HEADMASTER FETED

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 199, 26 August 1935, Page 6

HEADMASTER FETED

OLD BOYS SAY MR. J. ALLEN, COLLEGIATE SCHOOL. TRIBUTES TO HIS ZEAL Over two hundred old boys of thf Wanganui Collegiate bcnooi attended a muuo ju the uming hall at the school ou Saturday night to meet and say farewell. to the retiring headmaster, Air. J. Allen, who, at his own request, is relinquishing his post at the end of tbe year. Tributes were paid to tac zeal Mr. Allen had shown for Ihe schocl, and there was a touch of sadness when he tol<l of the wrench it would mean to him when the time came to sever active connection w’ith associations he dearly loved. Mr. V. Headley (Hastings), president of the Old Boys’ Association, was in the chair. Air. Justice Johnston, in proposing Mr. Allen’s health, paid tribute to work. The school, he said, owed Mr. Allen a debt of gratitude it would be hard to repay. He and Mrs. Alien had been such a wonderful asset. The life of a master in a secondary school was, in many respects, a hard one, especially in difficult years like those through whlck the world had just passed. Mr. Allen had lived for the school and was leaving it the richer because of his work for it.

Air. G, W. Currie, chairman of the Collegiate School Trustees, supporting the toast, said that the rehabilitation of the school during the years of financial difficulty which had just passed had been made successful almost entirely by Air. Alien. He was leaving the school with the roll number back to normal. (Applause). Mr. Tat Nolan (Gisborne), representing the boys who had served during the period of Air. Allen's association with the school, particularly the term during which he was housemaster of Selwyn House, spoke of the happy days of long ago, and of the pelasant memories all those old boys retained of a well loved master. Air. B. Levin also supported the toast. It was characteristic of Air. Allen that, in his reply, he discounted his own efforts and thought kindly of those who had boon associated with him. He said that it would indeed be a wrench to him to leave the school, but he felt that the time had come for a younger man to take over the reins. For that reason ho was taking the step which one he would have to take. Leaving the hcadmastership would not be the wrench that leaving Selwyn House had been to him in the first instance. There he had built up wonderfully fine associations, and although taking over another position only meant moving a stone’s throw away, the little intimate touches were lost, and when they were severed the speaker felt that, something had gone out of his lite. Ho paid a high tribute to his staff, pnrticularly to Messrs. J. E. Bannister and G. F. McGrath. Throughout his long association with those gentlemen not one (•ross word had passed between them, and all three would retain to the end of their davs fond memories of a fin® school, lie felt that Mr. Currie had been wrong when ho said that the success of the rehabilitation period had been due entirely to his personal efforts. It was the wonderful loyalty and co-operation of the staff which had made that work successful. He lett the school with a feeling of sadness, but confident in its future. , The chairman, near the conclusion ot the gathering, presented Mr. Allen with a solid silver teapot to mark the appreciation old bovs wished to express to Mrs. Allen. He said that, accompanying the gift, were the good wishes ot everv old boy for happiness and Inn"' life in retirem'iit. They all realised what a help Mrs. Allen had been to her husband. (Applause).