TECHNICAL SCHOOL

Wairarapa Daily Times, 10 December 1937, Page 6

TECHNICAL SCHOOL

FINAL CHAPTER WRITTEN, BREAK-UP CEREMONY. The final chapter in the history of the Masterton_ Technical High School was written last night when, after an existence of nearly 50' years, the school held its last break-up ceremony in the Municipal Hall. Next year the school will be merged with the High School as Wairarapa College. The hall was crowded to capacity with parents, ex-pupils, pupils and friends. The report read by the Principal (Mr. 0. H. E. Yates) will be found in other columns. Mr. L. J. Taylor, chairman of the Wairarapa Secondary Education Board, presided and other members of the board present were Messrs A. Donald, W. R. Nicol, W. 11. Jackson, W. A. Clarke, P. M. Smith and the secretary, Mr. K. M. Boddington. The Acting-Principal of- the Wairarapa High School, Mr. G. W. Morice, the Rev. Clyde Carr, M.P., speaker for the evening, Mesdames L. J. Taylor and 0. H. E. Yates, and members of the Technical School staff were also on the stage. Mesdames Taylor and Yates were presented with beautiful bouquets by two girl pupils of the school. Apologies for absence were received from the Mayor, Mr. T. Jordan, Mr. J. Robertson, M.P., Mr. A. T. Jackson (Secondary Education Board) and members of the Trust Lands Trust, who were holding their final meeting of the year. When it was recalled that the Technical High School had existed for half a century, observed Mr. Taylor, it was not without some'feelings of regret and pathos that they attended the final break-up of the school while functioning as a separate unit. Touching on the history of the school, Mr. Taylor mentioned that Mr. C. E. Daniell vas the first chairman of the board of managers, while Mr. W. H. Jackson, one of the original board members, "was still a member of the Secondary Education Board. During the past 44 years Mr. Jackson, had given wonderful service to the cause of education. The thanks and appreciation of the school were due to the Trust Lands Trust for its ever-ready assistance. Over the past 42 years the school had received grants from the Trust amounting to £(5,363. After referring to the success of the Technical School pupils and ex-pupils —success which bore witness to the good work of the Principal and the staff—Mr. Taylor paid a glowing tribute to the work and influence of Mr. Yates during his 12 years’ association with the school. He congratulated him on the success he had achieved and wished him eveiy success and happiness in the future. Education was the most important thing in the -world, remarked the Rev. Clyde Carr, wdien addressing the gathering. We, as a nation stood for democracy, but if we were going to have a democracy that w r ould be effective and worthy of its name it was essential to have education in the truest sense. Education was life, not merely part of life, just as school days were not merely a preparation for life. After dealing with the need for expanding and developing the education system, Mr. Carr said that lack of vision had resulted in schools in New Zealand being built like gaols or zoos. He expressed keen pleasure at tlie amalgamation of the Technical and the High Schools. It had been recognised, he said, that technical education was not the Cinderella it had been thought in the past. The amalgamation showed that the invidious and false distinction between hand and brain was being destroyed. The artisan was a man who had more reason to be proud of himself than the theorist. The academic and technical work must go hand in hand. "Boys and girls,” lie said,' "do not get an inferiority complex because you are learning a trade or domestic science; do not get a superiority complex because you are learning Latin or algebra. So long as you are in touch with life and are being prepared for that, greater and grander life you must enter,- then enjoy yourselves and above all be’ yourselves at all times.” (Applause). On behalf of the present pupils lan Dingwall, expressed keen appreciation and thanks to Mr. Yates for his work and interest in the pupils. As Principal, he had helped them and advised them in' many ways. On behalf of the pupils, he presented Mr. Yates with a handsome chiming clock, suitably inscribed.

Mr. Yates said he found it difficult to express his sincere thanks to the pupils, The success of the school, he said, was due mainly to the co-opera-tion and work of members of the staff.

Rousing cheers were given for Mr. Yates. Mr, Jackson moved a hearty vote of thanks to Mr. Carr and referred to. the good work of Mr. Yates as. Principal. The motion was carried by acclamation. After Mr. Yates had read his annual report, the prizes and certificates were presented by Mr. Carr> as follow: Progress League Essay: Girls, Joan Riley; boys, Basil Thompson. Merit Certificates: Cl: Mary Tocker, Percival C: Braggins, Gordon T. Hayes, Edward D. Sale. C2: Joan L. Riley, Joyce E. Rutherford, Norman L. Wilson. HI: Nola W. Chapman, Enid Larnach, Dulc'ie B. Routhan. El: Leslie O'. Anderson, David W. Ellison, Leonard H. Kil’lington, Clive Mygind, Allan E. Read. E2: lan Dingwall, Ronald N. DavisGoff, Horace E. Stalker, Albert D. Parton. 7 A number of stirring songs and choruses were splendidly sung by the assembled pupils, who had been trained by Mr. 0. W. Kerry. Old pupils and others joined with the scholars in Singing “Auld Lang Syne.”