PRESENTATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 147, 18 December 1911, Page 2

PRESENTATION.

TO MR. E. PRIDHAM. The breaking-up ceremony and presentation of prizes- formed but a subsidiary portion of tbo proceedings at the High School gathering on Friday night. It could be seen from the enthusiasm displayed that the large gathering had assembled for the purpose of showing their appreciation of their master on the occasion of his severing his connection with the school after 30 years' faithful service. Mr. Pridham was the recipient of several tangible tokens of esteem. Following the presentation of the prizes. Miss Spence and Norman Little ascended the stage, each carrying a handsome travelling rug. Norman Little then made a short speech as follows:—"Mr. and Mrs. Pridham,—l have been entrusted by the present girls and boys of the New Plymouth High School with the mission of presenting to you these two travelling rugs as a small, and. 1 am sure, very inadequate material embodiment of their esteem for you and of their regret, or, rather, their great .sorrow at your now leaving for good the school at which you have been so long. I am certain that during the last thirty years and more, especially the last few years, in no secondary school of the Dominion has there existed a truer feeling of esteem and loyalty of pupils to their headmaster than in the New Plymouth High School." The travelling rugs were then presented, amidst great applause.

The old girls of the school next presented Mr. Pridham with an illuminated address and a cheque. The address had been nicely printed and illuminated by one of the Old High School girls, the cover being the school motto and badge. Miss Douglas made the presentation, and she was attended by Mrs. Noble and Miss Bayly. The text of the address was as follows:.— "Dear Mr. Pridham—lt is with mingled feelings of sorrow and gladness that we, the old girls of the New Plymouth High School, address this letter to you. To tie, school days are but memories, a part of our lives gone, never to return. We said 'good-bye' to them easily and naturally, though regretfully, too; but to say farewell to you is not so easy, and to know that our beloved school will no longer be able to claim you for its head makes us feel that another link with the past is broken. For this we sorrow. But as we look back and remember that when our feet trod the steep and rocky road called 'Education' there was at hand to guide and direct our faltering footsteps, one who never wearied of his of times wearisome task, and that one you, our friend and teacher, we are glad in the days that are gone. We realise now. as perhaps not then, how truly privileged we were during those most receptive and impressionable years; of our lives, to come in daily contact with so cultured a man as voiirself. Insomuch as you led us to value aright thoroughness of work, logical reasoning, beauty of literarv form—in short, all that is expressed' by that much-abused word 'culture'—you will ever have our grateful remembrance. But for much more than all this do we now write to thank you. Always you held up before us the loftiest ideal of character, and we learned both by precept and example that honor and integrity are much more to be desired -than learning, position or wealth. Remembering all these things we ;ire proud to call you teacher and fnend. and gladly take this opportunity of telling you some small part of what is in our minds. We can never forget one who has always been so true a friend, and we do not think you will forget us, whatever seas may divide. It was our first intention to" ask your acceptance of a gift chosen by ourselves, but as we learned that you will shortly leave New Zealand, it seemed wiser to ask you to use the accompanying cheque in making the choice for us on your return to England. Whatever that choice may be, it is intended to represent the good wishes of the old girls of each year from the foundation of the school, and to be a token, though not a measure, of our respect and affection. Our earnest hope is that before you and Mrs. Pridham lie very many useful and happy years.-We are, on behalf of the old girls, yours sincerely-(signed) Gertrude McKellar, Agnes Wilson, Clarice A Douglas, Grace Fookes, Bertha Webster, Gabnelle D. Shaw, M. A. Dempsey, Freda Perry, Ernestine Howell, May Arthur, Elsie E. Andrews.

Miss Shaw, on behalf of the old girls handed to Mrs. Pridham a gold bracelet watch, and Mrs. Xoble ( nee Miss Bayly) to Miss Pridham a handsome photo frame.

