IN THE SCHOOLS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19783, 26 April 1934, Page 10

IN THE SCHOOLS

TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL. “The stage on which we play our parts is an extraordinarily small one I admit, but if we can develop a spirit of goodwill amongst ourselves, we have made a vast contribution towards the peace of the world,” said Major-General Sir Andrew Russell, K.C.8., K.C.M.G., in addressing pupils of the Timaru Technical High School at an Anzac memorial service at the school on Tuesday afternoon. The chairman of the Board of Managers (Mr A. Stead) presided, and associated with him on the platform were the Rev. J. Evans, Mr A. Washer (memer of the Board) and the principal (Mr F. L. N. Tuck).

The chairman referred to the universal respect in which Sir Andrew Russell was held, and thanked him for the honour he had conferred on the school in consenting to address the pupils.

Referring to the Anzac Day commemoration Sir Andrew said that the men who died at the front had consecrated their lives to our service, and had given us an inspiration to carry on the ideals for which they fought and died. Symbolically it was a trimming again of the lamp of the spirit of Anzac.

“We who went to the front were animated at the start by the-spirit of adventure—a sign of a healthy mind in a healthy body,” said Sir Andrew. It was that spirit which prompted also famous men like Sir Charles Kingsford Smith and Rear-Admiral Byrd. To get anywhere in life, however, one must have a worth-while ideal, and one of the first lessons one had to remember was to forget oneself. It was necessary also to cultivate a spirit of selfsacrifice, comradeship and chivalry—the principle on which the future of the world depended, for chivalry meant caring for even one’s enemies. “No doubt many of you older pupils have followed the movements in recent years to end war, and have read of the unfortunate career of the Disarmament Conference which is likely to end in failure. You and I want to make a contribution towards the cause of peace,” he said, “and we can do this by cultivating a spirit of goodwill amongst ourselves. How can you or I take a kindly and friendly attitude towards, say, the Japanese and the Germans if we have not a spirit of goodwill amongst ourselves?” he asked.

Sir Andrew said he felt that on their way through life the pupils would find that for inspiration as to the ideal they followed and encouragement in the battle, which might be hard, there was one sure source of strength, inspiration and consolation, and that was the Almighty. A scripture reading was given by the principal, the Rev. J. Evans led the gathering in prayer, while the hymns “O God Our Help in Ages Past” and “O Valiant Hearts” were sung. An impressive silence for two minutes was observed during the placing of a wreath, comprised chiefly of poppies, by two senior pupils, Bessie Geddes and George Hunter . “Last Post” was sounded by R. S. Gribben, and the Benediction, pronounced by Mr Evans, concluded the service.

TIMARU MAIN. The inclemency of the weather prevented the holding of the Main School Anzac Service at the memorial. The service, which was attended by a large number of children and parents, was held in the school. The wreaths were later taken to the memorial by those in charge and deposited there. The service commenced with the singing of the National Anthem and was followed by the hymn, “O God, Our Help in Ages Past.” A passage from the Scriptures was read by the Rev. H. L. Fiebig after which a selection was played by the band. In his address Mr Fiebig said that perhaps it was as well that the children did not have the full understanding of the meaning of Anzac Day. He explained that the day had been set aside as a day on which future generations could remember and honour the dead. Illustrating his point further the speaker said that when he was a boy in Wellington men were building a dock. They drove piles but to no avail as they just sank in the mud and in the end no dock was built. This was like to the men who went overseas and strove for what they thought would leave the world better when all was over; but the result was the same. They came back, maimed, blinded and sadly disillusioned to a worse world. He drew a comparison between a destructor and war. The destructor was going day and night burning up rubbish, and war was the same, with the exception that instead of burning up rubbish, all the best things in life were destroyed; everything beautiful and sacred to man. War was caused by the greed and ambitions of men, whose only thought was for more wealth and who thought that security could only be maintained by force of arms. In conclusion he said that every child should try to do a little towards the prevention of war and that every person’s aim must be to leave the world better than before.

The service concluded with the singing of “Recessional” and the benediction. “Last Post” was sounded by a member of the Timaru Municipal Band, which led the singing.

