DIAMOND JUBILEE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 180, 1 July 1937, Page 11

DIAMOND JUBILEE

AWAHURI CELEBRATIONS. MEMORIES OF EARLY DAYS. Outstanding success attended-tho diamond jubilee of the Awahuri School, which was celebrated yesterday. The dull skies of the morning gave way to sunshine, and an indication of the attendance was provided in the fact that well over 400 sat down at the banquet which was Held in two marquees joined together next the hall. Following the initial gathering at the school (reported in last evening’s issue) three members of the Feilding Highland Pipe Band led the former pupils in procession from the school to the hall, Air N. Campbell, as president of the Awahuri School Old Pupils’ Association, carrying the school banner in the forefront.

At the banquet the chair was taken by Air Campbell, and there were also associated with him at the head table Airs Campbell and Alcssrs O. L. Hunter. ALP.. E. F. Hemingway (chairman of the Wanganui Education Board), J. AV. Batchelar, Af. H. Oram, I. AV. Aludford and Colonel J. H. AA’hytc (members of the board), Messrs G. N. Boulton (secretary of the hoard), AA r . A. Salt (chairman of the Awahuri School Committee), and J. Afontgomcric (secretary of the jubilee committee). Among the apologies for absence were messages from Hon. .T. G. Cobbe. M.P.. Mr J. Linklater (formerly member for the district) and Air AA r . E. Barber (chairman of the Manawatu County Council). The jubilee cake, of two tiers, had been made by Airs E. O. Bond and beautifully iced and decorated by ATr J. AVeightnian.

HONOURED NAAIES. Proposing the toast of the Awahuri School, Air Batchelar said the jubilee was a great gathering for the district. Education had made groat strides since the early days of the school, from which many pupils had made honoured names for themselves. The early training of school life had been exemplified in the response from the district in the AY nr period. In sport, in business and other callings, the cx-pupils had not fallen short of the traditions of the school.

Replying, Air E. R. . Rogers (New Plymouth) commented on the opportunity given by the jubilee of meeting former pupils, as he had been a teacher there for 19 years. His assistant for the longest period had been Aliss Grace Robertson. AVlien he had first come to the school the roll had been 60, but had risen to 123 eventually. The speaker touched on the former system of teaching in vogue and said that matters were now arranged so that education was very much easier for the children.

Supporting Air Rogers. Air G. H. Alonds (To Puke) spoke of the happiness the jubilee had afforded him in meeting so many of his former schoolfellows. From the Awahuri School had come some great men and women. As a former teacher at the school, Air 11. Lyall (Palmerston North) said that lie knew that from 1894 onward, when he Tiad joined the school staff under Air G. Nye, it had been a good school and most of the teachers who had passed through it had risen to high positions in the teaching profession. The speaker related a number of anecdotes of his experiences at the school, which caused much merriment. Airs A. AVilson (Levin), formerly Aliss AVorsfold, the oldest living former pupil, and who had rung the bell at the opening of the day’s celebrations, then cut the jubilee cake and Airs H. Bennett, widow of the first white boy to attend the school, cut the lower tier.

THE EX-PUPILS. Dir Oram proposed the toast of the ex-pupils and the Old Pupils’ Association. He said that the association had been formed but three years ago and it was to the members’ enthusiasm and organising that the present large assemblage was due. It was impossible to particularise with the former pupils it would he unfair to pick out one here and one there—so lie asked tlic gatlieting to honour them as a body. He had to, however, mention two, Mrs Wilson and Mr C. Bennett two of the oldest living cx-pupils. It was a characteristic of the British people that they looked back in later life to then school, to the friendships they had formed there and the principles of life they had learned at school. The school had sent forth men who had filled many positions in life, although most of them had entered on a farming career and had assisted in developing the Manawatu to the high place which it commanded to-day. “The old order changcth,” quoted the speaker, who touched on the developments of transport and other amenities of life in the life-time of ex-pupils. In education, too, there had been vast changes. It was the aim of education to give every child the very best available, no matter where that child might he. The gathering honoured the former pupils and the pioneers who had laid the foundations of New Zealand.