The reading of this address evoked great applause, which had scarcely subsided when '

Dr. Fookes made an address on behalf of the old boys. He said it was with sad feelings that he must try and voice the keen feelings of the boys who had been associated with the school from its infancy to the present date. He belonged to a family that was perhaps more closely associated with the school than any other in the district, because no fewer than nine of its members had received instruction from Mf. Pridham He considered that the foundation to a large extent of the measure of success they had achieved in life Mr Irulham. whom as a teacher they had honored and respected, and a's a-man had admired and tried to cqpy., In handing him some tangible token of their vertgreat regard and esteem as a teacher and a man he felt that he was only voicing the regret of all that they had also to say good-bye to him as a citizen of the town He would like to impress on them that he was a comparatively youn* o d boy, but unfortunatelv many of the old boys of early days wero so far removed that they could not be present He read sympathetic letters from" Judge W. E. Rawson and Mr. E. Hursthouse who were associated with the school in 1882, and also about 20 telegrams from all over the Dominion, the burden of most of which was "ave atx]uc vale." He then presented Mr. Pridham with a purse of sovereigns with which to purchase some tokens of memorv and a plate suitably inscribed to attach thereto.

On behalf of 15 old boys in Auckland he presented Mr. Pridham with a case of pipes and an illuminated address the text of which was:-"Ernest Prid'ha.m, Esq., M.A.. New PJymouth.-Dear Sir,Having learnt with sincere regret that you are about to retire from the position of principal of the New Plymouth High School after so successfully conducting the school since its inception 30 years ago, we, your old pupils now resident m Auckland and Hamilton, cannot allow this occasion to pass without expressing to your our appreciation of your tuition and of the many pleasant' and useful hours spent at your school. We trust thut Mrs. Pridham and yourself will long continue to enjoy good health durin« your well earned rest, and ask you to accept the accompanying small gift as a slight token of the esteem in which you are held by your old pupils." Mr. A. Bewley, on behalf of the younger old boys, endorsed the previous'speakers remarks and expressed regret that Mr. Pridham was not remaining in Now Plymouth. Mr. Ford, an old boy who attended the school 29 years ago, also made some appreciative remarks. He was visibly affected when he recalled the fact that of the six lads in the sixth form with liim he wag the only survivor.

/ Mr. MacDiarmid, as a parent, endorsed I everything said. Seven of his children had attended the school, which, he might say, owed him nothing. He was very pleased and thankful for the education his hoys and girls had received at the ! school, and he thought most parents there could say the same. (Applause). Mr. Pridham, on rising to reply, had to wait several moments for the applause to subside. None of his friends there, would expect a speech from him, because they knew that public speaking was among the many things that he could not do. Even if he were an orator it would be difficult to find words to express his feelings at the kindness shown to Mrs. Pridham and himself. It was no small thing to pull up roots that had grown for 30 years in one soil. He was not so conceited as to think that he was appreciated by all. No doubt he had made somo official enemies, though he had also made some official friends. He did not think he had ever made one personal enemy, though he had made numerous personal friends. There was an old saying that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. That might be, but the heart might sometimes be so full that speech was impossible. He thanked them for their kind and handsome presents, which were valuable not only on account of themselves, but more so to Mrs. Pridham and himself as a token of the goodwill they contained. He would watch with keen interest the careers of all past and present pupils, to whom lie would give this last advice, and he would like the same to extend to future pupils also: "Be loyal to your school." To the parents he would say: "Be loyal to your headmaster.—(Applause). Trust him, consult him, complain to him, but do not let the school be the subject of outside gossip." (Applause). Three ringing cheers were accorded to Mr. Pridham and one to Mrs. Pridham, after which the whole of the pupils and ex-pupils joined in singing, "They are jolly good fellows." Three cheers given by the old pupik for the school and teachers and the singing Of the National Anthem and "Auld Lang Syne" concluded the gathering. During the evening several songs were rendered by the school members and were warmly applauded . Mrs. Basham (nee Miss Daisy Taylor) also gave a fine solo, which was encored. Before dispersing, the old girls entertained the gathering to supper.