HIGH SCHOOL OLD BOYS.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16261, 11 July 1918, Page 8

HIGH SCHOOL OLD BOYS.

annual reunion.

The annual reunion of the Christchurch Boys' High School Old Boys' Association was held at the Masonic Hall last evenipng, the President of tiie Association, Mr C. Buchanan, presiding over a very large attendance. Amongst those at the chairman's table wero:—Messrs C. E. Bevan-Brown (headmaster), W. TV. Walton, and R. J, Thompson (masters), B. K. S. Lawrenco (for many years a master), J. C. Adauis (chairman of the .board of Governors of Canterbury College;, H. I). Aciaud ot tne iiotud of Governors;,, A. iiyine, J. K. Cuningliaiu, ueoi't,e Jcl. Jiuson or Cantorouiy college;, -VL. J. Giesson 01 tne Association/, *v • Crucroit wnson, ur. jsuujjooa, J;\ V. ilevaii-iJrown (oa leave lioui Mesopotamia), and Captain "Tony Dou^ias. Ino proceedings were of a most enjoyaole natiuo, and the various speecu.es and items were much, appreciated. lhe toast of the "Board of Governors of Canterbury Coiiege," was proposed by Air jM. J. Gres-sou, who likened tne iioard to the Board of Directors of any big institution. Air Gresson went on to say tnat as regards the constitution of tne Board of Governors it was a weird and wonderful thing. Ho did not pretead to know who was responsible for the election of the various members, but he certainly thought that as long as tho Boys' High Sctiool was such an important part of what the Board looked after, Old Boys should have some say in _ the election, which at present they did not have. Then, again, said Mr Gresson, it was rather a scandalous thing that a professor at the Collego should commence at a salary of £600 per year._ I» a man wero to spend so much _ time, work, and money on his education as to fit him for the position of a professor, then such a salary was a ludicrous ono. Mr Gresson added that he wished his remarks to appiy to the salaries of the teaching profession as a whole. It was one of the noblest professions in existence, and it should be adequately, if not attractively, remunerated. If somo change wero not made, the Boys High School would not long be able to boast such oxcellent masters as it had done in the past. In conclusion, Mr Gresson thanked tho Board for what it had done in the past for the Boys' High School, which, ho incidentally remarked had made for itself an enviable niche not only during the present war, i but in all walks of life.

Mr J. C. Adams, chairman to tho Board, in reply, expressod tho view that there was a large amount of com-mon-sense in the suggestion that tho Old Boys should have representation on the Board. In fact, there were various constituencies yhich had no right to representation, and he, himself, was one of them—(laughter)—yet no one took a greater interest in the Boys' High School than he did, an interest which had existed for twenty-five years. Though not agreeing on the whole with Mr Grcsson, yet he could give an assurance that any representation from the Old Boys would receive every consideration from the Board. As regards the salaries of teachers, that was a most important, and a very difficult one. The teachers certainly received very many more kicks than ha'pence, and their profession certainly should be made very much more attractive than it now was. Speaking of his colleagues on the Board, Mr Adams remarked that one did not see enough of them at the various functions of the Boys'" . and Girls' High Schools. If they would attend such functions, and get more- of a loving interest in the schools, then they might be risposed to give even more consideration to the welfare of those schools than they did at present. In conclusion, Mr Adams congratulated the Boys' High School oh its success in the past, and the success it was at present attaining, not only in itself, but nlso through the medium of its old boys, who were making it well and favourably known not only throughout the Dominion, but throughout the Empire. (Loud applause.) Mr C. Buchanan proposed the toa3t of the "Old' School," and in doing «o referred to the fine work done by Mr Bevan-Brown in his capacity of headmaster for 34 years, and'b.y Mrs BevanBrown. Mr Buchanan also urged upon thosa present the desirability of keep- j ing up the numbers of the Old Boys' Association.

The toast was responded to by Mr Bevan-Brown, who received a most enthusiastic reception. Mr Bevan-Brovn remarked on his pleasure at the presence for the first time at such a gathering of two members of the Board of Governors, a fact which ho' considered augured. well for more individual interest- in the school on the part of tlit» Board. The speaker referred in feeling terms to the old boys at the front, and concluded that although he wa? naturallv disappointed at the result of the football match that day, in which tho school had been beaten but not j disgraced, yet his chief disappointmeac • was for those old boys in the trenches, who looked forward with eagernessfitroH every scrap of news from the old | school.

The "School of the Future" was -Jie rather unusual toast proposed by Mr J. 11. Cuningham, who spoke mora particularly of the importance of the playing grounds in school life, and the consequent necessity for procuring i more extensive site for the school than the present one. Mr Cuningham referred to the excellence of the new site, and said that all that .vas needed to complete the general satisfaction would be "a thousand a year F or each master."' (Applause.) He went on to speak briefly on the proper duti33 of citizenship, on which he considered proper tuition had a great effect, and in conclusion lie expressed the hope that such tuition would' form a biimpart of the education of the future. ° The toast was responded to by .Mr H. D. Acland, who said that an-" retnarfrV he might make were, he wished it_ understood, not in. any way com*mitting_ the Board of Governors, but would be purely on his own responsibility. Board, he said, had been in a Tcry difficult position in connexion with the school. There had not been sufficient room for expansion, and, as it was, a considerable amount of the present playing ground did not belong to the school at all. but to the University. A school to develop must have land, and there was the fact to faco that their predecessors had not; sufficient foresight to purchase sufficient ground for the "school. It was for the future students that the Boat-] had cater, and that was why the I Board had purchased tho new site in Straven street, details of which were then given bv the speaker, who also gave an outline of what he considered the new school should be. Mr Aclanrl also sounded a note of warning regard-j ing the school's endowments, which. | he said, were good, but there ware' other parts of the Dominion casting envious eyes or. ihem, and if were not used properly by the school, it was quite on the cards that other institutions would get them. The near school, he hoped, would be one of the very finest in the Dominion, and he hoped that old boys would not be bacirward in putting forth their vieirs as to the lines which the new buildings should take. As a member of the Board he Was extremely anxious tc secure the views of old boys on the question. The boy of the next 200 vears or so had to be thought of. :md he hoped that the Board of the future wonld not> be so lacking in foresight as the Boards of some years ago. Mr W. Walton, in proposing the

toast of "Old Boys at the Front," paid a glowing tribute to the patriotism of old boys of the school. Dr. Simpson and Captain F. V. Bavnn-Brown. of the British Medical Corps, responded to the toast, and spoke of the ever-present interest fa affairs of the old school of old boys at the front and of the appreciation wifcn which the parcels fiom tne school were received.

Iji proposing tha toast of "School Sports," Mr G. H. Mason said that the present bovs of the school were worthily upholding the traditions set. them m the past. It was a fine thing, ho thought, that old boys hatl stiK-k to their old training and had gone in for the greater game of war just as readily as they had donned the jersey and the flannels. Mr Mason added a few words of appreciation of the lessons to be learned on the Ruiiov Union field.

Mr D. Redpath briefly responded to tho toast, describing the difficulties nit!, which the original members of the Old Boys' Club had to contend. Doling the evening musical and other items were contributed by Messrs N. Do l * n, A. Brooke, IT.. Blackmore, J. H. Clocks, and A. Dey.