NEW PRINCIPAL

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 9 December 1927, Page 6

NEW PRINCIPAL

FOB NAPIER BOYS’ HIGH SCHOOL.

MR W. T. FOSTER, M.A., B. Litt.

Mr W. T. Foster M.A., B. Litt, has been appointed. Principal of the Napier High School, in succession to Mr W. A. Armour, who has been appointed headmaster to Wellington College. Mr Foster has been given his now and responsible post at the early age of 40. But though he is still a young man, Mr Foster does not lack experience. A brief summary of his career will show that his educational knowledge- is as wide as his knowledge of educating. This factor should prove an invaluable asset to Mr Foster in his new duties, for it is only by a man who can put himself in his pupil’s position that the true relationship between master and noycan bo established.

Mr Foster gained a Now Zealand B.A. degree at Otago University in 1907, and qualified as an M.A. at tho same University in 1908. Not satisfied with these scholastic laurels, Mr Foster went up to Oxford in the year previous to the war. There he met with continued success and in 101 a the degree of B. Litt, was conferred upon him. Besides these successes Mr Foster has won five scholarships, together with innumerable school prizes gained at the Otago Boy’a High tic'.tool.

Mr Foster’s teaching experience covers a period of 18 years. He began in 1909 as first assistant at Gore High School, where he remained until he went up to Oxford in 1913. Whilst at Oxford he continued his teaching career, being a master at New College School, Oxford, for over a year. On his return from England in 1910 lie became the Principal of Banks College for Boys in Wellington. In 1921 Mr Foster sacrificed hit position at Banks College as he felt that a private school did not give- him sufficient scope for his ambition. He then became chief French master at the Auckland Grammar School. For the four following year i he held the position as head of the department of French, and in 1922 and 1923 was •president of the Auckland French Club. So appreciated was his work in this sphere that he was awarded the Me daille do L’Alliance Francaise; In 1926 he was appointed as Inspector of Secondary Schools, and it is from that position that he comes to Napier.

It is not only in the realm of books that Mr Foster excels. Ho is also an athlete of some distinction, with a particular leaning towards the games of cricket and Rug»y football. He represented his school at both these games, whilst he played cricket for Otago University. When at Oxford he represented his college at cricket, at which game he gained his colours' a distinction conferred only upon the two or three best players at each college. Mr Foster is a married man with children. His wife will take the duties of matron.