A POPULAR SCHOOLMASTER.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 May 1918, Page 7

A POPULAR SCHOOLMASTER.

MR MEYENBERG FAREWELLED AT OMATA. The esteem in which residents of the district have held Mr Meyenberg, headmaster of the Omata school, for the past nine years, who has volunteered and leaves for camp shortly, was evidenced by the large attendance of the men of the district at an evening given in his honor in the Omata Hall on Tuesday night. Mr E. R. Bayley, chairman of the i School Committee, presided, and after full justice had been done to the good fare provided, a toast list was discussed. An innovation was adopted, the chairman announcing each toast and leaving the respondcrs to make speeches. This had the effect of considerably shortening the proceedings and might lie adopted with advantage at other functions. The toast list was as follows: "The King"; "Our Fallen Soldiers"; "The Army and Navy"; responded to by Messrs C. H. Moore and W. J. Prior; "Local Bodies," Mr D. J. Hughes; "Dairying and Pastoral," Messrs S. Vickers and A. Smith. The chairman proposed "The Guest of the Evening," which was enthusiastically honoured. Messrs S. Vickers, A. Smith and C. H. Moore, who supported him. all testified in high terms of the excellent work done by Mr Meyenberg during his nine years as head master of the school. The chairman then presented Mr. Meyenburg with a sot of military hair brushes on behalf of residents of the district, remarking that their gue3t was the first member of the Second Division to volunteer from the Omata district, and carried with him the esteem ana good will of everyone in the district. Mr Meyenberg, in responding stated that in patriotic matters ho had dope no more than his duty as a citizen and school master, and he was pleased to know that his efforts were appreciated, and he hoped he had had some influence in the training of the character of the children at the school. He expressed his appreciation of the goodwill that prompted the function that evening and concluded by stating that he would look forward to returning to the district again. Other toasts were "Old Identities," Messrs D. Penwarden, J. Jury and W. Adlam and Frost. "Taranak'i's Potentialities," Mr D. J. Hughes; "New Settlers," -Messrs E. D. Ansford and S. Metcalfe; "The Ladies," Messrs. W. Mace and L. Seamark; "The Press," representative of the "Daily News";" The Chairman, Committee, Performers and Musicians," proposed by Mr. G. Morris, and duly responded to, concluded the evening. A splendid musical programme was rendered at intervals. Mr J. W. Lovell the Westown comedian was a host in himself and sang several of his popular items, meeting with a great reception on each of his numerous appearances. Other performers were Messrs M. Meyenberg, D. J. Hughes, S. Metcalfe. W. Sanger, F. Morris, and B. Honeyfield, the latter making his first public appearance and receiving an encore, as did the majority of the singers. Mr Pearson ably presided at the piano.