SCHOOL REUNION

Evening Star, Issue 20140, 3 April 1929, Page 5

SCHOOL REUNION

MERTON'S DIAMOND JUBILEE A BIG GATHERING The diamond jubilee of , Merton School was celebrated yesterday, when there was a gathering of over 400 expupils, teachers, and friends, which included Mr James Orr, the first teacher, who assumed duty on June 8, 18G9. Mr Orr extended a brief welcome to the visitors prior to sitting down to luncheon. After lunch the present and past scholars and teachers moved in procession to the cemetery, where a brief service at the returned soldiers’ monument, was conducted by the Rev. T. , Wilson Potts, assisted by the Rev. C. ; N. Lukov and the Rev. G. F Whittlestono,. At the conclusion of tho service & wreath was laid on the memorial fiy Sister J, Dodds and Piper I>. M’Killop played ‘ The Flowers ot tho Forest.’ A return was then made to tho School grounds, where tho roll cal! was taken, among the 34G who answered being eleven of the original pupils. These were:—Mrs 1). Dunbar (nee Mary Brunton, who was also the first diix of the school), Miss Alary Richardson, Miss Agnes Russell, Mrs James Gilmore (nee Harriet Bradford), Airs H. Hunt (nee Bella Greave), Airs Bremner (nee Isabella Scott), and Alessrs G. Gilmore, A. Gilmore, R. Russell, J. Kenyon (junior dux), and D. Brunton, Following the roll call, the gathering was photographed, and the remainder of the afternoon was spent pleasantly in renewing old friendships and exchanging reminiscences.

lu the evening a banquet, which was the principal function of the day, was held in a large marquee which Imd been erected in the school grounds, about 250 guests sitting down to the well-laden tables. Among those present were Air A. E. Ansell, M.P., Mr J. A. Maepherson, M.P., and Air J. M. White (secretary of the R.S.A.), who is an old boy of the school. At the conclusion of the banquet a lengthy toast list was gone through. In his opening remarks the chairman (Air J. Allen) said that sixty years was a long time to look back, and there were not many present who actually remembered the opening of the school. Ho was pleased, however, to see amongst them some who had entered the school when its doors first opened and who had learned their first lessons under its first master (Mr J. M. Orr), whom lie was delighted to see with them that evening.

Mr J. M. White proposed the toast of “ Parliament,” and coupled with it the names of Messrs A. E. Ansell, M.P. and J. A. Maepherson, M.P. Everyone, said Air White, must realise that with the unemployment situation and other economic questions the present Government had a difficult row to hoe. They should also realise that the life of a member of Parliament was anything but an easy one, and be firmly believed that the present Government would make an honest endeavour to do what was best for the country.

In reply Afr Alacplierson expressed pleasure at being present, and said that, although he was a comparative stranger among them, he trusted that this defect would be remedied in the near future. Alembers of Parliament were often told that they did little and earned much, but there was more work than the average person realised for the man who tried to do his duty to the country. Personally he was not a strong party man—ho believed that his duty to ms country came first, and that what work ho did as a member of Parliament was all fur the ultimate good of the community as a whole. To his mind, there was no Parliament in the world which could •show such an excellent record as that of Xew Zealand, which stood alone as never having had an unseemly scene take place within its walls. ' Alv Ansell said that although ho was comparatively new to political life, lie coaid support Mr White in iris remark that a member’s life was not an easy one. In passing be would like to pay a tiibntc to Air White for the amount of conscientious endeavour be bad put into bis work as secretary of the Returned Soldiers’ Association Ho was delighted to see so many of the older members of the community present that night. Their presence went to show the keen interest they took, not only in their old school, but in their district.

Tho present teacher, Mr J. 1). Brown, proposed tho toast of “ Bast Teachers,” said that every one ot them would look back with fondest memories of their old teachers. In their school days they, like all other children, thought their teachers were hard on them, but now that the years had passed they could no doubt see that what the teacher did was for their good. Ho was glad to see with them that evening tho first teacher of the school, Mr J. M, Orr. Mr Orr said that apart from personal considerations he was sure that every teacher of the school had done Jiis or her work conscientiously and diligently. The profession of a teacher was an honourable one, and to Ins mind there was no greater delight than to have the privilege of having children to handle and young minds to instruct. The teacher had the handling of the best part of a person’s life, and could be a very vital—in fact, the most vital—factor in the moulding of character. Unfortunately, the majority of teachers could not complete their work, but had, in the ordinary course of events, to hand the results of their labours over to someone else, but they had at least tho satisfaction of knowing that they had done t«3ir best. In proposing tho toast ot the present teacher, Mr P. White said tiiat although he had only been with them a comparatively short time they had all learned to appreciate Mr Brown, and tho children respected and loved him. In school and out, Mr Brown had won the esteem of everyone in tho district, ami in tho organising of the jubilee celebrations he had proved himself a willing worker and a capable adviser. Mr Brown, who, on rising, was greeted with applause, said that any work he had done in connection with tho jubilee had afforded him pleasure. Everyone had lent willing assistance to make it the success it was, and throughout the organising period there had been an entire absence of friction. As regarded the children, he could honestly say that lie had never had finer children to deal with, and he regretted that ho was shortly to leave them.

The toast of “The Pioneers” was proposed by Mr Orr, who spoke bnelly in eulogistic terms of the early settlers of the district. The work they had done in years gone by would long live as a tribute to their memory. In reply, Mr VV. Gilmore said that the present generation had very little idea of the work done by the pioneers of the Merton district, but, although he himself could not rightly come under the category of pioneer, he was fully alive to the hardships and struggles they had undergone, it was to be

hoped that their descendants would worthily follow in their footsteps.

Mr Anseil proposed the toast oi : the “ Pupils, Past and Present,” and said that ex-pupils had much to do with the moulding of the lives of the present pupils, and lie appealed to every ex-pupil present to do his utmost in helping and training in the way they should go the children who were following on. The toast was replied to by several ex-pupils. Other toasts honoured were :—“ The Ladies,” “ Our Soldiers,” 11 Past and Present Committees,” and “ The Jubilee Committee.”

During the evening an enjoyable programme of musical and elocutionary items was rendered, the following contributing :—Miss F. Sumner and the Rev. C. N. Lnker (songs), Mr L. Gane, Mr S Hendry, Miss J. Dodds (recitations), Mr L. M'Killop (bagpipes). Miss K. Sumners acted as accompanist, and the function was concluded with the united singing of 1 Aukl Lang Syne.’