PRESENTATION.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2012, 25 February 1890, Page 2

PRESENTATION.

Mr J. A. "Fitzgerald, wbo for the past two years has filled the position of master at the South Orarf school Jms 3 ust resigned the post, having been appointed assistant master at the Oamaru Public school, at a considerably larger salary. On Thursday last the children attending the Orari f school presented him with an albert watch guard, as a memento of the thorough respect and esteem in which he was held by his pupils. Advantage was taken of the opportunity of assurmg Mr Fitzgerald that sincere he had, by his uniform kindness, won their entire love and respect and while they regretted deeply h % '£* parturefrom the school the, at the same time congratulated him most cordially on his decided advan« t,W E ft erald ' who was evidently taken aback, expressed himself as I thoroughly surprised at receiving any such memento from his pupils. Whill he had been in the shool he had sL»iy and his employers In endeavoring to do his duty he sometimes had to adopt measures that would, no doubt, appear to them at the time to. be harsh, but he could assure them] that his course of action had been I

prompted solely by an earnest wish to do the very best he could for them during the time he remained among them as their schoolmaster. He thanked them very much for their kind expression of their esteem and goodwill, and at the same time urged upon them the importance of paying every attention to his successor, whoever he might be. They in all probability would only have a few years at school at the most, and it was of the very greatest importance to them, as affecting the whole of their future life, that during their school days they should seek to make the very best use they could of the advantages they had. He reminded them that the habits they formed at school would probably stick to them all through life. Their teachers, who were trained for the work, came there day after day to assist them in forming good habits, so as to fit them for the battle of life, and to enable them to go out by and by and take their place among the men and women of their generation as educated, honest and upright men and women. He was glad to be taking away with him such a souvenir of the South Orari School, and wherever he might be he would always remember the boys and girls he had taught there. He would now wish them " G-ood bye," with very pleasant memories of his stay among them. Deafening cheers were given for Mr Fitzgerald, and the proceedings terminated.