PREFECTS HONOURED

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 97, 15 December 1931, Page 6

PREFECTS HONOURED

YOUNG SPEAKERS ROTARY CLUB ENTERTAINS HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS AT LUNCHEON IDEALS OF YOUTH The guests of honour at the weekly luncheon of the Rotorua Rotary Club held in the Tea Kiosk in the Government Grounds yesterday, were the girl prefeets of the Rotorua High School. Addressing the gathering the president, Rotarian J.' Buddle, mentioned that the question of entertaining the girls had heen before the Board of Directors for some time and the matter of providing a suitahle chaperone for the girls had been appropriately dealt with by inviting Mr. and Mrs. A. R. Ryder. The president took the opportunity of congratuling Mr. Ryder upon his very considerable promotion and expressed regret in losing his services. Ar. well as doing a treniendous amount towards establishing the school in the Rotorua district, Mr. Ryder had been one of the foundation members of the Rotary Club and j had always given loyal and aetive sup-p-ort. To repeat the words used by one of the school boys at their recent dinner in honour of the gaining of the Weekly Press Challenge Shield, "Whangarei's gain is Rotorua's loss." Though the phrase might be somewhat honxely, the sentiment expressed was very sincere. Though the club had frequently entertained the boy representatives of the school, eontinued Mr. Buddle, this was the first time .that the girls had been present at a Rotary luncheon. Prefeets Introduced Miss Mary Bertram, head girl of the school, then introduced the prefeets in turn after wh.ich she gave a short address, briefly touching upon the work of the prefeets both in and out of the school. She compared the school with an army, with its senior officers, its officers and its men, the officers being the prefeets. In touch with both teachers and scholar? the prefeets formed a connecting link in the chain of school organisation. If the links were weak, thers the whole chain was weak. This illustrated the very important part played by the prefeets. They could help the newcomers and teach them their way about the school, they hac to co-operate, for only by co-opera-tion could the links be kept strong anc they had to be loyal, for only by loyalty could the school succeed. It was only fair of those who had beeu through the school to assist those just entering upon a new world. Miss Roma Steele, the second speaker, gave her subjeet as "Athletics for Girls." This matter was weh dealt with, the cult of athletics being briefly traced from the time when it was taught and practised in the early days of Grecian civilisation America, however, was the first tc realise the advantage of a thorougl" and supervised course of athletics to the growing girl. In the Rotorua High School every form of sport pos sible and practicable had been organised. Tennis, basketball, basebab ■ and crieket were all encouraged. while the annual athletic sports every • year called forth many willing anc capable competitors. In the building up of a school spirit, a tearn spiri^ of co-operation and efficiency. there was nothing to compare witl athletics. School Magazine The third speaker, Miss Pauline ■ Brooker, spoke upon "The Magazine • as an Expression of School Ideals and School Activities." Out of a moteh collection of prose contributions, poems sonnets, parodies and limericks each expressing through the writers' very inexperience, their impressions •and ideals, emerged, every year, -"Raukura Rotorua." Raukura meant pride of the race, to the school it meant pride of the school, as every school magazine should be it was the ' pupils' magazine. They had aimed at reporting every school organisation. both old and new, and at keeping in itouch with every pupil, both past and present, and giving as nearly as pos sible the school's impressions from the social, sporting and intellectua' • standpoints so that in years to come , they could trace the growth of thei" school through the growth of thei: ■•magazine. Miss Margaret Sloane, spoke of the "School and its Endowments." The history of the school from the very beginning was briefly traced, thc "speaker emphasising the gratitude . due to the members of the Ngatiwhalcaue tribe for their generosity in . providing Rotorua with a site so suit..able in every way for a school lilce ' the Rotorua High School. Those who • had gone right through the school would remember the first year of it? ; establishment and in seeing it now in ^ its cultivated glory would feel grateful to all those who had assisted in • any way with providing for and helping to bring about this present perfection. Co-operation - Miss Margaret Nelson spoke on .."Co-operation Between the Citizens , of Rotorua and our High School," • ; stating that without the loyal sririi • of co-operation and constructive criticism between citizens and the principal, the building up of a worthy tradition would be difficult for him to accomplish. In enumerating those who have helped the school the speaker mentioned the fact that the Rotary Club has awarded a medal for general excellence among the boys and has helped the school by inviting the girl and boy prefeets to its luncheons. -The motto of the Rotary Club, "Service Before Self," was carried out in , a practr'cal manner and created . among the senior boys the ambition to become a Rotarian in the near future. The Women's Club, tbose who had. donated trophies and assist ed at school functions, had helped tc make the schoo1 one to compare favourably with the other secon'davy schools of the Dominion. The last speaker, Miss W:nni'Steele, spoke upon "The Teachers.' She said that now that school days were practically over the good done • by the teachers was at last being brought home to the pupils. They had ■■all worked untiringly in the interests _ of the school, when punishment was pecessary she knew that those whc were punished deserved it and took ; their medicine as it should be taken ■ and were perhaps, in the long run better for the experience. The teach

ers were always ready and willing to help in any way, never showing, whether they felt it or not, the least reluctance to assist. The High School had been fortunate in having, from its foundation year, a staff so eager to see the school succeed and so willing to help make that success. President's Tribute Rotarian Buddle then spoke briefly of the girls' speeches, saying that as the boys had acquitted themselves so finely at their sports dinner, so the girls had just done equally effectively. Mr. Ryde|- could feel satisfied that his girls had learned something from their schooling. Mr. Ryder then addressed the gathing. While the club had always been keenly and actively interested in the boys of the school, he was gratified to see that they had given his girl nrefects such a warm reception. Though the boys might seem to be more in evidence at the school he considered that the girls were equally important. Five out of the six prefeets present had come with him through the school and at every turn he had found them willing to co-operate and very loyal in every respect. He considered, that with such girls to set an example Rotorua need never fear for the younger ones cOming on. In his dealings with the girls he had been greatly assisted by Mrs. Ryder, as through her advice he had been able to see the girls and the boys together and do his best to give them equal chances. He was extremely gvateful to the Rotary Club for its "nterest in the school and hoped that t would continue as one of the lead:ng bod;es in the town. Mr. M, H. Hampson then proposed i vote of thanlcs to the girls which waa carried by acelamation. He rpoke of the way in which the girls had delivered their speeches and said that Mr. and Mrs. Ryder could take away ' with them memories of their girls and what they had done for them without regret. No effort on :he part of either Mr. or Mrs. Ryder had been wasted. Their behaviour and the way in which they had acquitted themselves served as lasting proof of this fact. The gathering broke up with the hnging of the National Anthem.