POPE HONOURS EX-HEADMASTER Praise For Work in Education

Tribute was paid to Mr. John Rigby, retired headmaster of the English Martyrs' school, Sparkhill, Birmingham, when the Archbishop of Birmingham invested him with the cross pro ecclesia et Pontijice which was conferred on him by the Pope.
The Rev. Michael O'Hagan, opening the ceremony at the English Martyrs' school, give an address in which he pointed out r. Rigby's work both at that school and elsewhere.
To a large extent it was due to Mr. Rigby that the school had earned mts teputation.
In matters of education the archbishop continually sought his advice. He had been headmaster of the English Martyrs' school since 1911, and before that he had held many other appointments.
Educational Leader Mr. Rigby has been very prominent in teachers' organisations, having been president of the Catholic Teachers' Federation. president of the Birmingham Association of the. National Union of Teachers from 1914 to 1918 and again in 1927, twice president of the Birmingham Head Teachers' Association, president of the " Arnold " (Head Masters') Club, and vice-chairman of the Non-Provided School advisory committee of the National Union of Teachers.
For the past nine years he has been the representative of the Birmingham teachers on the city education committee.
This last office he holds until the end of the municipal year, when he will be a candidate for a seat on the city council as representative of St. Martins and Deritend ward.