Newspaper Article 1983 – Pupils show Rotarians how

Pupils show Rotarians how

Instead of the one traditional after-lunch speaker, Hastings Rotarians yesterday were treated to three examples of prize-winning speeches by Hastings Boys’ High School’s top orators.

Stewart Boyce, Peter Young and Steven Parkinson, all prize-winners at the school’s annual oratory competitions, amused the Rotarians with three five-minute addresses.

Sixth-form student Stewart Boyce, who won the school’s competition, showed the humorous side of education particularly on how most students obtain their sex education.

Peter Young, a seventh former who shared second place with Steven Parkinson, also chose the topic of education but from a different angle. He was more interested in the teacher-versus-student syndrome.

Steven Parkinson, a sixth former, chose New Zealand’s relish for racist jokes as his subject.

Steven said it was symptomatic of the “great New Zealand ego”.

New Zealanders appeared to think they were so perfect that they could attack every other race using racist jokes, most of which were not funny anyway, he said.

To illustrate his point he gave his audience examples of several racist jokes doing the rounds.

Steven said he felt New Zealanders should perhaps refrain from racist joke-telling until they learned to laugh at their own shortcomings.

Above:   The three top prize-winners in the Hastings Boys’ High School’s oratory competitions (from left). – Stewart Boyce, Steven Parkinson, Peter Young and the boys’ principal and the Rotary Club’s secretary, Mr Frank Crist.