The beginnings and development of a New Zealand music: The life ...

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Consequently, great emphasis was placed on the development of
oral and literary skills, manifested in the holding of many essay-writing
competitions, debates, lantern-lectures and speeches. Pupils were
expected to acquire a sound general knowledge and to keep well-informed
on current affairs.
Not surprisingly, rugby, athletics, cricket and the military
cadets were all afforded great prominence as extra-curricular activities.
Otherwise, the most popular pursuits seemed to be the stamp club, wireless
club and camera club. The one genuine concession to the needs of the New
Zealand environment was the presence of an active agricultural department
within the school. 13
"Why was I sent to Waitaki? Before my parents
moved into Wanganui, all my brothers went to
Wanganui Collegiate as boarders. I was never
quite clear about this, but it probably would
have been ignominious to have been sent to
Collegiate as a dayboy: on the other hand my
father was quite firm that he wouldn't send me
there as a boarder and have me cycling home
every weekend. And the alternative was to be
shipped off to this unknown place in the South
Island, which upset me very much at the time.
They chose it because Frank Milner was a rabid
Imperialist, a personality, and the school had
a considerable reputation. And it was in a
cold dry climate and this was supposed to be
good for me because I had weak lungs •••• I thought
it was an utterly barbarous place when I first hit
it: you know I'd never been away from home before
except to a member of the family. And suddenly to
be slung into this arena of bullying little
bastards - oh God, I hated them, and they hated
me, especially because I was brainy. In the
lower fifth I was a year or two younger than any
of them,. and in fact I gained higher marks in
Matriculation that year than anyone else of the
boarders, and the head prefect who had instigated
an investigation, when he found that I had beaten
his marks he was furious with me. Yes, and so .-4
were they all. And so, as I say I survived ••• "
It is worthwhile digressing briefly to broaden the understanding
of the prevailing atmosphere at Waitaki Boys' High School during Milner's
reign. The extraordinary and slavish devotion to Britain and the Empire
13 The Waitakian vols. 15 - 18, Oamaru, Waitaki Boys High School, 1930-33.
14 Douglas Lilburn as in Fragments of a stolen conversation, op.cit.
p. 18.