MR. ROBERT LEE

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2157, 25 May 1914, Page 3

MR. ROBERT LEE

A CUAHACTER BU'EBSSION.

(U.V Aii Old Stu<!ent.) I

ileuienjbur Hobm-i Leo.-—I Should tliuik i tio. lie was our annual tnjjnt in tto Cays wjwii tue school cxaiumn-iiotis-ivcit) pcmunaliy couuuctcU b> , tlw ono and only jnsnector of tlio iuduc-i----lkjii jjiiary, i huvur bear iliat ruglimo ditty "Waiting I'or trie Uobort liUu" u'liiiaut them being ku'ced upon tiie mumory thai vague sense of nervous trepioatioji, ayyroacliiwg a mild sp«;ies of terror, wnich jMcoed-'M the (.'oniuiK of Uiiliutx 1k;o to our sehool. lie was the G-raml l'aiijaudrara, \vho was to decide whether ivo ivoro eiticient «iiov:glj to pass onsvard aucl upward to rha standard above,, or whether wo should endure for . another twelve months tho weary grind of lessons w<3 had already done over and over again; hut behind all the nervous apprehension, was something that gave a sensation of' joyous expectancy to examination time. That was tlio proximity of tils summer vacation. -It was the pall of tho green hills, the sparkling streams, tlio radiant harbour, whicti gave one tire necessary nervo to face i him and tke tasks he set, | Then lie would conifi! In oar an- ', xtety,' that at times aiacuiitcd to positive alarm —I have heard of cases of girls collapsing auder the strain—a breath as from the o|jcn door of a coW chamber >yould accompany him, freeauig everyone into a state of rigid discipline nnd attention, . . . The passage of years has not removed the feeling that Hebc-rt- Lee conveyed "the impression without any effort, that- boro in the one DH-son—a plump, placid, stcclyc.vod, clean-shaven, shrewdly-smiling person—was embodied all the authority in the world worth anything. The school committee, the board, the Education Department, and the Government and Cabinet itself wereiie-ro enthroned. Mr. Lee was a-hvays weighty physically an-d iiKSßtalty, and the two combined formed a strong personality. Behind his back wo used to call him "Old Bobby Lee." That was mere schoolboy bravado, which vanished as dew id the sunshine, when his august presence about the -old school premises was n.rihounced. He was "Old Bobby Lee" because he was a personage whose wisdom and learning we all had an enormous respect for, I don't know that wo liked or disliked him—but our respect for him was a great and wonderful thing, and, looking httit, I have often thought liow perfectly Sir. ■ Lee filled the role of school inspector. With ripened juelgmciitj 'and perhaps a Closer knowledge of the man and his ideals, I, in common with many others, have never lost a \oi of that mighty respect- we had for him as boys, whilst wo have learned to lovo tlw man for his impartiality and singleness of purpose, hiss desire to always do irtiat is right and best, his shrewd humour, and lm rare juUsßMSn't."