A POPULAR RECTOR.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 523, 2 June 1909, Page 8

A POPULAR RECTOR.

SOCIAL TO FATHER KEOGH. . ; : PPJESENTATION,OF ADDRESS. ; : ''old ; Boys of St; .Patrick's 'College, to the number of over sixty, held a smoke concert last ovoning to do honour to the retiring rector of the college, and president of the Old . Boys' Association, the Very Rev. Father . .Keogh, 5.M..8.A. Mr. S. J. Moran pre--1 ; sided over what proved to bo a very enjoyable i, fnnction,- : Mr. ;J. H. Butler, iii proposing the toast i of "Our Alma Materi" congratulated the Very Rev. Father Koogh on the scholastio and athletio successes achieved by the college ; during his rectorship, and referred especially to its proud record in the football field. He thought that there was not one'district of 1 Now Zealand that had not had an old boy of St. Patriok's College among its football representatives.','.-,''.-.' The Rev. Father Bartley, m replying, said that he had not seen such a splendid gathering of old boys at any smoke concert hefore. He could not express the regret with whioh tho staff viewed the approaching departure i of/the rector. A man more considerate of Others could be seldom found. / Father Keogh .had been more than a headmaster to tiie staff; he had been their chief and guide in what had been; their-homo.; Examinations were not the final goal of the college; ho would'venture to say that examinations were the blight) the bane, and curso of all education. (Applause.) Examinations, and the ofam that-led up to them, were hostile to true St. Patrick's Collego was in a fortnhato'position, as 'compared with most other schools in the Dominion, in having no Board of Governors or .other outside body that could.cramp,its movements. (Applause.) . "Our Guest,'' referred, to Fathor.Keogh as a man "whose mind knew no narrowness, and whoso earnest'ness knew, no 'bounds.; .(Applause.) The old boys of.tbo colleee'wCre, mindful of the many little kindly acts which ho had unobtrusively 'Performed for them. On behalf of the Old Boys' Association, he presented Father Keogh with an illuminated, address, which ho asked; him to accept as a sincere and, simple expression of their feeling for him, ;' The address, which was handsomely engraved by Mr.' S. G. Ross, stated as follows:—■ ..-; :."To tho Very Rev.' Father Augustine ,/:;:.;; Keogh, &M., B.A. - .■■ "Very Rev. and Dear Father, —The . 1 members. of St. Patrick's College Old Boys' Association.are desirous of express- ' ing to you their appreciation of the valuable services rendered by you . '''during the past.seven years;as rector of : their Alma Mater. Under your able, guidance' the college has steadily progressed in all departments, and now: ranks high among the secondary educational insitutibns of the Dominion. As ' president.of the Old Boys' Association since 1903; you have by your deep per-: ./ sonal interest..in the welfare of old boys '"■. done much to. encourage and maintain : '- that esprit-de-corps which how happily '. exists among members of the association. '.;. Wbdat regretting, your impending depar- "•■ ture:from .Wellington, .we feel bound to . congratulate the,parisnioners.of Hastings ■ . upon; having .'secured as /their - spiritual\ d&ector one soVzeatous and cultured; We . ' wish you in your new sphere many years of happy and' successful labour." Tho.' address was' on behalf of the association by the members of tho committee. ; Mr. W. E.. Butler supported the toast. Tho.Very Rev. Father Keogh said that ho was 'deeply/ gratified by the Targe gathering of old boys, "and by the expressions which had been used tewirds himself. It had been a pleasure to work for such boys as lie had had at the college. .Over.one hundred pupils had passed the Junior \Civil Service examination in three, years, and over fifty the Matriculation examination, but even more satisfactory ''was/the way in which they passed'the examination -of life. .The;:Q)di ßoys' Association, founded \ amidst difficulties,!'! was • becoming stronger every:year.;',Ho thanked the gather-, ing:very warmly for' the, remarkß .that had boon made,- and a hearty invitation to all old!boys to visit him at Hastings.' His successor. Dr. Kennedy, was anold acquaintance,' who had made the happiest pqssibla impression' upon him. at their Erst meeting, who bad won- great scholastic distinctions, and under whbm : the college would progress to a.degree which, underhimself, would not bo possible. .../'•'-.. Tho toasi ,of:',' The .St.. Patrick's College Old Boys' /Association" was proposed by Dr. T.; CahilljZ who "said, that 'it had done exoellerit work in the/PTomotiorf of the welfare of the college 'and of .institutions that had sprung theref^xim^,i'.'.';': ; :",(■' v ' T..V. ■■'•■',■'.'""'...■' Captain ; J; O'Snffivan . supported the toast, : to which Ma-.'F;' R. Kelly (hon.seoro- ' tary) replied. .',•■:;' : Tho following other.toasts wore honoured: "Kindred Associations," proposed by' Mr. A. HendersonV "Absent Members," proposed by Mr. Ri 'J: Devine,' responded to by Dr. P.-F. M'Evedy;'"The Ladies,!? proposed.by■ Mr. 0. GamblSj replied to. by Mr. F., Ryan j /'The Press,'! proposed by Mr. B. Gallaghor; and , 'proposed by Mr. A. Fay. ;' Soiigs-iword:sung,,.by" tho '.Rev." Fathoi Gilbert, Messrs. N. Crombie, F. Hendry, 'C,Gamble, ;;H.; M'Carthy, and, D. Kenny; Mr. W. B._ Butler told.some amusing stories,-and recitations wore given byMessrs. iR. Hastings and J. Finlay.