OLD BOYS’ ASSOCIATION

Taranaki Daily News, 14 October 1921, Page 5

OLD BOYS’ ASSOCIATION

THE ANNUAL REPORT. The affaire of the New Plymouth High School Old Boys’ Association are reviewed by the executive in the fifth annual report to be presented to the general meeting which takes place in the school assembly hall to-morrow night. The report states, inter alia: — War Memorial. —Since last annual meeting in December, 1920, the executive has been chiefly engaged on the matter of the war memorial fund. It has now been definitely decided that the memorial shall take the form of entrance gates. The fund was closed, on August 31, 1921, and the donatione paid and promised amount to £752 12s 6d, so that approximately £775 should be available for the building of the memorial. It had been hoped that the building of the gates would have been commenced before this time, but owing to the difficulty of obtaining suitable plans nothing could be done. Plane have now come to hand, and it is hoped that the work will be well in hand before the school term starts in February, 1922. Sports.—The Old Boys’ Football Club this year had a most successful season and the membership has been largely increased. We would urge the club to endeavor to arrange matches with Old Boys’ teams of other towns. We aleo congratulate the school on its success in football this year. The Club, after a successful season, drew in the A grade competition with the NewPlymouth team, and this performance, after being in existence for only two seasons, is a splendid one. We would urge Old Boys to join, the local Amateur Athleti Association. Such a club has been long needed in this town and we trust Old Boys will give it their support. Finance.—lt is satisfactory to be able to report that the accounts show a balance of £l5 19e, excluding the balance of £2 8s 7d held for the ball committee. The war memorial fund shows a balance in hand of £464 3s. As the war memorial fund has now been closed we would urge all boys who intend contributing to this fund to do so without delay, in order that the committee may definitely know what amount is available.

Referring to the social side of the association’s activities the report stated that it had been decided, that in future the re-unions shall take the form of a smoke concert, to be held in conjunction with the annual meeting on the evening of sports day, and all Old Boys, were urged to make this at least one occasion for renewing the acquaintances of their old school mates and visiting the school. The annual ball held in July proved a highly successful function, and the committee expressed thanks to the ladies’ committee for their assistance on this occasion. The report recorded that the Old Boys’ badges had now been manufactured and are on sale. It was proposed to amend the rules of the association dealing with the alterations of the objects of the association and the election of past and present masters as honorary members. A matter which should not be overlooked was the compilation of a register of all pupils who had passed through the school. With the increasing number of Old Boys it was becoming extremely difficult to keep in touch with them all. The report recorded that during the year Mr. Percy Jackson, a vice-presi-dent, left the town, and reference was made to the loss by death of Oswald McHardy, who was a keen member of the executive.