MEMORIAL TABLET

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19115, 26 September 1927, Page 13

MEMORIAL TABLET

1 THE LATE MRS GARD'NER. UNVEILED AT TRAINING HOSTEL The unveiling of ft memorial tablet to' the late Mrs Gard'ner, and the official opening of the extensions of the Girls' Training Hostel in connexion with the Technical College, took place on Saturday afternoon before a large crowd of interested people. The memorial tablet is a very handsome piece of work. It is of bronze, mounted on oak. It bears the following inscription:—"Utile Quod Houestum.— For Remembrance—Mrs Gard'ner, 1861-1926, first principal of this hostel, and pioneer in housecraft training—of rare humanity, charm, and culture, an example of noble womanhood. She laboured incessantly for others. Qui Legis Imitare." The chairman of the Technical College Board of Governors, Mr McGregor B. Wright, who presided, traversed the history of the hostel and its activities. Each year, he said, 130 girls were trained in domestic science. The tablet erected to the memory of the late Mrs Gard'ner, was the work_ of a master craftsman, Mr Gurnsey, " who had put liis best skill into it. The tablet was then unveiled by Mrs Croasdaile Bowen. The work done for the hostel by the late Mrs Gard'ner was striking'and far-reaching in its good effects, said Mrs Bowen. Mrs Gard'ner came from a luxurious home in Sweden and learned in lier very early life the rudiments of home science, in which she had taken an allabsorbing interest. Her life had been a strenuous one, but her wonderful personality and influence caused all who came in contact with her to gain something from the experience. > The Mayor (Mr J. K. Archer) said that the very beautiful tablet would keep permanently in mind the memory of the late Mrs Gard'ner. The Hostel was doing a very valuable work for the young women of Christchurch. The building itself and the extensions were" very well and artistically planned, and they should exercise a refining influence upon the girls. It was tremendously important, said Mr Archer, for the girls to be reminded, in these days of sport and jazz, that such a thing as cooking was required in the world. (Laughter.) A gradual change was coming over the world, and it had been fostered by such noble women as the late Mrs Gard'ner, who strove always not for acquisitiveness, but for service. Dr. D. E. Hansen, principal of the College, said that the late Mrs Gard'ner had been celebrated throughout New Zealand for her great work. It was very creditable that the Christchurch City Council had, from as far back as 1885, made a substantial donation towards the work, and kept it up from year to year. That subsidy had amounted to £3OO per annum. The Council took a broad view of-its duties and did a great deal for home science. Mr McGregor "Wright then formally opened the extensions,, which give increased accommodation, •■ containing seven extra bedrooms. Subsequently, the guests were entertained at afternoon tea. ;