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NEW HAMDEN SCHOOL

FOUNDATION-STONE LAID BT HIS EXCELLENCY THE governor: NOTABLE CEREMONY AT KABGRI. There was a large attendance .yesterday afternoon at the of the foundation-stone, by His Excellency the Governor-General, of the new Marsden Collegiate School at Karon. The site is on the left side main Karori road, opposite Karori Church, where no fewer than ten acres of fairly level land have been donated for the purpose by Messrs Eric, Dan and Vivian Riddiford; while Mr Erio Riddiford has also guaranteed half the cost of erecting the school. The building* for whicn Messrs S. and A. Luttrell are the architects and builders, is to be of briok; and will provide n<>r commodation for 54. hoarders and upwards of 150 day-pupils. The foundationstone, which as of Coromandel granite, was prepared and the "foundation for it put up by Messrs Hansford and MUls. It bears the following inscription"To the glory of God and in pious memory of Samuel Marsden, apostle to New Zealand. this stone was laid by His Excellency Admiral of tbe Fleet Viscount Jelliooe of Scapa, G.C.8., C.M., G.C.Y.O.—'Ad Summa’ (the motto of the school)—3lst October, 1923." The inscrip, tion is let into the granite in lead, so that it will never come out. THE CEREMONY.

The ceremony, as befitted the occasion, was largely of a religious character. The service was conducted bv the Right Her. Dr Sprott, Bishop of Wellington, assisted by the Ven. Archdeacon Johnson, and there weTe many clergy of the diocese in attendance. On tbe platform. In addition to His Excellency, were Miss Baber (principal of the school) and the School Governors, Messrs O. Beere, L. O. H. Tripp, E. Hadfield, A. E. Mabyn, and G. W. Henderson. There were also present Ifiis Worship the Mayor (Mr R. A. Wright), the girls of the school, who largely led the singing, and a considerable number of old girls, parents and friends. On behalf of the Board of Governors Mr O. Beere presented His Excellency with a silver trowel, suitably inscribed, and the Governor-General declared the stone well and truly laid. "In the faith of Jesus Christ (he said), we place this foundation-stone to the glory of God aid in memory of his servant, Samuel Mareden, the first missionary to New Zealand In the name of the Father, of tbe Son. and of the Holy Ghost.—Amen. ” HIS EXCELLENCY'S SPEECH HIGH TRIBUTE TO SAMUEL MARSDEN. Lord Jellicoe said that it was always a great pleasure to him to talke part in any ceremony such as that, which marked progress—the progress of education and progress in this Dominion of New Zealand. (Applause.) But it was a special pleasure to him to be there to-day, because there were some significant features, and some very important features connected with the laying of the foundation stone. In the first place, the foundation stone was that of a building which would commemorate the memory of a great and good man. He headed the first mission to New Zealand, and was one of those great men who, in the earlier days of this country, came here with their lives in their hands, and with courage, determination, and self-sacrifice set themselves to preach the Gospel of Christ lr was a matter of history what great success attended the efforts of these early

missionaries; and that marked the occasion as one of great solemnity, and one of great importance. There were other matters, too. which' made the afternoon't ceremony one of special significance. The school which the building was to replace was, he believed, one of the first of its kind in the Dominion, and the laying oi the foundation stone of the new building was a sign of progress of education in the Dominion, and of the' Dominion itself. Yet another reason why he looked upon the ceremony as of great importance was that the school was one of others in the diocese, which, by the munificence of the people of the diocese, and the energy of the clergy, had been erected as oneot a series of diocesan schools, where th* children had the benefit of religious education under the most favourable auspices. GREAT TRADITIONS. The children who would be educated in the building would have great tradition! before them. The old school itself had I great traditions; and he thought that ths number of old girls attending the ceremony was a sign that they realised the great traditions of those who were educated in a school which perpetuated the memory of the Rev. Samuel Marsden, and no doubt they would endeavour to emulate his great example of courage and self-sacrifice. GRATITUDE DUE Gratitude was due to many people for the erection of that building. First it was due to Messrs Riddiford, to whose generosity they owed the site. It was also due to those who were providing the finance to beautify and make useful) and future generations of children who used that school would do well to remember (hose who had made it possible for the school to be there. He could only say. one thing more, and that was to wish the school all possible success iu the future, and to express the hope that the children who lived there would have a very happy, time and would benefit very much indeed by the teaching they received there. (Applause.) THANKED BY THE BISHOP. On behalf of the trustees and governors, the headmistress and staff, and the children of the Marsden School, the Bishop tendered to His Excellency their very real gratitude for his presence that afternoon. It would, he said, have been a very great disappointment to all of them, and he thought he might say especially to the girls, if Hie Excellency’s many engagements had prevented him being present. The girls, quite apart from any suggestion by the school authorities, had been very keen and anxious that the name of Admiral Lord Jellicoe should be set on the foundationstone; and it would have been a lasting disappointment to them if he could not have been present They all regarded His Excellency s presence ‘as a very great honour. The trustees had shouldered a great responsibility in undertaking the erection of that building, and they hoped that the friends of ths school would help them. In view of th« fifty years of the old school’s existence; there must be many people in New Zeeland who had been pupils there, or who had wives and daughters, or mothers who had been pupils there; and the trustees hoped that they would remember their old school. Schools must he first-class or they had better not exist at all. A second or third-rate school was worse than nothing. Their friends (Messrs Riddiford) had given them one of the best sites in New Zealand for the school. The children could not grow up under more healthful nor more beautiful surroundings. There must be many friends who could help them; and the trustees hoped they would do so, so that the school might be not only in the first class of schools, but first in the first class. (Applause.) Afternoon tea was afterwards served in the church schoolroom, where it wae announced that, at the request of His Excellency, the girls had been granted a special half-holiday to mark the occasion..

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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM19231101.2.102

Bibliographic details

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11665, 1 November 1923, Page 6

Word Count
1,212

NEW HAMDEN SCHOOL New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11665, 1 November 1923, Page 6

NEW HAMDEN SCHOOL New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11665, 1 November 1923, Page 6

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