A VETERAN IN SCHOOL WORK

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2156, 23 May 1914, Page 6

A VETERAN IN SCHOOL WORK

';. MR. LEE'S RETIREME-KT FAREWELLED BY THE BOARD OP EDUCATION At the''con-elusion of the monthly meeting of the Wellington Education Board yesterday afternoon, tho numbers of tho board, school' inspectors, and administrative staff assembled in the board room for the purpose- of "honouring Mr. Robert Lee, tho retiring chairman of tho board,; who is about to visit tho Old Country, and is, after over half a century of school work, definitely retiring from all active participation therein. Mr. A. W. Hosg said that in tiro absence of Sir Walter Buelianaa, hehas been asked to present their milchrespeeted chairman, who was about to leave them, on behalf of the administrative staff and members of the board, with an illuminated address, toanther with a purse of sovereigns. THE ADDRESS. Hie address was as follows:—

"We, tho members and the administrative staff of tho Wellington Education Board, hear with tho deepest regret that it is your intention, for private Tea sons. t«i sever your official connection with the board. Your career as inspector and secretary,. chief inspector, member of tho board, and finally as chairman, is unique in the educational history of tho Dominion. .Forty .years ago, when you firsttook control of this district, nothing'that could bo called an.educational system existed: there was no syllabus; tk-o teachers, with few exceptions, were uncertificated and untrained; the school buildings were for the most part of tho crudest description; of apparatus there was practically none. Tho admirable sys'tem of public instruction which in those adverse circumstances you established and directed is a niontiinent both to your scholarly attainment and to your administrative ability, But the possession of distinguished professional qualifications was by no Htcaiis all that was required of you. The strenuous days of early colonisation, the bridgeless and often roadless districts which in tho course- of your arduous itineraries you had to traverse, made demands on you that only the possession of an exceptional physique enabled you to meet. To-day, when you vacate the chair for the last- time, over 170 well-equipped primary and district high schools, with upwards of 18.000 children in attendance, have taken tho place of the fifty scantily-attended and poorlystaffed schools of forty years ago; finances have. been raised from a conditio;,! of extreme depression and placed on a thoroughly sound footing; and in general effieiency tho district is now second to none in the Dominion. In all this pre* sjress and improvement your sound judgment and wise direction liavo been conspicuous factors, Your control from tho chair has always been characterised by unfailing; courtesy ■ and scrupulous fairness, and in their continuous re-election of you to that responsible position, your colleagues : only showed that proper appreciation of your sterling worth which is felt by the .district at large. In conclusion, .we, not only 'for ourselves, but on the part also of the local-committees and the teachers of this district, wish you from tho bottom of our hearts every happiness aud good fortune in yoiir proposed visit to the Old Coiihtty--.a safe return, and a prolonged period of that leisure and easo to which your unremitting and successful labours in; the great catiso of education so justly entitle sou."

Long and Worthy Service. Mr. Hogg said that it had been his good fortune- to know Mr. Loo for forty years, practically a lifetime. ■Ho had seen the place develop from a comparatively small education district to on©, of immense importance to Now Zealand, and one that was populated with schools of b very high order. During his long and arduous career tho popularity of Mr. Leo had simply grown—it had never for one moment diminished. Mr. Hogg said that lie had travelled through his own district with Mr. Lee, and had seen him meet with old friends among the Bottlers, to whom he had one time or other been of groat assistance, and ho , had ever held a foremost place in. tho 1 hearts of the people, »s he had with tho school committees and parents. Quo tiling ho had always admiral about Mr. Leo was that in carrying out Ms duties either as inspector and chairman of tho board ha always exorcised tho utmost impartiality and freedom from bias. There had boon differences of opinion and sonio good debates, but Mr. Lao had always done his best to maintainorder and discipline. No. man in this part of New Zealand had don* more to keep the system free from anything of ft sectarian character*. His freedois from sectarian influences commanded the admiration of tbe masses. As chairman of the board ho had watched the finances' carefully; these were now very satisfactory—all was; straight. That was more than they wore in Mr. Sed* don's time, when tl'ioy used to have to march down to the sweating chamber to arrange, things with their banker. Mr. Leo was now going to tho Homo Country ou »■ good holiday, ono that ho had richly earned, and voicing the sentiments of tho people lie. hoped he would lmvo a happy time, and return thoroughly refreshed and invigorated to do something ntore for the cause ho had at heart —tho cause of education. (Applause.)

Chief inspector's Tribute. ■ The, Chief Inspector (Mr. T. H. Fleming) endorsed the sentiments of Mr, He-jjg. He had been associated -V'teh MrT-Lee'isi bis work for half of bis (Mr. Leo's) career in Wellington, snd ho had a great deal to thank-.Mr. Leo for in tho advice he had given him. Ho had followed Mr. I.ee as Chief Inspector, aud during the twenty-five years their relations had been of a most cordial character. He hoped h-o would enjoy yoavs of retirement, and when ho came back to Wellington bo still hoped that they would be able to make use- of his brains and experience. (Applause.) . Mr. Leo jn Reply. Mr. Leo said tbat ho felt overwhelmed, naturally, about what had Isoeii said about him —a good deal of it was duo to somebody else. Still, bo took upon . himself some _of the good words that had been said, and was gratified to find that be had been <tf Korac use in tho district. Nov. 1 his time of life was running out, though bo did not- feel liko it, Ho bad ceroo out to New Zealand in 18134, to take charßo of the' Bishop's School at Nelson, and whilst there bad received an offer from Mr. Curtis, of tho Nelson Collegiate School, to take up the mathematics mastership there. 'But, as bo was bound to the Bishop of Nelson for three years, and that gentleman bad refused to release him, ho could not accept a position, which at that stage would have' been of advantage to him. Had he been able to accept, instead of being an inspector lis would have been teaching hi college.

Early Bays, After Nelson be had come to Welling-

ton, had found the- work to his liking,' and had spent a pleasant time—right up to that day. (Applause.) A system was wanted, but he had plenty of information and seeing that the- matter had devolved iipon him ho was resolved to do it. When ho came to Wellington district the travelling was all by horseback, Ho could assure them all that there was no bettor forest) to bo found,than the Now Zealand bush, and ho could not say too much about tho hospitality and kindness of the settlers of New Zealand to him from first to last. He never scorned to go

wrong, Only the other day ho had received a letter from the headmaster of the llawcra School, who stated that in looking up tho log-book of tho school he had noticed that he (Mr. l.ce) had. examined some 40 children of the settlement in a hlock-bou.se. Now they had three splendid schools accommodating 800 children. It was a pleasure to sec tho large, well-equipped schools that were now -being erected everywhere. In conclusion lie thanked them one and all for tho Rood spirit and kindly nature in coining to say good-bye to him. Things financially wore very satisfactory—ciuito straight now, and as long as tho hoard is as well officered as now, it should bo so. He would receive the Wellington papers when ho vras at Homo tolling him of tho work the board .was doing, and when it came to tho opening of a new school at Brittonmrfc Street (Island Bay), or the new Training College, at Kelburne, ho we-sild bfl with tlisin.

Loud and prolonged applause, and the chorus "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow," followed Mr. Lee's remarks, and a hearty handshaking, all round, terminated tho proceedings.