ST. PATRICK’S COLLEGE, WELLINGTON

New Zealand Tablet, 26 May 1921, Page 37

ST. PATRICK’S COLLEGE, WELLINGTON

FAREWELL TO FATHER GILBERT.

The authorities of St. Patrick’s College have for some time past been giving attention to the problem of providing larger buildings and more" 7 spacious grounds for the school. Now a beginning is to be made with the actual work of building at Miramar. The Rector, Very Rev. ,T. A. Gilbert, S.M., M.A., has left for Europe as a New Zealand delegate to the General Chapter of the Marist Order, and also to secure the sanction of the SuperiorGeneral of the Marist Fathers $o proceed with the erection of the first part of the new college. Another purpose of his mission is to visit the leading educational institutions of Europe and America, the experience thus gained to be turned to the advantage of the new St. Patrick’s. The site of the college adjoins Scots College, which is already a familiar landmark to visitors to Seatoun and Miramar. The ground affords ample room for buildings, football, and cricket, general playing areas, and the necessities of a large boarding establishment. Before plans were made a relief model of the property was prepared by Mr. J. H. Munnings. The plans are now finished. They are the work of the same architect, who, in the opinion of experts, has achieved a remarkable success in co-ordinating the difficulties of the site and The needs of the school. When complete the building will be one of the largest as well as one of the handsomest in the capital city. - This movement by the authorities marks an epoch in the history of the college, and it was felt by the old boys and friends of St. Patrick’s that the Rector should not be allowed to depart without a tangible token of their respect, admiration, and support. Accordingly a committee was recently formed. In the space of a few days a purse of sovereigns was subscribed and presented at a farewell banquet tendered to the Very Rev. Rector in the study hall, St. Patrick’s College. Close on-one hundred guests were accommodated. Mr. J. J. L. Burke presided. How widely scattered the old boys of St. Patrick’s College are was shown when telegrams were read , from old {joys in Auckland, Poverty Bay, Egmont County, Hawke’s Bay, ManaAvatu, Christchurch, Timaru, Nelson, Wanganui, Greymouth, Dunedin, and other places. All convoyed messages of appreciation and cordial goodwill. As on all occasions when love of an old school is united with esteem for a principal of outstanding personality the gathering was remarkable for its enthusiasm. The chairman (Mr. Burke) recalled his earliest acquaintance with St. Patrick’s College, 33 years ago. They had then very restricted grounds, though for education and learning the college was second to none. He had been acquainted with Father Gilbert from his earliest days and had followed with interest his educational career, crowned finally by his appointment. as Rector of the College. He was the first New Zealander to be a member of the Marist • Chapter, and further, the first to receive his training wholly in New Zealand. Father Gilbert’s main object now in going abroad was to obtain authority to go on" with the first wing of St. Patrick’s College, and to carry out this work he would require the help of all old boys and friends. Mr. 0. B. O’Donnell, on behalf of the younger generation of old boys, added his good* wishes to those of Mr. Burke. In Father Gilbert they had a teacher of exceptional ability, who had added greatly to the traditions and fame of the college. Many old boys owed their success in life to his advice. He was an old boy of the college and understood their problems. The boys regarded him as their friend, and that friendship continued after they left the school. In these times when social ■ affairs were so chaotic, the position of Rector of St. Patrick’s College was more highly responsible than ever. Mr, Cleary said that father Gilbert was a worthy follower of Dr. Watters, Father Keogh, and Dr. Kennedy. He could best be described by adapting the words of Newman: “He was to the college always so patient, so kind, and so tender, and he watched over it so carefully, and he let it lean upon him so very heavily; and when it ' was in question he had no thought for him*iJsJ’ Mr. J. J. McGrath said that nothing he could say

