SCHOOL’S VALUE.

Waikato Times, Volume 108, Issue 18164, 31 October 1930, Page 9

SCHOOL’S VALUE.

. PRICELESS EDUCATION. GOVERNOR AT BOYS’ COLLEGE. The value of a good education, built upon a healthy body and a healthy mind, with due exercise of self- „ restraint, was the theme of an address given by His , Excellency the ' Governor-General, ■ Lord Bledisloe, when he paid an .official visit to Wellington College, where he addressed a full assembly of'pupils 'and staff. His Excellency was accompanied by' Her Excellency* Lady Bledisloe. A visit was paid to Firth House, and a brief inspection made of the old building and the new school, and then to the Memorial Hall for the main assembly. A hearty welcome was extended to Their Excellencies by Mr Barber, who referred to the interest “shown by them in all that pertained to the welfare of the Dominion, and particularly in the young generation. It was not only In educational matters that His Excellency had interested himself, but also in professional,' agricultural, industrial &nd social problems, and if • the people were guided by his advice it would go far--to solve some of the problems facing New Zealand to-day and to bring the Dominion back to the prosperous position it had enjoyed in the past. Pride In the Past. / Colonel St. J. Beere expressed a welcome on behalf or the Old Boys’ Association, referring to the fact that the present Chief Justice, two judges and Colonel Freyberg-were old boys, of the college.' Appreciation on behalf of the staff and pupils at -the Vice-Regal visit was expressed by Mr Armour, who spoke of the interest which had always been taken in the school by those who had resided at Government House. The history of the -college was short as compared with the great schools atHome, but long as compared with most of the. schools in the Dominion, and it had come to be one ’of the largest schools in New Zealand. They were not so proud of its size as of the men it had turned out in the past, for it had a splendid record in scholarship, athletics and the type of character, of the men who .had passed through the college. Their ideal was to develop character, to develop the spirit of earnest work and the spirit of service which was true citizenship. They met for morning prayer in that hall which was a memorial to those old boys who served and those who fell in the war. They felt the influence of those men about them and tried to live up to it. A very cordial welcome was given by the boys to His/ Excellency on his rising to speak. Reference had been made to the incompleteness of the buildings and grounds, said Lord Bledisloe, but what made the greatness of any school was not its buildings or playing fields, but the human material of 'which' it was composed and which passed from it into thegreat world. Remarking' upon . the strong physical appearance of, the boys, he thought, even Dr. Elliott would agree with him when lie''said it would be difficult to instil knowledge into-a- machine'which was*not in a fit state to receive it. To have a sound mind they must have a sound body. Touching reference was made to those 222 old boys who gave their lives in the cause of liberty, .whose names were enrolled in that hall, and the many others of the 1590 who had won distinctions and decorations at waE Not only was that beautiful hall a worthy memorial of those' of whom they' had just reason to be proud, but it was in itself a fine specimen of modern'architectural art of which the school should always be proud, and upon which he congratulated the architect (Mr (Lawrence). That school was one of the oldest in the Dominion, and had already built up great traditions, and he hoped its pupils would continue to add to them and. be prepared to help the school in the days to come.

Worth More Than Money. There, was nothing better that parents could provide their children with than a good education, said His Excellency. It enabled them in the days to come to attain for themselves something greater than worldly wealth, something that money could, hot buy, to attain for themselves such positions among their fellow men and •in the British Empire which knowledge alone could bring. This was a remarkable country, both 'naturally and politically; but with all that they must have good citizens upon whom the responsibilities as well as the privileges of the country, as well as the British Empire, would • some day rest. He urged them to make the most of the three factors in their school life—discipline, formation of character, and the acquisition of knowledge. Some were looking forward to a time of greater freedom, but their happiness would depend upon their < discipline and self-control, coupled with noble ideals' and the determination to do the right and face the consequences. Knowledge was power, for without knowledge they were going to be under a severe handicap. In the days to come they would have to face greater competition than in the past, but they had much better endowments than their parents or,grandparents could have provided for them. Let them make good use of them, doing their work thoroughly and not superficially. He believed the boy who was keen at games and at athletics was the boy with ' the greatest capacity intellectually, and would do well in the future. Let them jfrull their weight, and make pp their minds that they would not be a drag upon their parents and their country. 'Then when they asked 'hemselves in days to come: “What have I done for New Zealand and the British Empire, which have done so much for me?” they could say that they had been loyal and had done their best. . They could do no more.