LATE MISS I. MUNRO

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 August 1940, Page 6

LATE MISS I. MUNRO

TRIBUTE BY EX-MASTERTON RESIDENT. ACHIEVEMENTS IN SOCIAL WORK. A tribute to the sterling work as a teacher of the late Miss Isabella Munro is paid by Mr A. H. Vile, of New Plymouth, and formerly of Masterton. In a letter expressing his sympathy to the relatives he recalls that he and Miss Munro were in the same class in the old school at Masterton. having for their masters Messrs Lillington, Pilkington and Grundy. When they first assembled it was away back in 1875.

Mr Vile proceeds: “I learned to admire Bella Munro for her keen perception. her ready wit, her undaunted enthusiasm and her genial good nature and her progress in the sphere of education was watched by myself with the keenest interest and satisfaction.

"Apart from her ordinary school work, Miss Munro took a very active part in establishing the Technical School, of which she was one of the first teachers and I one of the first managers. 1 have reason to know that, by the Wellington Education Board and its inspectors, she was regarded as one of the most successful of its female teachers. Just how many thousands of New Zealand citizens of today owe her a deep debt of gratitude for the grounding they received in the most difficult period of their educational career only the school registers can show. "Not satisfied with an educational service of tremendous value to the Dominion. Miss Munro devoted much of her time in her retirement to social work among women and children and to her magnificent achievements in this direction only the Recording Angel can pay adequate tribute. Truly, in the passing of Miss Munro. Masterton has to mourn the loss of one of its most, devoted and respected citizens. She was one of Nature's gentlewomen. whom to know was to honour and revere. It is with profound sadness that I learn of her demise, for I always regarded her as one of my cherished schoolmates and sincerest friends."