MEMORIAL LIBRARY.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLIV, Issue 10134, 11 June 1924, Page 6

MEMORIAL LIBRARY.

OPENED AT HIGH SCHOOL.

YESTERDAY'S CEREMONY.

HON. DOWNIE STEWARTS SPEECH.

The ceremony of opening the Ashburton High School Old Boys' and Girls' war memorial library and the unveiling of the tablets was concluded after the "Guardian" went to press yesterday. . .. The Hon. W, Do wine Stewart said he hoped the memorial would make the future generation ever mindful of the service and sacrifice of the men who went to the war. As time went on we were beginning to realise more clearly the magnitude of the task Great Britain set herself in the cause of humanity, and how thankful the people of the world were to her. The Minister paid a tribute to the response made by .New Zealand men, and said this district was second to none in point ot patriotism and response. Besides having, with the assistance of her Dominions, achieved a great and noble victory during the war, Great 'Britain was to-day carrying the burden of many countries who found themselves iri financial straits and in the threes of political upheaval. Despite the fact that she herself was heavily burdened with debt, Britain, because of her resolute citizens, was able to aid people of all creeds and nations. All through her history her sacrifice and assistance in the cause of humanity stood cut predominantly. The Dominions were following the example of Great Britain, and carrying out their responsibilities and looking to the protection of themselves, and at the same time seeing that justice was done elsewhere. New Zealand was mindful of the necessity fcr adequate means of national defence. Regarding the achievements of the boys at the front, when one considered the stock from which they sprang it was only to be expected that they would hold their own with the experienced forces of other countries. It was „ a happy thought that those who were responsible for the establishment of a memorial should hay© chosen a, library. It was being recognised all the world over that there must be closer co-oper-ation between the library and the school if the best "results were to be obtained from both. The greatest tribute the memorial library could be to those who had fallen, would be the most active use of 'it possible to make. He was sure it would not be a mere repository for indexed books, but would become a great factor for the education of those who used it. Mr L. B. Clarke, President of the Old Pupils' Association, made a. lengthy speech, in which he expressed many splendid sentiments. It was a great pleasure for the old pupils who had. been unable to do their bit abroad to be able to pay a last tribute to those who had given of their best for the cause of Empire and humanity. Over 240 old boys and a number of girls, in addition to three masters, went to tlie front. Tracing the groat wars recorded in history, Mr Clarke claimed that never before had men been called upon to perform so great a task. He went on in very fine manner to illustrate the immense sacrifice that was made by the mothers, who perhaps suffered most of all, yet suffered silently. The present pupils had been set a very fine example. The old pupils were fitted for their , lives ,in the same ground and under similar conditions as the boys of to-day; they were fitted to. do their duty to their country and they did it like men. If the present boys heeded the advice of their masters as did the old boys then they would be well equipped to discharge their responsibilities as citizens of the Empire. The Headmaster (Mr W. F. Wat-

tea's) said it was his- good fortune, to hav'3 known a good number of the- hoys

who went from the. school. Of the 51 who made the supreme sacrifice, 37 were at the school in his time. He told -the present boys that they were the brotherhood of the school; they were the brothers of the men who had gene to the war as old pupils of the Ashburtou High School. He would only be stating the simple truth when he said that a. finer lot of men never went..to fight for their country than the old' boys of the school. Despite their intellectual capacity, big or small, they were all good soldiers. And to-day'we honoured those who fell because they gave all they had to give, and also those who returned because they were willing to give all they had. We who pursued the even tenor bf our way in New Zealand could hardly have realised the grim test of endurance the men had to pass through on the battlefield, and it was due to their courage, high morale, and determination that they succeeded. None of them, he thought, could have realised the true meaning of the school motta, "Firtus in Arduis," until they faced their task at the front. Mr Watters said it was a compliment to the training at the school when it was said that not more than a dozen of the boys "who volunteered were unfit physically. If the men who had gone could give a message they would say: "Be fit and keep fit." While he admired the aims and ideals and lofty motives of the League of Nations, he would say that until self-interest ceased to be the guiding motive of men the efforts of the League of Nations to check war could hardly be effective. He thought the memorial scheme a simple but most appropriate one, and he hoped the children would cultivate a love for good literature. Colonel 11-. Young, spoke briefly, and paid a tribute to "Garry' ! Upton, who fell at the Somme in 1916. "Garry" Upton was an old boy of the school and one of the finest soldiers ho had ever known, said the Colonel. Colonel J. Findlay, paid a "tribute to the chivalry, courage and optimism of the New Zealand soldiers under all manner of conditions experienced at j the various theatres of war

Mr Reid then presented the Minister with a miniature gold and the Minister declared the building open . and went inside, where he unyeiled the memorial.

The ceremony concluded with the pronouncing of the Benediction and the'si'isnng of the National Anthem. Afternoon tea was provided.