ASHBURTONS HIGH SCHOOL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXI, Issue 7934, 16 December 1909, Page 3

ASHBURTONS HIGH SCHOOL

ANNUAL BREAKING-UP. |

The annual distribution of prizes m connection with the Ashburton High. ■School was made yesterday m the school Assembly Hall, when there was a good attendance of exrpupils and the general public. The chairman of the Board of Governors (Mr J. Tucker) presided, and Mr and Mrs John Grigg and the members of the teaching staffs were also on the platform. The chairman having made a few introductory remarks, the School Song, composed by Mr G. F. Salmond, M.A., of Canterbury College, and an exmaster of the School, and set to music by Mr Llewellyn Owen, was sung by the pupils. The words of the song are: Now—come ! One and all, with a right good call, Give praise to our Alma Mater ; That, boy is a fool who loves not his school And fears above others to rate her ; For if she be small,, he can show to all He will help to make her greater. Chorus : 1 " ' Look out, out, out, with your eye on the ball, To save your goal or your bails ; The chap that's there when his captain gives a call, When life bids him out, never , fails. We are sons of the soil, where our fathers' toil Has garnered a harvest golden ;, And the grain they grew was the best, " see you, Was ever m market holdeii ; And- the school they reared, we shall make revered By many a college olden. Chorus : Look out, out, out, etc. May we bring no shame to that ancient name You'll find on our portals graven, But show that to fame, the road is the same As the road with merit paven ; "With honour and truth and an unstained youth, And a spirit never craven. Chorus : Look out, out, out, etc. Then here's to the school where we bow to rule In class, at drill, or at' cricket, For the man we train, m body and brain, Before the desk or the wicket— When the Empire calls, with the foe at its walls, Will aye be found at his picket. Chorus : Look out, out, out, etc. In apologising for the absence of several ladies and gentlemen interested m the school, the chairman announced j that Mrs W. B. Denshire had inti-; mated her intention of presenting racquets for competition ,by the members of the school Tennis Club next year. (Applause.) , SPEECHES. Mr John Grigg, who, on rising to speak, was heartily received by the pupils, expressed his pleasure at being present, and at seeing such a splendid gathering of happy faces. He congratulated the school on its successes, both on the educational side and on the playing fields.. Everyone . could not take away a prize from the school, out every boy or girl who did his or her duty and worked to the best of his or her ability, received a reward which m the future became very valuable indeed —the joyous feeling of accomplishment. The value of duty, including ss it did industry and perseverance, was the lesson thereby learned, and tint was a prize which qach individual yrosent was receiving gradually. The difference between school life and liter life was simply that m the former there could be only one premier award, while m the latter there was plenty ol r>cni for all at tne top. At school one was welL prepared, for they were there, after all, to learn to learn, to do, and to obey. Mr Grigg concluded by referring m complimentary terms .to the work of the staff : it was the influence and personality of the teachers that made the school. He wished all the enrolments of the season. (Applause.), . The Rev. H. E. Bellhouse added his congratulations, and best wishes for the future. 'Speaking to the children, he dwelt on the importance of character m after life, quoting Sir Edward Grey, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, as having said, m a recent speech: "The British Empire is founded on, preserved and supported by one thing —character." In quoting a well-known piece of James Russell Lowell s, he specially dwelt on its closing lines, and urged the truth-of the American poet s "' begin! Though thou hast 1 ■ • time „ But for a line, be that sublime-— Not failure, but low aim, is crime. The Rev E. Whitehouse endorsed the previous speaker's remarks, and added a little homily based on the contention that on one's action m the present world depended one s position m the next. The Headmaster's annual report and the prize-list were published yesterday. After Mrs Grigg had presented the prizes, the chairman asked the Key. G B Inglis, as the ex-chairman of the Board of Governors to say a few words, expressing at the.same time> the school's pleasure at seeing -Mr Jigis back m restored health after his tup to the Homeland. . , Mr Inglis, who was also well received, compared the present state of the school with its condition when he knew it first, and asked the pupils to note this, and, with it m view to go forward endeavouring to develop the same capacity for taking pains as the Board had done all through the years past Referring to the school, he went on to S3? of the lack of courtesy, .of civility, and general politeness, noticeable m the public life of the dominion. It seemed as if colonists were too busyj

to think of manners. With all of them there was a certain hurry, <uid brusque- j ness and a^reisireftess which were not' only not^'iiU'tfeeous, but wrong m almost every outer ■ respect. He cautioned all against this fault, and, m conclusion urged them to. faithfulness m the discharge, of duty. (Applause.) On the call of the Headmaster, three hearty cheers . were given for Mrs trig*, and Mr Grigg briefly returned tlla,nk.s on her behalf. Mr W. H. Collins ."i-orjosed a vote of thanks to the teaching staff. This was seconded by Mr Inglis, and carried by acclamation, Mr Watters responding. A similar'compliment having been paid to the. chairman and Board of Governors, afternoon tea was handed round by the pupils, and the gathering broke- up.