When replying, Mr Campbell spoke in favour of tho consolidation of schools, referring at the same time to the sorrow felt in the district at the impending closing of the local school. Great credit was due to the teachers for the foundations they had hud tor tlie future good citizenship ol the pupils. Messrs Nyc, Rogers and Lyali had taught the speaker, and he remembered their kindness in assisting the hoys with their sports. The township had not grown (it had lost two blacksmiths’ shops, a store and a draper s shop), but the district included some of the richest land in the Dominion and it was due to the presence ol the rich land throughout the area that such a large town as; Palmerston -North could exist. , .. , . Miss Sutherland then contributed a song, “Here’s to Love and Laughter,” singing as a recall “Just a Song at Twilight.” Also replying to the toast, Dir J. G. Weigh tin a u (Feilding) said lie was one of a family of cloven who had all attended the school. His late father inul been chairman of tho School Committee for a lung period. In the course of references to former teachers, tho speaker said that football had been introduced to the school by the late Mr G. I). Strachan. Many of the -Maori people who had attended the school had played a conspicuous part in Ife and a number had taken their part in the War. The speaker also referred to many ex-pupils who liad won prominence in sport and in other spheres. Ho expressed thanks to th'ose who had been responsible for organising the gathering. . Mr C. Klvgcr (Newbury) recalled incidents of 1 iis youthful days in the district, in supporting Dir Weightman. CONTROL OF EDUCATION. The toast of the Wanganui Education Board was proposed by Mr Salt, who remarked that education to-day was successful because of the system > under which it was administered. Education boards had played the largest part in the development of education in New Zealand to its present standard The Wanganui Education Board had control over 220 schools and had a reputation second to none in New Zealand. The board was ideally coin-

posed in regard to size and composition. The view point of “town and country” was not considered in the deliberations of the board.

The reply was made liy Mr Hemingway, who said ho liad attended quito a number of jubilees in the past year and all had been most happy gatherings. The hoard had been m existence for over 60 years and lie had been a member of it for over 20. In all that time ho had never heard religion or politics mentioned at its discussions. There was present a marked 11011parochialism and great common sense m relying on the advice of experts. In the last five years the hoard had not been able to do as much as they had wished because, while in 1930-31 the grant made to the Education Department for buildings, additions, and resiliences had been £601,364, in the next year it had been only £56,000, and in each of the next two years £57,000. The hoard had to thank the present Minister of Education (Hon. P. Fraser) for having the grant trebled. It was the speaker’s contention that in times of ceonoiny education should bo the last, and not the first, to “feci the axe.” In touching briefly on consolidation of schools the speaker said that great changes had been brought about since the Awahuri school had been established, and now children could lie transported further in 10 minutes than they could be in best part of nil hour in former days. Under those conditions it was logical that the children should be afforded the best tuition possible, in the larger centres. Air Mudford supported Mr Hemingway ajid warmly congratulated the school" on attaining its diamond jubilee.

Air Hunter proposed the toast of the chairmen and committeemen, past and present. But for the sacrifices and efforts of members of committees the present schools would not have reached their high standard, he said. All residents of tile district would pay a tribute to the work of the Awahuri School Committee, which the speaker praised for their unanimous decision in approving of the consolidation of the school with a Feilding school. Alodern transport had brought the districts closer together, and it was logical tliat the children should be given the benefits of the most modern forms of education through consolidation. To those who were regretful at seeing the school pass, lie expressed a plea that they place the welfare of the children foremost. Air A. Rowe then sang “Comrade, Goodnight.” and also a recall. AH J. Nairn (New Plymouth) responded to the toast. He said his grandfather and father had been members of the Awahuri School Committee.

Air J. 11. Stevens addressed himself particularly to the Maori people, and said it hail surprised him that more Alaoris had not been included on the school committees. They would have imparted, he thought, a much more practical aspect to education. He made a plea for the residents of Awahuri district to assist the Alaori people. The Alaoris could not be expected to take the initiative, and it lav with the white people, with their organised committees, to take that first step.

AIAORI FRIENDS. Air C. D. Fraser proposed the toast “Our Alaori Friends.” The older people knew that had it not been lor their Alaori friends many white people would have starved in the Alanawatu in the early days. In the Alanawatu and Lower Rangitikei the Alaoris bad always been friendly to the pakelia. Some of the Alaoris had reached positions of eminence. Generally speaking, the natives were a religious people. The speaker related several amusing anecdoes of earlier days, and concluded by extolling tho service given, the country by members of tho Alaori race. The reply was made by Air AA • AVard, who ‘said his people were proud to be connected with the white race, and he was also proud that there was not in New Zealand—as in other countries — a colour bar. The speaker pointed out that the Alaori had taken 100 years to acquire a civilisation that had ‘taken the white people 2000 years to develop. ~ The Alaoris in the assembly, at the close of the speech, swept into a stirring haka. Air j. J. Hume proposed the toast “Absent Friends.” He said that for tho size of its population, the district had sent forward more men to serve the Empire than any other in the country.

Tlie toast was honoured in silence. The chairman, in concluding the gathering, thanked the ladies who had made the jubilee celebration possible. He also thanked visiting speakers and the Press. Cheers were given for tho ladies. , , . As the assembly was breaking up, Messrs F. Boddy and A. Bond made a plea for tho retention of the school.