GARDEN PARTY MARKS END OF YEAR

Manawatu Times, Volume 65, Issue 307, 16 December 1940, Page 10

GARDEN PARTY MARKS END OF YEAR

Palmerston North Convent School

SIR HARRY BATTERBEE’S ADVICE TO CHILDREN

Held in tho picturesque school grounds, the annual garden party and breaking-up ceremony of the Palmerston North Convent School attracted a big attendance on Saturday afternoon. Sir Harry Batterbee, High Commissioner for the United Kingdom, was the principal speaker. In extending a welcome to all, Rev. Monsignor McManus specially thanked Sir Harry and Lady Batterbee for their coming up to Palmerston North to assist the school in the work it had in hand, which was the education and

character moulding of the rising generation. The Catholic Church maintained that education must be defective in moulding the character if it did not include religious education. The Mayor (Mr. A. E. Hansford) said it seemed hardly like a year since the gathering had met for a similar purpose.' During that year much had happened overseas. A number of nations had been crushed or broken and others were lighting for their existence. England and the peoples of the British Commonwealth were standing the brunt of tho Nazi challenge to Christianity find all that we held dear. If wo were to obtain the victory that we hoped to receive under God’s providence, it would not be with ships, or guns, or aeroplanes, but it would be with the character of our people —something that was not built up in a short time. He trusted that the Convent Behool and the other schools of tho Dominion and the British Commonwealth would continue to inculcate those mental, moral and physical principles which alone could ouild up a nationul character.

After expressing regret that Rev. Mother Winifred was not -with the gathering this year, Mr. J. Hodgens, M.P., extended a welcome to her successor, Rev. Mother Claude. To the girls who were leaving, he suggested that, if they had a vocation for nursing, they should take up that wonderful service where they could do so much for the sick and suffering. Sir Harry Batter oeo thanked the gathering for the welcome extended to Lady Batterbee and himself. Speaking of the building up of character, ho said it was more important to be a really good boy or girl than to be a clever one. The opportunity to be a good and useful boy or girl was open to ail, and he urged the children to do their jobs to the best of their ability. Ho congratulated the school on tho work that it was doing and stressed the value of an upright life, his remarks in this connection being reported in another column. Concluding, he announced that the authorities had granted a request that he had made that the children should be given a holiday at some appropriate time.

The prizes won during the year were then presented. Tho list of winners appeared in tho ‘ ‘ Times ’ ’ on Saturday. Much preparatory work for the garden party had been undertaken over the past few' weeks and the result of this was reflected in the numerous stalls erected aid tho goods and produce they bore. Stalls and conveners were as follow: Variety, ladies of the School Committee; shamrock stall, Mrs. Loftus; Little Flower, Miss G. Kearns; Caledonian, Mrs. White; novelty, Mrs. A. M. Ongley; tearoom, Children of Mary; games and sideshows, Messrs Pustello, J. Barnao, Rurcell and Ongley. Bands of willing helpers assisted at each stall. The thanks of the Sisters of Mercy were accorded to members of the School Committee, tho Society of St. Vincent de Paul, and many other friends w'ho had assisted to make the year a successful one.