TIMARU SOUTH. The Anzac service at the South School was conducted by the Rev. J. Evans and appropriate hymns were played by the Municipal Band. Mr A. H. Wyatt, chairman of the school committee, addressing the children. said that they were gathered to honour the memory of those gallant New Zealanders and Australians who had, 19 years ago, made the supreme sacrifice, that those at home might enjoy the freedom they do to-day. An extract from the Scriptures was read by Mr Evans and the children sang an Anzac hymn. Children nowadays, said Mr Evans, did not fully realise what the Great War really implied; to them it was an event of past history, just as all other wars were events in historj'. However there was one difference—in previous wars men joined up to fight for the old England, but in the Great War they were striving for a new England —a new world. They gave their lives to end all wars. The chief causes of wars were greed and selfishness and children should practise, above all things, unselfishness. They all knew that in their own homes when they quarrelled or fought they caused strife and unhappiness. A word which came very much into public use‘during the war was the word “service.” Not only soldiers gave service, but old people, women, boys and girls also. Women and girls worked in hospitals, munition factories, as conductors on buses and trams, all to help the cause for which our soldiers were striving on the battlefields. Business people had coined the word “service” as a business term—something new. They did not realise that Jesus Christ taught the doctrine of service nearly 2000 years ago. It was a splendid thing for boys and girls to forget themselves entirely and think only of others. Nurse Cavell sacrificed her life with no thought of herself and children could begin now to model their lives on the same pattern by being unselfish. How could peace exist among the nations if each one was quarrelling and fighting internally? He concluded by quoting:

“Greater love hath no man than he who layeth down his life for another.” “Last Post” was sounded by Bandsman Roy Mathieson. At the conclusion of the service wreaths were placed upon the table? by Mr Evans. WAIMATAITAI. In spite of the unfavourable weather the Anzac Day Commemoration service at the Waimataitai School was largely attended by parents, friends of the school, staff, ex-pupils and pupils. The chairman of the School Committee (Mr G. Benstead) presided, the service being conducted by the Rev. D. Thorpe. Dr. F. F. A. Ulrich, president of the South Canterbury Returned Soldiers’ Association, who delivered an address to the pupils, traced the events leading up to the world war. He spoke of Britain’s hesitancy in taking part in the conflict, and of the ready answer made by the Dominions to the call from the Motherland when she did enter the war to assist the smaller countries against whom the odds were overwhelming. The noble sacrifices made by the men and women who had laid down their lives, and the debt we owed them, were emphasised by the speaker, who especially mentioned the deeds of the Australian and New Zealand forces at Gallipoli. He spoke of the horrors of 1914-18 as a means of impressing on the children the need to-day for universal peace. The hymns “O God Our Help in Ages Past,” and “Land of Our Birth,” were sung, while the senior girls impressed the gathering by reciting Joyce Kilmer’s “Comrades Farewell.” The Rev. D. Thorpe gave a scripture reading and led the assemblage in prayer, the service concluding with “Last Post,” and the Benediction. During the morning floral tributes were placed on the School Memorial Tablet. WEST SCHOOL. Parents and friends assembled in large numbers at the West School, where an impressive service was held in one of the classrooms. The chairman of the committee (Mr E. Laverty) presided, and he had associated with him the headmaster (Mr E. Romans) and members of the committee. The speaker was Major-General Sir Andrew Russell. Before the service commenced, Mr Romans extended a welcome to Sir Andrew, expressing appreciation of his kindness in consenting to attend the service.

Following the reading of a passage of Scripture by the Rev. J. Russell Grave, the gathering sang the hymn, “O God Our Help in Ages Past.” The chairman then addressed the children, and also extended a welcome to Sir Andrew Russell. He read a passage from a book entitled “The Gallant Company,” written by an Australian soldier, who paid striking tribute to the New Zealand soldiers, whose main idea had been to please their general. The children also had a general, their headmaster, and their every endeavour throughout their school days should be to please him. In his address, Major-General Sir Andrew Russell asked what Anzac Day stood for. and what did it represent to the children who were growing up 9 How far had they learnt the story of the landing on Gallipoli and subsequent battles, not only on the Peninsula, but in France? He hoped that the lesson of Anzac and the Great War was known to them. The wreath that had been placed in the room that morning was a symbol of remembrance to those who had lost their lives in the war in order that those who were left should live in peace. In one sense, the whole thing became dim; the memory of it faded, but every now and then, and especially on Anzac Day, the men who fought and died were remembered. The children should try to remember what Anzac Day stood for, and to try to carry on the good work. The first thing they had to learn in life was self-forgetfulness. Every day, in every action, they should forget themselves, and remember others, and by doing that they womd learn the lesson of comradeship. Envy hatred and malice should be banished, and finally they should remember the greatest general of all, the Almighty Himself. By practising the spirit of goodwill, they could do more in the cause of peace than all the disarmament conferences. A prayer was offered by Mr Grave, and the gathering then sang Kipling’s “Recessional.” “Last Post” was sounded by Mr R. Milligan, and the service concluded with the National Anthem.