KING’S OLD BOYS

Waikato Times, Volume 117, Issue 19604, 17 June 1935, Page 3

KING’S OLD BOYS

REUNION IN HAMILTON.

SEVENTY PAST PUPILS ASSEMBLE.

MR C. T. MAJOR’S VISIT.

More than 70 >old boys of the King’s College, Auckland, fraternised at the annual reunion of :the Waikato 'branch in the Hamilton Hotel on Saturday 'evening. The local 'assembly of past pupils was augmented with a party of visitors from Auckland, which included Mr C. T. Major, a former headmaster of 'the college, and the present principal of King’s School, the Rev. Jasper Cal'der, president of the Old Boys’ Association, and Mr A. M. Hume, a member of the Board of 'Governors of the college. Mr -Carder presided. The roll-call made hy Mr Major revealed the presence of members in every decade since the early ’nineties. Mr Calder paid a warm tribute to Mr A. E. Gibbons and his associate committee who arranged the gathering—a gathering which spoke well for the enduring spirit of. the college. It should he an aim to encourage the development of healthy sport and he mentioned that the association in Auckland was doing valuable social work In the conduct of several gymnasiums for boys in the. city parishes. This was one way in which the school could bo kept prominently before the public. He was very pleased to welcome Mr Hume and Mr Major. (Sustained applause.) The toast of the college, the school and the Board of Governors was proposed by Mr G. Gilchrist. It was, he said, a very happy hour to meet in the interests of the school and to fraternise and recall events which to many were enacted decades ago. He recalled several incidents culled from the lighter side of school life and ! went on to say that past pupils owed a deep debt of gratitude to the school. He referred feelingly to the line memory which lingered from 'those old boys who bad given their lives In the Great War.

Mr Hume and Mr Major replied. The former described the gathering •as amazing and on behalf of the Board of Governors, he congratulated the committee upon the complete success ’of its arrangements. .The college was now controlled by a board whose members included several past pupils, and it intended to carry on all the traditions that had been hoped fcr in the college. Although there had been 'a change in the administration everything was being done to maintain 'the high prestige which had been added to hy the recent scholastic attainments of the pupils. 'Roll numbers showed an Increase and arrangements had been made whereby the school- would carry on. "The college is like a plant —it does not go backwards but always forward,” added Mr Ilume. On Its Feet. Mr Major, who was accorded cheers as he rose to reply, said he had no greater love than the college. The preparatory school was without a headmaster; it was exceedingly difficult to obtain a principal, but in the troublous times that had passed there ■had been nothing that could be said against the board or 'its ofllcers. They had been maligned and slandered, hut now he felt that the preparatory school was bemg put on Us l'eet again. It was wanted in Auckland, and lie predicted that it would continue.

“ There is no need to talk loyalty to old boys,” declared Air Major. “ I have thought 'that every past pupil should •turn 'to assist his school just as it has helped him. Tills loyalty is never more needed ini the history of the school than to-dav.” Air 11. A. Swarbrick, in proposing the toast of guests and absent and Auckland old boys, expressed the opinion that if a reunion were confined to the pupils of a particular period much of the happiness of the proceedings would bo lost. It should be the aim of members to recapture the spirit of schooldays and to rejoin the company of King’s Old Boys. He stressed the necessity for character-training in the education of adolescence, and submitted that this could only be gained from the masters, the boy’s fellows and the- general tone of the -school. Alajor T. H. Dawson replied, paying a warm tribute -to the work of Air Alajor in his enthusiasm for the welfare of King’s College and School. Kindred Association. The fortunes of kindred organisations were toasted by Air AY. P. Gray, who -suggested -a greater co-operation among old boys’ associations of the Dominion. Reply was made by Air C. B. Wake. Reminiscences of the days of the St. John’s -College were indulged in by Mr W. Fraser, while “masters, past and present,” were humorously as-sailed by Air .T. 'II. Penniket, who referred to the teacher's task in building up the elements of citizenship. Air A. S. Thompson replied, speaking eulogisticaliy of the devoted work of the Rev. -11. K. Archdall as headmaster.