WANGANUI COLLEGE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 481, 14 April 1909, Page 7

WANGANUI COLLEGE.

SPEECH BY THE GOVERNOR. ■'.IMPERIAL ASPECT OF EDUCATION. (BY TELEOn.VTH—rRBSS ASSOCIATION.) ', Wangsnul, April 13. The celebrations in connection with Wanganui College wore continued to-day. In tho afternoon his Excellency the.Governor, Lord Plunkot, laid tho foundation stone of tho now college buildings, which are to cost £30,000.

In tho course of his speech tho Governor said:—lt is always a pleasure to mo to snow by any means in my power my admiration for tho educational system of Now Zealand, and my profound respect for it? masters a:id its professors. It was, therefore, with peculiar pleasure tb.it I found myself invited as His Majesty's representative to take part ill an important occasion in the life of a school which occupies so distinct a place in the education of tho youth of this Dominion. It i 3 unnecessary for me to dwell upon tho advantages of tho new buildings tho foundation of ono of which I have laid to-ilav. These aro evident to anyone who has inspected the venerable and interesting, but somewhat tottering, relics of tho old school. It is, however, impossible to talk so lightheartedly 'of the coming disappearance, of another, link with tho history of this institution. Mr. Empson, who as headmaster during tho past, twenty yean has raised this school grofitly in numbers, and raised it far higher still in.reputation, now leaves, if not rich in years, rich in honour and the affection pf those who h%re served beneath him. What ho (and I may s\dd Mrs. Empson) has done for this school .moat of my audience know far moro intimately than myself, but upon what ho-has clone indirectly for New Zealand and for the Empire. I would vo.nturo a few words. No educational department, no system of routine instruction, can produce what has been created in this school—that definite tone, that subtle atmosphere which distinguishes our public schools at Home It is difficult to define it to those"' who havo not lived m it themselves, but it has been one of tho most important factors in En"and s glorious past, and it is one of tho mam bulwarks wo st.'ll havo against decadence in our race. Pride in his school and its old traditions, and jealousy of its honour, respect tor religion, fpr authority, -for womenkind, scorn for low thoughts and mean actions, and contempt for the impure-minded, the slacker, tho coward, tho tuft-hunter, or the purseproud; add to that loyalty to his house, and a perfect worship for those who have won their way into the school cricket or football team, aiiri vou obtain tlh> class of bov the iinglisli public schools turn'oufc in thousands —not infect if ycui like. im \ wanting 1 tear, too often in scholarship, but after all as Emerson ventured to write: "The world's great men have not commonly been great scholars, nor its great scholar.s'.groat men." lint bays who have been taught not to funk, not to squeal, and have learnt to "plav the game"—that is the spirit which, thanks to Mr. Empscm and his assistant masters, Um V iUlgaiuii school has so full-,- imbibed, and as one who believes it has irroatlv assisted in making our Umpire, I pay him aiiil his school my respectful tribute. . In conclusion 1 would pniy paint to tho number of old boy.-; wiin hare flocked together here this week' as rn evidence of that snirit to which 1 have referred, (t is a fitting tribute to former headmasters, a proper honour to Mr. Empson and I am sure an encouragement to nis successor. Mr. Dove. The oelobrati-His were concluded to-night when the annual ball was held. ' The. old hoys' subscription list towards the erection of tho new chapel has now reached over £2000.