SCHOOL GARDENS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19986, 19 December 1934, Page 13

SCHOOL GARDENS

HURDLEY SHIELD PRESENTED

CEREMONY AT W AIM ATE

A very pleasant function was held yesterday afternoon at the Waimate Primary School, when a party comprising Mr and Mrs G. Bowker, Mr and Mrs G. Wallace, Mrs R. H. Rhodes and Mr G. Knowles (representing the South Canterbury Horticultural Society). Mr G. Benstead (Education Board) and Mrs Benstead. Mr A. E. Lawrence (editor, “Timaru Herald”), and Mr G. Ridley (School Agricultural Instructor) visited the school to present the Hurdley Shield won in the school gardens competition. Mr W. F. George, chairman of the school committee, said that it gave him very great pleasure to welcome and introduce the visitors, and he tendered apologies from Messrs G. W. Armitage and J. W. Preen (members of the Education Board), and the Mayqr of Timaru (Mr T. W. Satterthwaite) who were unable to be present. Mr Bowker said that it was his pleasing duty as president of the | Timaru Horticultural Society to present to the winners the Hurdley Shield. When Mr John Hurdley presented the shield 25 years ago he had stipulated that it was to be competed for by all the primary schools in South Canterbury, and to-day on looking round they were delighted with the display of flowers and shrubs of the winning school. They were also delighted with the children’s demonstration plots, and another feature of great interest was the trial grass plots which were grown to find the variety best suited to each particular district. To the children he would say that by study, obedience and application to their work they could best help their teachers, and he was pleased to see that horticulture was being included in their tuition. Love of the beautiful and a love of Nature were necessary in the make-up of education, and to this section he wished particularly to refer. In Waimate they still had a part of the wonderful native bush, and some of the native birds were still with them. If they would learn to love and protect them they would get much of the joy of life from their companionship. Mr Bowker then offered his congratulations to the Waimate school on winning the shield which he handed over to the headmaster (Mr A. Bringans) amidst applause. System of Grading Advocated. Mr Benstead said that he was present on this happy occasion to represent the Education Board, and as chairman of the Vocational Training Committee of the Board he was particularly interested in the agricultural and horticultural study undertaken by the pupils. He wanted to congratulate the Waimate school on winning the Hurdley Shield, but he did not wish the pupils to allow their studies to be wrapped up in the winning of the shield. Continuing, Mr Benstead said that they had seen some wonderfully fine displays amongst the losers in the competitions, one in particular at Pareora School, and in his opinion he thought it would be advantageous if some system of grading were introduced by which all the schools would compete on an equal footing. In conclusion he extended congratulations 1o Waimate on the beautiful display which had earned it the winning bracket in the competition. In accepting the trophy, Mr Bringans said that he was naturally pleased that Waimate had for the first time won the Shield, but it was even more gratifying to know 7 , after a round of inspection, that the children had respected the trees and the flower beds in the grounds. The inspection had shown that there was not a foot mark on any of the flower beds, and no tree had been in any way damaged by the pupils. This indicated that in their future lives the parks and domains of their town would receive the interested help of the present day pupils. To be complete, Mr Bringans said that as an ideal example to the children the school premises should be attractive inside as well as outside, and while he had the ear of the Board members, he would ask them to go through the school at the conclusion of the present proceedings and they would undoubtedly find that the inside features of the school were sadly lacking. They had been pressing for years to have the school remodelled, and there was no doubt that this was an urgent necessity. In conclusion .Mr Bringans tendered thanks to all who had helped in making the garden display in which they took justifiable pride. Mr Knowles, in a brief speech, said that he had known the school before the gardens were laid out, and he would like to congratulate them on their success in the competition. The removal of the old macrocarpa hedge was an excellent idea which could be well followed in many cases, as it gave a better opportunity for people passing to admire the beauty of the grounds. All that it was necessary to say in regard to the beauties of horticulture and its affect, especially on young people, had been ably said by previous speakers, and it remained only for him again to congratulate them on their well deserved win. Lessons to be Learned Mr Lawrence said he remembered that when a boy he did not like listening to too many speeches, but he wished to congratulate the school on winning the much coveted trophy. It was particularly interesting to win such a trophy as it was bound to instil, by the study of flowers and of Nature, the greatest lessons to be learned in life, and these lessons could be applied with great benefit and pleasure. Overseas visitors had remarked on the beauty of private gardens in New Zealand, and the gardens of a home was often an indication as to the character of the owner. Mr Lawrence said that he was : in accord with the previous speakers’ remarks that school premises should . be as good inside as out, and he • trusted that Waimate would soon have its wishes in this direction fulfilled. Mr Ridley said he wished to thank the exhibitors for their very fine displays, which were deserving of the > highest praise. As an instructor in the i class which Waimate had won it gave . him pleasure to see the all-round excellence of the competitors. A feature . of the past had been the success i achieved by the smaller schools. Waimate had the benefit of keen gardeners in Mr and Mrs Bringans, who had re- * tained a similar shield in North . Canterbury for many years. The I speaker also wished to offer a word of ; praise to the unemployed men who , had done excellent work in remodelling the school grounds.

Mr W. G. Paul, deputy-mayor, after congratulating the school on its excellent garden, remarked on the necessity for alterations to the school.