SEDDON MEDALS

Grey River Argus, 28 March 1928, Page 6

SEDDON MEDALS

ANNUAL PRESENTATIONS. The presentation of the Seddon medals awarded every year to the boy and girl scoring the highest marks in English and Arithmetic in the Junior National Scholarship Examinations, took place yesterday morning. The successful pupils for the 1927 exam were John Chalmers (Technical School) and Lucy Colon (Convent School). The presentations wert made by the Mayor, Mr. J. W. Greenslade, who was accompanied by Messrs F. 11. Kilgourj, and T. R. Saywell, Trustees of the, fund and T. E. Y. Seddon AI.P. The parents of the two pupils were also present. The first presentation was made at the Technical School where Air. Greenslade outlined the objects foi which the medal -Usui l>o‘— -toundec, mentioning that a fund had been started by Coast people to commemorate the name of that great statesman, the Rt. Hon. R. J. Seddon, former Premier of New Zealand, whose untiring work in its interests was sow history, in patricular his efforts to secure fre e secondary education. The scheme had been inaugurated in 1911, when a fund had been established total ling £195/19/-, which had now increased to £238 14/-, which excellent position was due to the work of the trustees. They had with them Air. F. H. Kilgour, one of the original trustees of the fund, who had ah with his fellow trustees. carefully Watched over the scheme, which had been a means of furthering education in the district. Air. Greenslade exam pled Dr. John Cairney, first winner of the medal, whose brilliant career could be followed by the pupils of today. The speaker concluded by exhorting those pupils to remember the benefits that could be derived from education, and also to remember to be grateful for the excellent teaching staff over them.

Mr. T. E. Y. Seddon, thanked Air. Greenslade for his kind remarks about his father mentioning also that the successful competitor’s grandfather had been a close friend of his (the speakers’) father, both being old Kumar a residents. He also mentioned that another brother Robert, had won the medal two years ago. Ho congratulated the winner and urged him to still greater efforts. The party were met by Rev. Father Long, Administrator of the Parish, at the Convent of Mercy, where two choruses were sung, and the winner. Miss Colon recited “The Watermill. ” Mr. Greenslade then congratulated th p winner, stating that the girls appeared to have that quality which is so necessary to success, namely industry. He ..outlined the great work accomplished by the Right Hon. R. J. Soddon, mentioning his hard struggle in getting educational benefits to all classes. “I hope this will be the forerunner of many further successes,” said Air. Greenslade, in presenting the medal to Miss Colon. (Cheers).

Air. Seddon remarked that the parents of Miss CoTen came from Brittany, and he felt sure their friends in Brittany would be pleased to hear of the success of a little French girl in far away Now Zealand. He congratulated the nuns in adding a further win to their long list of successes. It was a great, pleasure, to him. to hear of Father Long’s kind references in welcoming "them to the school, to his father’s Work in furthering education in New Zealand. The advantages lay with the. children of the present day. which were rfot enjoyed by their parents, of thirty years ago, and he urged them to take the opportunity and further their own education to the fullest.