DESERVED RECOGNITION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10040, 14 July 1910, Page 4

DESERVED RECOGNITION.

It is all too seldom that communities mark in an appropriate manner their appreciation of meritorious services rendered by those <u their midst who hold arduous, responsible, and oftentimes thankless positions. Therefore it is particularly gratifying to commend [the public of Masterton for their ready recognition of and handsome tribute to the invaluable woik accomplished by the headmaster of the Masterton District High School, Mr W. H. Jackson. The function at the Town Hall last evening must have caused that respected official as much pleasure and pride as it did those people who felt that the occasion of his completing twenty-one years' of such honourable service deserved celebrating in the way they chose. It is unnecessary to expiate on the question of how important it is, in a country like New Zealand,, where education aspires more highly' than perhaps in any other country in the worldd, for our schools to be staffed with teachers who combine efficiency with judgment. During his long term of office, Mr Jackson has displayed a wonderful degree of both these qualities,. His school has a record of*scholastic achievements which excel those of all schools of a like description, for a great distance afield—perhaps in the Dominion. Then in the matter of watching closely the promotion of the standing of the school, its conveniences for recreation purposes, its beauty, its practical utility as an up-to-date inland institution with special rural appointments—it would be a lengthy matter indeed to recite how successfully the headmaster has laboured in these connections. We can assure Mr Jackson that the public are fully cognis ant in detail of his many successes in those directions, and are proud of them and of him. JBut there is another side of the character of the same gentleman which the community—and particularly parents—admire and esteem, and that is his extremely kindly, we may properly express it "paternal" treatment of the scholars intrusted to his care. His intuitive knowledge of juvenile nature —presenting as it does so many perplexities when hundreds of units ; are cojicemed—constitutes him an ideal administrator of the institution he controls. Exemplary discipline, flue indulgence, rigorous impartiality —these characterstica have assured his position in the confidence ad regard of parents and the hearts of the scholars, Assiduity in his multifarious school duties—many self-im-posed—and active participation in other extraneous public affairs,, have fully justified the tribute paid to Mr Jackson last evening.