"THREE SHEEP."

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18906, 22 January 1927, Page 11

"THREE SHEEP."

ON HERALDIC SHIELD.

EDUCATION BOARD'S RIDICULE

Disgust was expressed by members of the Canterbury Education Board at yesterday's meeting with a design submitted to them for a window in the new Training College in Peterborough street. A.'arious faults were found with the design, but three heraldic fleeces were rated with ridicule, and the Board decided to strike them out. The "sheep" in question are really orthodox heraldic fleeces, hung by golden bands in a diagonal row across the shield. 'Mr W. A. Banks, who was apparently under the impression that the fleeces were meant to represent real mutton, said that such sheep had never existed. They were absurdities and monstrosities. They, had no ears, and were hung in a fashion that the Societv for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals would not tolerate. Sheep were not handled that way now. He detailed the merits of the Canterbury sheep, which he said were the finest m the world. The Corriedale, for instance, was founded in New Zealand by the late Mr James Little, and the breed had been distributed all over the world. The sheep in the design represented, the manner in which sheep might have been handled a thousand years ago. He moved that the sheep designs be struck out. "They look more like old rams! said the chairman, Mr W. P. Spencer. "The Board," he added, "should invite competitive designs for the shield and get. hold of something decent." Mr T. Hughes said that specimens ot the same type of heraldic sheep were on the coat of arms of in England. They were symbolic of industry. Several other members expressed their opinions in a more or less jocular manner, but when the motion that the sheep be struck out was put, it was carried by one, vote —the chairman's casting vote. A resolution was then moved that the design should be referred to the Normal School Committee for a report, but was lost, and it was decided to invite fresh competitive designs. . The design of the shield in question embodies, as well as the fleeces, an ancient t.vne of lamp, representing the light of knowledge, and* also a hand "rasping a scroll, svmbolising learning. At the bottom there is the motto, in Latin, 'Learn that you may teach."