FLAGS EXCHANGED

Evening Star, Issue 22892, 25 February 1938, Page 14

FLAGS EXCHANGED

GIRLS' HIGH SCHOOL CEREMONY r LINK WITH THE HOMELAND A strong link between the Grey 1 ! Coats Hospital School, London, and the Otago Girls’ High School was forged at the school .yesterday afternoon by the exchange of flags by the two schools, the London school sending a Union Jack and the local school sending to England a. Blue New Zealand Ensign. The pupils were assembled in the hall for the occasion, and on. tha platform were Miss M. H. M. King (principal), several members ofl the Board of Governors—Mr W. RBrugh (chairman), Messrs C. HSomerville, J. Robertson, F. H. Campbell, and C. R. M'Lean (secretary)* and Miss Allen, a former principal. Miss King said that they ‘ had gathered on a unique occasion, and extended a welcome to the visitors. She also welcomed Mr Brugh back from' his trip abroad. i Mr Brugh said he regarded the ceremony as outstanding in the history ofi the school, and explained that while he was in London last year he had been) invited to officiate at the ' break-up ceremony of the Grey Coats Hospital! School, which was situated in the heard of Westminster. He had been surprised! to find that ; the head mistress wa» Miss , Ohatten Strode, who was the granddaughter of the first magistrate m Otago. The school was founded ini 1698, said Mr Brugh, who then traced its history through the centuries. The school received a charter from Queen Anne in , 1706, but in 1874 . the boys were taken away and the school became entirely for girls. The school had derived! its name from the custom of "the pupils wearing grey coats. Mr, Brugh said that he had made the suggestion that the Grey Coat School andi the school in which he was interested should have some form of associationThe suggestion was approved, and letters passed between the two schools* It was then decided to exchange flags* and a Union Jack was given to tha speaker to bring with him and presentWith it was a letter from the school captain to the head girl. This was delivered to and read by Daphne Morrison. . ' . ,

Mr Brugh said that the Board of Governors had obtained a New Zea* land flag,, and he asked Miss a member of the staff who was shortly leaving for England, to present it ta the Grey Coats .Hospital School. They •also asked her to associate herself with' Miss Lawson, another member of the staff who was in London, in> making the presentation with the best wishe* of the Otago Girls’ High School. The speaker then extended a welcome ta Miss Moorhouse, of Croydon, at present on the staff of the school, and mentioned the impending departure of Miss Dalrymple, who was soon to retire. The gift flag was accepted’ on behalf of the school by Miss King, wha said that an endeavour would be made to have it permanently displayed in the hall. She asked Miss Morton to extend to the Grey Coats School the best wishes of the Otago Girls’ High School. Miss Morton said she would carry out the tasks entrusted to her.