PAPANUI HIGH SCHOOL

Press, Volume C, Issue 29506, 6 May 1961, Page 9

PAPANUI HIGH SCHOOL

25th. Anniversary

Celebrations

“Physical changes in a school are not necessarily to be regarded as progress,” said Mr L. B. Newton, the principal of the Papanui High School, speaking last evening to about 700 old pupils of the school at a conversazione to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the school. Mr Newton, who was replying to a toast to “The School.” said it was courage, tenacity, incentive, and independence in the pupils that made a good school. “I feel that the pupils today have maintained the standards and traditions set in the early days,” he said. After the welcoming address by Mr A. J. Voice there was an hour given to informal conversation. When he proposed a toast to the Old Students’ Association Mr C. E. Carlton, a former association representative on the school board of governors, said the association was not supported as well as it might be. “You must not leave all the work to the stalwart few,” he said. "The school has made its mark on the world,” said Mr Carlton. He spoke of two former pupils, Alan Kerr, working mathematics at the University of Manchester, and Colin Keay, in the physics department at the University of Canterbury. A toast to absent friends was proposed by Mr J W. Ditford, the chairman of the anniversay sub-committee of the association. Present pupils of the school celebrated the anniversary yesterday morning, when a scarlet oak was planted by the two head prefects, Warwick Slinn and Jocelyn McIver. The tree was planted after a long assembly similar to the first one in 1936. During the assembly Dr. D. E. Hansen, the former head of the Christchurch Technical College, spoke to the pupils, as did Miss B. E. Plimsoll, the first senior mistress, and Mr J. Dowber, a first-day pupil. The official opening of the anniversary celebrations will take place this afternoon and there will be a debutante ball tonight. Tomorrow a church service will be held in the school assembly hall.