GUY FAWKES DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 76, 26 September 1940, Page 9

GUY FAWKES DAY

HEADMASTER'S IDEA

PATRIOTIC EFFORT

PENNIES FOR WAR

An appeal made to his pupils by the headmaster of the Dominion Road School, Auckland, to forgo their usual Guy Fawkes Day celebrations and to devote funds usually spent on crackers to patriotic purposes has been brought under the notice of his Excellency the Governor-General Lord Galway by the secretary of the school committee. In his letter to his Excellency the secretary suggests the possibility of the appeal being made a national movement—"one," he adds, "that should do much to engender in our children that spirit of self-sacrifice so very essential during these troublous times besides being the means of raising funds for some worthy object, such as, for instance, ths relief of suffering caused through the indiscriminate bombing of our Motherland by the enemy." A reply has been sent, stating that his Excellency much appreciates the keen interest taken by the school committee in the matter, and that he is arranging for the proposal to be discussed by the National Patriotic Fund Board, of which he is chairman, TEXT OF APPEAL. The headmaster of the Dominion Road School is Mr. H. McCowan. His appeal is headed "Dominion Road School Patriotic Effort," "Guy Fawkes Day, 1940," "My appeal to every scholar in the school." The text, striking because of its simplicity, its reflection of the headmaster's understanding, and .general appeal, is as follows: — "Dear Boys and Girls, —I am making a call for a great sacrifice on your: part, but I feel confident that you will j stand by me and make the sacrifice for; the honour of our school, of which I am sure you are so proud. "I have been a youngster myself, and E have not forgotten the great fun it was to collect 'A Penny for the Guy, Please!' Then, after a few weeks of preparing the great bonfire heap, the big night came, the bonfire was lit, and fireworks for which I saved the pennies were sent blazing into the sky. • Boys and girls, those were happy days, and I do not forget them, and I know that you all look forward to November 5. This year, as you know, our beloved flag, the Union Jack, is in danger. A merciless foe wants to tear it down and trample it in the dust. Brave men have left the sunny land of New Zealand to fight this cruel foe. Many of these men soar into the air in their fighter planes and stop the enemy from hurling death and destruction on peaceful citizens below. Others in the Army and Navy are also bravely sharing in the protection of our homes. The Empire requires money to replace planes lost and to maintain damaged ones. Much money is also required to repair the damage done and to succour the many thousands who are in need and suffering through the cruelty of an unscrupulous foe: I know that every boy and girl ' in this school would like to help win the war. YOU CAN. Go and collect your money for November 5, Guy Fawke's Day, but this year hand over all of your collections to the school's patriotic fund. "Say this: 'I will not buy and burn fireworks while brave men are fighting in far-away lands that New Zealand may be free!' "Boys and girls, I cannot say that you must do this, but I do ask: " *Will you volunteer to do it?' GIVING TO WIN. "I shall be a very proud man if on November 5 I can say that my boys and girls did not spend their money on fireworks, but gave it to help win the war. "Every boy and girl will be supplied with a tin in which to put the collections, and on Tuesday, November 5, at 9 o'clock, these tins wil^ be deposited at the foot of the Flag as you march into school. "God Save the King. "Thank you, boys and girls.—-Your friend, "H. McCOWAN." Appended to the document is a note by the headmaster to parents, explaining that the appeal is one of sacrifice, and suggesting that after they have read it they will welcome the opportunity of working with him to train the children to become good and useful citizens, and seeking the help and cooperation of the parents in making the appeal a successful one.