FOR GOOD SERVICE

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2620, 16 November 1915, Page 2

FOR GOOD SERVICE

MR. G; HOGBEN HONOURED BY THE TEAGHINC PROFESSION. Slembers of the New Zealand Educational Institute met in the Concert Chamber of the Town Hal| last night to take leave of Mr. George Hogben, until recently Inspector-General of Schools, and to present him with some token of their appreciation of the work he did as head of the New Zealand Education Department' during a long term of years. The gathering -was thoroughly representative of teachers and educational bodies.

Mr. H. G. Cousins, President of the Institute, spoke of the great changes wrought on our education system during Mr. Hogben's term of office, all in the direction of reform. The teachers, he said, had to thank Mr. Hogben especially for the' improvement in the salaries' scale, and for the Teachers' Superannuation Act. He said that they,' as teachers,- knew that these, two Worms, which had benefited teachers so much, and indirectly had benefited the children, were very largoly the work of Mr. Hogben. He congratulated tho guest on having been honoured by his King. He assured Mr. Hogben of the goodwill felt towards him by workers in tho teaching profession, and on their bohalf, as. an earnest of their goodwill, lie asked Mr. Hogben to accept some small, tangible memento—a gold watch and oliain, and a gold sovereign case. He also presented to Mrs. Hogben a handsome diamond'ring.

Mr. W. T. Grundy also' spoke of .the services rendered to education and to New Zealand bv Mr. Hogben., and as "one of the Old Guard of teachers," tendered to him hearty thanks.

Mrs-. Hogben thanked the company ■and the institute for the gift that she had received, and for the honour done to her.

Mr. Hogben, as Mirs. Hogben had been, was heartily applauded when he rose to speak. He said that the chief aim in the education system should be the liberty of the teacher—"Get the best' teacher you can, and leave him alone." A measure of liberty had already been secured, but the liberty of the teacher was not yet complete in New Zealand. Ho regarded the teaching profession as one of the greatest of all professions, and it should be the endeavour of teachers to make themselves worthy of membership of an honourable profession. Education was one of the strongest unifying influences in society, and this also should be realised by the teaching profession. When he arrived in New Zealand he was, struck by the fact that reforms coijld be achieved with much greater ease than in England. He disclaimed any special credit for any advance made along the path of progress in education. If any'credit waß due, it was due to the whole body of teachers, of which ho had been only the voice. Ho made no oxcuse for referring to the war, which no one could get out of mind. The Empire had entered the war to keep for the world some of the ideals that would othorwise be lost. Ho was one of those who ventured to hopo that the war would bring nearer the ideal of human brotherhood. Above all things we should avoid the sentiments expressed in tho "Hymn of Hate" sung'in another part of the world. Mr. Hogben said ho felt at a loss to express his gratitude to the teachers for the kind things said about him, and for their handsome gifts to Mrs. Hogben and himself. He knew .that he had not deserved -them, but ho accepted them gratefully. He also thanked them all for remembering his wife, who had to him been a real support and helpmate at a time when he seemed to have few friends and many hostile critics. (Applause.) Dr. Anderson (Director of Education) also addressed the teachers present, and tendered his appreciation of Mr. Hogben's work.