REUNION CELEBRATIONS

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20918, 25 September 1939, Page 4

REUNION CELEBRATIONS

HIGH SCHOOL OLD GIRLS SUCCESSFUL FUNCTION The silver jubilee celebrations of the Hamilton High School Old Girls’ Association, which took place on Saturday, were attended by a large number of Old Girls, eager for the opportunity to renew old friendships, and once again to visit the scene of their schooldays, of which they hold such happy memories. Proceedings opened with the annual meeting held at the school in the afternoon, the president, Mrs C. Browne, presiding and extending a welcome to the many members present. A very successful year was reviewed in the annual report and balance sheet presented by the secretary, Miss Edna Bennett, a definite financial increase being shown. Although the year had not been quite so active various interesting events had occurred in the history of the association, the most important perhaps being the unveiling of the memorial erected to the memory of Mr Eben Wilson, the beloved headmaster of the school. The resignation of Mrs E. Wilson from the position of patroness, which she has held since the inception of the association, was received with regret. Mrs H. D. Tait has graciously consented to act as patroness in future. The report concluded with an appeal to Old Girls to become financial members and to wholeheartedly support the interests of the association, thereby strengthening its position in the community. The election of officers resulted as follows:—President, Mrs A. Pringle Nelson; vice-presidents, Mrs C. Browne, Miss Phyllis Seccombe, Miss M. Gwynne; secretary, Mrs G. H. Godfrey; assistant secretary, Mrs John Tietjens; committee. Miss Elspeth McNicol, Miss Dorothy Robertson, Miss Doris Downes, Miss Edna Bennett, Miss Lindsay Kendrick, Miss Tui Dent, Miss Doreen Bishop, Miss Rosalie Seddon. Warm votes of thanks to the retiring president, the secretary and the committee for their work throughout the year were accorded by the meeting. Afternoon Tea Following the meeting, the members and guests were entertained at afternoon tea at the school, the tables being attractively arranged with vases of spring flowers. The guests were received by Mrs C. Browne, who was wearing a lacquer rust ensemble with matching hat. Miss Edna Bennett wore a beige and green checked suit and a bottle green felt hat. The Basketball Matches Although the weather was not very favourable for outdoor games, interesting play was witnessed in the basketball matches between the present and past pupils played on the school courts. The A match was won by the Old Girls’ team by 16 points to 7, the school team proving the winner in the B game by 11 points to 3. The teams were as follows :

Old Girls.—A: Mrs John Tietjens, Misses Peggy Pratt (captain), Elspeth McNicol, Joan Redmond, Stella Ladd, Joan Mulcock, Marjorie Norrish, Alison Winter, Margaret Boyes. B: Misses Barbara Hill (captain), Misses Dorothy Sellar, Rae Robertson, Mary Park, Ruth Carbon, Enid Gillman, Joyce Patterson, Faye Harding, Kathleen Johnston. School.—A: Marion McKinnon (captain), Margaret Coombridge, Lee Storey, Margaret Lepine, Joan Cobb, Peggy Senior, Joan Bartlett, Joan Thomas, Helen Lepine. B: Eileen Short, Dawn Cobb, Evagne Olssen, Myra Powell, Doreen Dingle, Merline Hyde, Ray Muir, Zilla Simpson, Mona Roberts. The Dinner The association's colours, red and black, were prominent in the decorative scheme at the Centreway Rooms in the evening when the dinner was attended by over one hundred members. Charming bowls of red anemones and blossom had been artistically arranged on the tables, brass candlesticks with their red candles adding a further note of colour. Pride of place on the official table was given a handsome birthday cake, on which candles marked each year of the association’s growth. The guests were received by Mrs C. Browne, who was wearing a frock of midnight blue ombre taffeta. Mrs H. D. Tait, wife of the headmaster and patroness of the association, wore a frock of clover cloque with a coatee of larkspur blue. Miss E. Bennett was wearing black taffeta. As a mark of appreciation the presentation of posies was made by the president to Mrs Tait, by the vicepresident, Mrs H. E. Piper, to Miss C. Hogg, and by the secretary to Mrs C. Browne. A happy interlude in the dinner was the presentation of a brass candlestick by Mrs Browne to the secretary in acknowledgment of her services during the year. Prior to the honouring of the following toast list, the birthday cake with its twenty-five candles was cut by Mrs Tait and Miss M. Gwynne, one of the foundation members of the association. The Toast List “The King,” Miss Edna Bennett; “The School,” Mrs C. Browne, reply Miss C. Hogg; “The Association,” Mrs H. D. Tait, reply Mrs G. H. Godfrey; “The Staff,” Miss Doris Downes, reply Miss Molly Campbell; “Kindred Association,” Miss Elspeth McNicol, reply Miss O. Takle. Representatives from kindred associations present at the dinner were Mrs Lance Tompkins from the Waikato Diocesan and Sonning Old Girls’ Association, Miss M. Noble, representing the Technical Old Girls’ Association, and Miss O. Takle, a member of the Auckland Grammar Old Girls’ Association. Those present included: Mesdames P. Nelson, A. Piper, H. Morton, A. Malcolm, F. E. Mason, M. C. Gudex, C. M. Muir, C. Reid, R. E. Conradi, J. Sullivan, T. Hawke, R. P. Fladgate, Madill, H. G. Godfrey, A. Samsbury. C. J. Seccombe, J. Clough, Ivan C. Moon (Auckland), H. Macfarlane, D. Boyt. Misses C. Hogg, M. Campbell, M. Riley, A. Strong, Dorothy Clegg, Phil Seccombe, Dorothy Robertson, Joan Campbell, Peggy Pratt, Connie Buckley, Doreen Bishop, Doris Downes, Joan Mulcock, Shirley Greenslade. Mati Shaw, Elizabeth Davison, Marie Leech, Joan Muir, Elspeth McNicol, Margaret Mackey, Gwyneth Powell. May Hooper, Beatrice St. Paul, Estelle St. Paul, Nancy Newell, Helen Brown, Beth Buir, Lindsay Kendrick, Kath. Green, Gwen Moore, Mollie Moore, Dulcie Griffiths, D. McKenzie. A. Woods, Clarice Beeche, Hilda Short, Mabel Gwynne, Thelma Short, Daphne Hebbert, Dorothy Chitty, Jean McDonald, Ruth Carbon, Bernice Armstrong. Betty Armstrong, Gwen Heaslip, Jessie Thompson, Eunice McGrath, Phyl. Kear, Pat. Wycherley. Pat. Mcllroy, Ailsa Woolven, Betty Bisley, Hazel Robinson, Joan Redmond, Alison Bamby, Helen Baker. Margaret Boyes, Jean Robertson. Daphne Rodda, Barbara Hill, Enid Gillman, Sybil Bremer, Thora Bremer, J. Bremer, Gail Burtenshaw, Jean Gudex, V. Clephane (Auckland).