Stratford's Friend.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVII, Issue 76, 29 November 1913, Page 2

Stratford's Friend.

A CHORUS C? PRAJSE. MISS HOCC'S RESIGNATION. J A special meeting of the Schoo! Jommittee was hold last night to con;ider the following letter from Mis: J. Hogg. "1. have the honor to inform you hat I am resigning my position as distress in the Stratford school. I vould take this opportunity of thank :ng your committee and former com :nittees for their very great kindliest uid consideration shown to me during die twenty-one and a half years I havi icen teaching in this school. 1 wis) , bo relieved from December 31st.'' i'he Chairman (Mr P. Skoglund

noved the following resolution:'That the Stratford School Commn ■•po, in accepting Miss Hogg's, resigna ion as infant mistress on her retire nent from the teaching profession tie ires to place on permanent record itf•e'ep and grateful sense of her splei) 'id- work and elevating influence 01 : great section of the community resi lent in Stratford district by her cap able, devoted and high-minded method i training extending over more thai twenty-years, during which time sorm 'Vousands of young people, many o .lic'm now parents themselves, receivec 'Voir first school teaching at heinds. On. behalf of the parents the} present the .Committee desires alsi > convey to Miss Hogg its gratefu milks and appreciation of her Avork nd to most sincerely wish her Ion; i'o, great happiness, and all goo- . ealth in the leisure she has so wel .irncd." Mr Skoglund said it bad been i '.use for congratulation for a goo( inny years in having so many excel •ht teachers in the school, and ther as no doubt that the great rec'or< 10 school had had was due in a grea J leasnre to Miss Hogg. She had hai ie training of . the babies—she ha< id charge of them when they com ■onccd their schooling. The infiuenc ie had exercised on their young as, no doubt, an important facto . their future good work. The fac >at there were teachers such as Misi ; logg and Mr Tyrer had'a good effer n the teachers who joined he staff "he whole staff of teachers were prone i' the school and gave of their yer. -st, Ml'Smart seconded the motion, am •lid he did so with the greatest re ■'•ot. He desired to express his ,ap :-eciatioji of. the service to -the schoo , endcredbyMiss .-Hogg t r;! She ha< con teaching for thirty-thVetv years, ' n'd he-did' Wot 'think;'' if" rfrio, ti;avelle< •■.dm the Xprtli:Cape,,to the Bluff, the; '. >uld find V mpi;o capable or devote* .-achcr than ■ Miss r Hogg; : The schoo, ,

as losing a great teacher. ' She. wa great teacher, because the schoo md fine records in examinations, am vliss Hogg had moulded the career .f the scholars. She had taught chil Jrcn who were now mothers and wen -caching other children. He had in ..oryiewed'-Miss Hogg -on?the! subject :m:b sho -had 1 said r she; was resigninj. because she ,Ci frll : thaT l shy .could'"ifo ■'VoVdo her work as' well as slje-liad 1r ! ,Im, past. EveVvbo'dy'-woidd r'egre Miss Hogg's retirement, and ' h< th mgght more '■should be done tha'n't'h b'r.ssiiig. of the resolution. The citizen: would, ho lacking in their duty if the\ failed to do something further to marl-; the retirement of such a devoted tea •her as Miss Hogg. Mr Fookes said it was startling, ir •iew of the many changes recorded in the staffs of other schools, to learn that Miss Hogg had been Vijith the school for twenty-one and a half years. Hio long of the headmastei ■tnd the head of the infant department !iad a great effect on the work of the school. He had been in Stratford the whole of the time Miss Hogg had been ■it the school, and at all times he had aeard the work of Miss Hogg spoken >f in the most enthusiastic terms. Miss Hogg was remarkable for her careful teaching, her conscientious and •aithful work and the splendid feeling which she promoted. There could ho no better or more telling indication 'of the excellence of her work than tlic affection with which the children regarded her. His own little fellows •ould never get away quick enough in the mornings—they were anxious to ■rot back to their teachers. He behoved the Stratford school was unique hi having such good teachers throughout the school. In no school other of vhich he had had experience had he found a feeling existing between teachers and scholars as existed in the Stratford School. Perhaps the committee had had a feeling that what had happened might have happened at any t .j m e—that at any time Miss Hogg or Mr Tyrer, owing to advancing years, might retire. Personally he believed that Miss Hogg was still as capable as over of carrying out her duties, but she herself was the best judge of whether or not she could cany them out to her own satisfaction. She was retiring with her years full of credit to herself. The foundation of character which she had laid down in the children of the school would live in generations to come as a testimony to her abilities. There was no person in Stratford to whom the citizens owed more than to IVfiss Hogg. He agreed with the suggestion thai all citizens of Stratford should Join in giving her a fitting send-off. Wherever she might go he believed her feelings towards the school would always be the same, and lie was sure that the feelings of the children towards her would never change.

Mr Jackson said that previous speakers Had left him very little to say. Ho thoroughly endorsed all that had lieeri said. Ho \fa'<s sorry that his children were just beginning their

schooling. If he had known Miss Hogg had intended to retire at the present time he would have got married

sooner. Mr Skbglund announced that arrangements had been made for presentations by school children. Mr Smart said there was not a day vhen about a dozen children did not ■olleet at Miss Hogg's gate to escort ler to school and all were anxious to )Q near her. . Mr Jones also testified to the good : eeling entertained for Miss Hogg by he children. His own children wore ihvays anxious to pick flowers for her. Mr Hancock said he had been taught iy Miss Hogg twenty-one years ago. Te was sure he bad not forgotten what she had taught him. His children /ere now being taught by her. Miss 4ogg was really . a mother to the •hildren. Mr Staples said that during the hoi't time his children bad been atending the school he had especially toted the affection they had for their eacher. Possibly Miss Hogg had •hosen the present time for reiring, knowing that she could hand

ver the reins to one whom they all new was a capable infant teacher—•Tiss Papps. He hoped that when the ime came the Education Board would >a*s the appointment on to her. The motion was carried. It was decided on the motion of Mr 'mart that the committee approve of 'iss Hogg leaving as soon as she deIres and that the Education Board ? asked to support that view. It was also decided on the motion of [r Fookos that the committee meet gain in the morning to make aringements for suitably recognising [iss Hogg's many years of service to lie school. Miss Hogg would leave her ■ ark behind her in the teachers who ad worked under her. They had been Elaborating with her so long that hey could thoroughly and enthusiastitily carry out her system. A. Voice: Miss Papps might get tarried. Another Voice: We will have to stop hat. . Another Voice": We will have to nake celibacy obligatory on the females i the teaching staff. Another Voice: We will make a nun•ry of it. Another voice: We can let the men ">t married. Another Voice: Yes; they can get •arricd and still carry on their aties. . . ~, | t Another Voice: Bijt. the young men ill persist in running after our lady 'aclicrs. ; ; Another Voice: Beat them off with icks. ,•, . ~ ~ . Another Yoicty \ ,We will lose two ■ ore lady teachers this coming year. Another Voi<?e ; < the last but one i'or again): Beat them , off with icks, ',■ .. ; !i.;i.-. . Another Voice :, But we want our Vow secretary. .., /_, ' Another Voice; Yes;, we don't wiiiit -n'heaten 'off .jvit'h sticks.;

After which the committee,left the iscuesion of weighty and serious sublets, and proceeded to the amusing nd frivolous matter of discussing the ;\tlis time-table.