard for the young people of the district. In no other district in which he had been, had he found children of such high character. This, he believed, was true of the young people of all decades at the school. In reply, Mr A. Low said he had been very pleased to meet so many old friends and to discuss with them incidents of school days. The toast of past and present teachers was proposed by Mr J. M. Mackintosh. Fifty years ago, he said, the roll was first called at the Drummond School by Mr Lawrence Thomson. A few years after leaving Drummond, Mr Thomson had entered the ministry. Mr James Lumsden followed him as teacher, and for 14 years “held sway and wielded the cane” at the old school. These two men could be called the pioneer teachers of the school and the work of guiding the children of those days had been well entrusted to them. Mr Mackintosh read a list of other men and women who had taught at the school, giving their years of service and praising their work. One of the more modern school of teachers was Miss Grace McArthur, who had introduced many reforms and given splendid service as a teacher, he said.

Changes in teaching methods were discussed by the speaker. In the old days, he said, reading, writing and arithmetic were taught with a hickory stick, but now such methods were regarded as a confession of weakness. Whether the present methods would prove as effective as the methods of the early years—methods which had turned out so many fine men and women—had yet to be proved. Mr McCaw, who replied, said that teachers had an unpopular task so far as the children were concerned, but they appreciated co-operation, and at times like the present they were given fresh heart by the goodwill shown towards them by pupils and former pupils. Miss M. Hanning also replied to the toast, saying that she had had a very happy time during her two years’ teaching at Drummond. Mr W. McKenzie proposed the toast of past and present committee men. He congratulated those who had organized the jubilee celebrations on their very efficient work. It must have been very gratifying to them to see the success which had attended their efforts, he said. Mr McKenzie praised the work of the past and present school committees, but suggested that committees should, in the future, contain a bigger representation of women. There were as many girls at primary schools as there were boys and there should be mothers on the committee to look after their interests. Mr C. Sutherland, who replied, asked that residents take a greater interest in the work of the school committee, with which was bound up the welfare of the school. Some seemed to think that a school committee did very little, but it had a great deal to do and little money to do it with. Women, he agreed, should be on the committees and they should attend householders’ meetings, where they would stand a good chance of being elected. There was much to be learned from service on a school committee and the work was very interesting. The toast of the Southland Education Board was proposed by Mr J. T. Carswell. A debt of gratitude, he said, was owed to the Scottish settlers who had made it plain from the start that the children of the new country were to receive a good education. They had set aside endowments and had made possible the erection of schools in various parts of the .Dominion. It was now just 60 years since the Southland Education Board took over 44 schools from the Otago Education Board and formed a separate education district. There were then 2900 pupils under the board’s control. The first, chairman of the board had been Mr T. M. Macdonald, a man who had played a prominent part in public affairs. One had only to look at the names of past chairmen of the board to understand why the Southland Education Board was as successful as it was today. They had been men of vision, men who if they had wanted a thing done had spared no effort to see that it was done. The board had been particularly fortunate in its executive officers, from the first treasurer, Mr John G. Smith, to the present secretary, Mr H. T. Thompson. RESPONSIBLE TASK Mr W. Excell, who replied, said the board was very fortunate in its present chairman, Mr S. Rice. The board had a responsible task, but under the guidance of Mr Rice and with the cooperation it received from the school committees it was able to carry out its work in a manner which gave general satisfaction.

Mr Excell concluded by congratulating the committee responsible for organizing the celebrations on the fine work it had done.

Mr C. C. O. McLeish proposed the toast of Parliament. It was appropriate, he said, that this toast should be honoured that day. Two members of the House of Representatives were present, and the work of Parliament was closely associated with the work of education.

In reply, Mr Hamilton said it was pleasing to see how loyally the celebrations had been supported by former pupils and residents of the district. It was the sentiment attaching to the old school which drew people in their hundreds to school jubilees and similar functions, he said. There were no friends like old friends, and it was this that made jubilees so memorable and so appealing. “Progress is a good thing,” Mr Hamilton continued, “but we must make sure that we retain all the good things of the past. We should take the best from the past and only the best from what the present offers. We are fortunate in New Zealand and should be thankful that our lot is cast in such a pleasant place. We have a great deal for which to thank the pioneers and should make sure that we maintain the heritage they have handed down to us.”

Mr Hamilton discussed trends in modem education, and expressed the opinion that boys between 17 and 19 years of age should be taught to work and shown how to use their hands.

Mr Hargest also replied to the toast. Other toasts honoured were: Sports, (proposed by Mr H. Chilton; responded to by Mr W. Booth); The Chairman (Mr F. Sutton—Mr Kincaid); and The Press, (Mr lan Lindsay). During the banquet, musical items were given by the following: Mrs G. Lindsay (song), Misses Linklator (instrumental duet), Mr W. Booth (mouth organ solo), and Mr W. J. Mackintosh (song).