WORLD’S CRITICAL PERIOD

Taranaki Daily News, 22 December 1930, Page 12

WORLD’S CRITICAL PERIOD

NEED FOR THRIFT AND WORK.

ADVICE TO LEAVING PUPILS.

A farewell message was addressed by Mr. A. Gray, headmaster of th© Hawera High School, to pupils who had completed their schooling. Mr. Gray said he had no apology to make for he only wished the same things had been said to him when he was leaving school

‘•You boys and girls are leaving school and entering on your life’s work at perhaps the most critical period in the world’s history,” said Mr. Gray. “You may’feel that you have inherited the task of cleaning up the muddle wliich we adults have caused; but in our defence ! I would urge that the mudale is more apparent than real. Notwithstanding this, in the cycle of events it may well happen that during your life-time you, will. encounter conditions somewhat* similar to those existing today ,hnd I think it will be well for you to. make actual records of present day events and their causes as you understand them, and to keep these records for. future reference.

“Have the people of the world become too interdependent’ Is the spirit of co-operation being exploited by a few unscrupulous men? Do we require a; little'. more of. the ‘Robinson Crusoe’ spirit? Think that out, and if you conclude it is so, then set out with the determination that at any. rate as far as possible you will, be independent of adverse movements around you.. To do this you must first of. all work, and you must be thrifty. Most of us who are adults now have spent too milch in our youth. -You need.not be mean,-but you should start with your first earnings and save a part, however small. Remember the wonderful fact that money at. 6 per cent., compound interest doiibles itself in twelve years.

“Another -thing I should like to mention is the importance of life insurance. The earlier you insure the less the premiums. A boy or girl of 16 taking out a policy to mature, ■ say in 20 years, , has a sum of money at 36 which will earn sufficient interest to pay a great proportion of a much larger premium, and by the .time you are 56 you are practically independent.' Make the banks your helpful friends—don’t let them be your masters. Then, ' having made provision for yourselves/be ever ready to help those who are less fortunate. “Apart from financial matters I want, you to be independent in thought. For instance, do you want the Empire to disintegrate? Tf .you do, then lie low like ‘brer rabbit and say nuffin’. If you do not, then use your brains, to discover even in little New Zealand the forces which are working in the direction of the splitting up of the Empire, and when you have discovered them, fight them with the silent weapons with which the Empire enemies are fighting now. You may not have far to look,; < “In short, I leave with you these three—work,. thrift,. love of country and humanity; and the greatest of these three is love of humanity.”WHAREKOA SCHOOL CLOSES. FAREWELL TO POPULAR TEACHER. ‘ There was an enthusiastic gathering of parents and children at the Whareroa school on Friday afternoon, the occasion being the annual • break-up, the closing of the> School aii>< the. fate well to Miss Miry McComtek, the teacher; Miss. McCormack has the. gift of being a good teacher who eould bring'out'the best in the pupils. .... - . . The board has decided to close, the school and run a bus to take the children to the Hawera main school. Miss McCormack has been transferred to Eltham. The school was beautifully decorated with .inulti-coloured balloons and was very gay with flowers in 1 every available space. All was the work of the pupils under the supervision of their teacher. The walls were adorned with drawings and pictures done in the school. The children gave a delightful programme of dancing, singing and pianoforte playing. Only those who have /undertaken this work know what an amount of time and patience it takes to get the children to a state of perfectioh. After the concert two of the senior pupils, Mary Hughes and Joan Oliver, presented Miss McCormack with a leather suit case as a memento of her stay in the district. Mollie Wells, also presented a magnificent bouquet of roses and climax.

Miss McCormack, amidst cheers, rose to'reply. She said she regretted leaving her pupils but thought that in time they would feel the benefit of attending a larger school where advantages would he received which were not available in the country schools, such as cooking, woodwork and swimming. ‘ ‘ : The children were all given gifts of paper hats, ballots and noisy toys by Miss McCormack, while the school committee provided sweets, nuts and soft drinks. Th© ladies of the district arrived carrying baskets' for the afternoon tea which was joyfully hailed by the children. Various individual gifts were presented, among which was a pair of crystal vases and a decorated Christmas. cake. ' J. Miss McCormack, who has been teaching at the school for seven years, will be greatly missed in the community, where she was always willing and ready to help and where she is leaving many friends.

The concert programme was:—Pianoforte solo, Olive Smith; recitation, Jean Fraser; vocal solo, Mollie Wells; pianoforte solo, Joan Oliver; rythmic exercise, infants; recitation, Bobbie Hicks; pianoforte solo, Mollie Wells; folk dance, the pupils; recitation, Veta Chapple; pianoforte solo, Gracie Chapple; folk dance, Grace Chapple, Veta Chapple, Mollie Wells, Hilda Holdener, Victor Chapple, Jack Smith, Roscoe George and Jack Nelson. The dancing and singing were excellent. Miss Joyce Dix, Hawera, gave a pianoforte solo and assisted with the accompaniments, most of which were played by Miss McCormack. During the year some of the children made record attendances. Olive Smith, Gracie Chapple, Joyce Gibson and Victor Chappl© attended without missing a day. Andrew and lan Irvine missed only one day, while Jack Smith missed a day and a-half.