would not be endorsed by the friends of St. Patrick’s Col- ■ lege. Father Gilbert’s devotion to the cause of Catholic secondary education had earned for him the rest from work and mental anxiety which he .was to have. It was not - alone Father Gilbert’s brilliant scholastic career or his . , s espousal of the course of Catholic education that had earned .. him their high regard, but his high character,' his scrupu- " lous regard for truth, his disdain of anything mean or paltry, his hatred of intolerance, his solicitude for the poor and afflicted, and the way in which he had given himself to the moulding of character and true education of the boys committed to his care.. On behalf of the old boys and friends Mr. McGrath presented the Rector with a wallet containing a cheque. FATHER GILBERT’S REPLY. Father Gilbert, who was received with great applause, ■ said he was not so foolish as to take the compliment as one to himself. He rejoiced in the larger compliment that they paid net to him, but to the school, and he was glad that the accident of his departure had given the occasion / for this display of loyalty and goodwill to the old school. ' The loyalty would not have been so great but for the work of his predecessors, whom they honored in honoring him. He referred first to Archbishop Redwood, who estabished the school in dark and bitter days, and to the earlier rec- . . tors. The roots of the association with St. Patrick’s College went deep down and linked them ever with the original see of St. Patrick in Armagh, for it was from the Bishop of Armagh that they received the statue of St. Patrick in the tower of the college. They were also doing honor to the Faith of their athers and to those men who, when times were not so prosperous, had built what was then the finest religious. college in New Zealand. The college was built to give the Catholic youth of the country a good secondary education, so that they might take their place with the best in the land. Like all human institutions, they had some failures, but they might take pride in the measure of success that God had sent ‘to the school in the 36 years of its existence. They had a belief in an ideal which was proclaimed by every religious educational establishment in the face of official hostility. They stood ‘ as a protest against disbelief, and. as an open avowal of the belief that God made man a little lower than the angels, in His own likeness and image He created him. They had striven to teach the boys- faith and honor and justice and truth, to be God-fearing, self-respecting men. .1 hey had striven also to teach them that the true measure of a man s. patriotism was the measure of service he gave to his country, be he priest or ploughman. They had striven further to teach the boys never to apologise for the existence of a Catholic school. They existed by right, and they would maintain their existence, come woe, come ill, light to the last ditch, for they stood for what they believed, and they were built upon a rock v They tried to teach the boys that. theTe was one standard of justice for all, one measure of right, and that small minorities had as much right to justice as great majorities. They were human enough to be proud of their scholastic successes, which were considerable. In sport they had had ample ' opportunity for learning one of the unwritten beatitudes—the beatitude of defeat. No school could win better, none ran less risk of being flushed with victory, and there was ; no other school could take a licking so nobly, for they had had ample opportunity of learning. The school was very proud of its old boys, of whom the great majority reflected credit on the school. Taking only the ecclesiastical side, he mentioned as former pupils Archbishop O’Shea, the Rector of Holy Cross College, Mosgiel, and the Rector of St. Bede’s-, Christchurch. As the 'school gave to its old boys the glamor of its name, and a part in its old traditions and lengthening memories, so it expected from the old boys that they would give to their Alma Mater a full measure of that loyalty of mind that thought no ill, loyalty of heart that harbored no malice, and a full and overflowing measure of loyalty of action, which rose to the occasion in the hour of need. From what he had seen that night he thought the college might take an earnest that when the time came to extend the pegs of their tent they would have no better supporters than, the old boys and ‘ friends of the school. His association with St. Patrick’s College had been a pleasant one all through.. In the past he had tried to give his best, and he would deem it a joy

to be instrumental, even in a remote way in beginning the school at Miramar. (Applause.) Father Gondringer announced that the subscriptions for the purse totalled £3OO, and he praised the efforts of Mr. J. J. McGrath, who had brought the proposal under the notice of the old boys and friends of the college. Mr. McGrath said one could hardly imagine the gratitude with which the old boys heard of the proposal and their anxiety to subscribe. His work had been a labor of love. A choice musical programme ( was contributed during the evening by an orchestra and by the Rev. Fathers B. J. Ryan, S.M., M.A., Ouitrim, and Messrs. B. O’Bryan and J. Boyce. , GREETINGS FROM BIRTHPLACE. When Father Gilbert had resumed his seat, a telegram was received from the Mayor of Kumara, the birthplace of Father Gilbert. Its reading by Father Gondringer, M.A., evoked a storm of applause. The text of the telegram was as follows;“On the eve of your departure from the dominion, allow me, on behalf of the residents of Kumara, to congratulate you on the great honor conferred on you by being selected as one of the delegates to go to Europe to represent the Marist Order. I trust you will be spared to return to the Dominion with fresh laurels added to your already distinguished career.Benyon, Mayor of Kumara.”