IN THE SCHOOLS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 186, 26 April 1918, Page 6

IN THE SCHOOLS

REV, A; E; HUNT'S INSPIRING ADDRESS TO CLYDE QUAY CHILDREN "One crowded hour of glorious life is worth an age without a uamo," aptly quoted the Minister of Education, the Hon. J. A. Hauau, at the memorial service under the auspices of the Clyde Quay School, whici was held in the morning .in tho Paramount Theatre, kindly lent for the occasion bv the directors. The building was crowded with school children and their elders. Tho eorvice was impressive and of a nature calculated to inspire in Iho children true sentiment and high ideals, coupled with a deep sense oi reverence and honour for Now Zealand's heroic dead.

Sir. T. I'orsyth, chairman of the Clydo Quay School Committee, presided, and told the children that the service was to remiud them of the wonderful deeds dono by those of their own kith und kin. As the future men and women of the nation, it behoved tho children to be impressed with tho duty which fell to their lot—that of keeping alive the glorious traditions of the British Empire. A stirring and eloquent address, to which tho children listened with rapt attention, .was delivered by the Eov. A, E. Hunt. After describing the memorable landing on Gallipoli, Air. Hunt eaid that most of the men who took part in that action were young and untrained uoldiei'S, yet they wont into tho battle fearlessly, and achieved results of which the sternest veterans might well feel proud. The Anzacs • went forth in tho spirit of the true British soldier, and . they crowned themselves not only .with ! glory, but with honour. The sneaker , linid a tribute to tho part played in tho i campaign by the Australians, the Brit-1 ish, and the French, ami last, out by i no means least, the British Navy. Con- i tinning, he said: "I want to remind you I of tho magnificent spirit that inspired ' our men. In Gallipoli and in- the other Reids in which they were 'engaged they •lave typified the spirit of the British flag. They have fought well because they believed in the righteousness of 1 li«ir cause Well may it be said of them: '.My strength is as the strength uf ten, beeau.4 my heavt is pure.' Mo o;io can ever dn their best unless tlioy -mc doing i,c for (he righ 1 ;! Our men bolieveil in what they wero fighting for. They have not gono because they wanted to go or ho. cause they loved fghtiiig, but rather be. cause they considered it their duty to go . and fight for the flag These men who have ro loyally laid clown their li"es have not 'lost' their lives. No, they ; have 'given' their lives, freely and honourably, in order that they might servo I

tlin cau=o of truth nnd honour. These noblo men. havo not 'lost' their livessome day we will learn that they havn gained far mote than they have lost." (Applause.) Concluding, Atr. Hunt remarked to his youthful audience, "Wo are proud of them. Let .us mako them proud of us. We are proud of our Umpire. Let us mako our Empire proud of us." Tho Hon. Mr. Hannn followed, and in the course of a few well-chosen remarks he sought to impress upon tho children that tho noblest deeds that to-day lived in history had not. been done for love of gold. Long would the An&acs live in tho memory of all as inspiring examples to New Zealand's boys and girls to do what was noble. This war was testing character, and we must develop character so as to be worthy. In adding his tribute lo thoss-the flower of New Zealand's manhood-who had joined "the other living called tho dead," Mr. W. H. Foster, her.dtri«=tcr of tho school commented that this was practically tho only kind of gathering teherc it was possible to bring together every creed and denomination that our schools held. It was indeed good for him as an old schoolmaster to see all hia children meet on one common ground. A feature of the service was ths singing of this big gathering of children. Under the able direction of Jlr. F. A. Mason, of the school teaching stuff, they sang with appealing force tlio hymn "0 God, Our Help in Ages Past," "The Recessional," and the National Anthem. The music was provided by Miss Hunt, who acted as pianist, and two school children, Miss Connie Butcher and Master N. Wilson, both violinists of no mean order.