SCHOOL SPORTS.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 October 1917, Page 4

SCHOOL SPORTS.

A PLEASANT AFTERNOON

“ All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy,” as also Jean a dull girl. But with tlie inauguration of the school sports, there is no danger of any serious catastrophe from the cause promulgated in the old-time saying we have quoted. Wednesday was a gala day at Victoria School. The scholars assembled in force, and as the afternoon wore on, the parents and public rolled up, and from i -3o to 5 o’clock all went merry as a marriage bell, the brief hours being crowded with events. First, the ceremony of saluting the flag, postponed from Dominion Day, had place of honor. For this purpose the pupils were marshalled and massed together, when the Rector (Mr L. F. de Berry) opened the proceedings by asking the assemblage to sing the National Anthem.

Mr D. J. Evans, President of the Overseas Club, was the only speaker, and congratulated the children on having so fine a day for thftir gathering. He referred to the importance of celebrating Dominion Day and cultivating a national spirit so that the scholars would go out into the world loyal citizens. It was in recent times only that New Zealand had been able to add traditions of the highest value to the Empire, which would go down into history and give New Zealand and New Zealanders an honored place within the folds of the embracing British Empire. Mr Evans spoke of the halo of fame which the New Zealand soldiers had won on Gallipoli, when faced by fearful odds. Last week that dreadful experience was repeated on the Bellevue Spur in Flanders. Though there would be aching and anxious hearts for the next few days waiting for the news of the toll of this latest sacrifice, they must all be inspired by the splendid nobility of the sacrifice, which meant so much for the freedom of the nation. The children were invited to remember the story of the war all through their lives, and take to heart the lesson to be learned from those brave men who in fair weather and foul had stood for Empire, each and all doing thei,r best to uphold and secure for all who came after, all that was held truest and best. Mr Evans said they were all indebted to their tutors for working up the day’s sports. The pupils owed a great deal to their teachers who were anxious to do all they could to outfit the scholars for the battle of life. He wished them a pleasant afternoon and a useful day’s amusement, with unselfish emulation and a keenness to excel for the honor of winning through. (Loud applause).

The classes were then marched past under their respective teachers, each section saluting the New Zealand Flag flying at the peak.

This done, and the classes were distributed about the grounds under their teachers, and indulged in drill and various exercises. This was quite the best feature of the afternoon’s proceedings. Every class was called upon to do something, and some very interesting displays were given. The teachers each had full command, and the pupils were most attentive and ready in their response. . One or two classes iu particular shone out in the uniformity of the detail with which the various exercises were carried out. The whole, which was most interesting and quite instructive to the elders looking' on, concluded with school games, which were part of the exercises set down in the daily curriculum. At the close of this interesting part of the programme, an adjournment was made to the sports ground at the rear of the school, where the events were got off under capital organisation. Three tracks had been provided, each with a separate set of officials, the school staff being supplemented for this purpose by the Chairman (Mr J Lloyd) and members of the School Committee, and the Chieftain (Mr G. Davidson) and officers of the Westland Caledonian Society, as well as other gentlemen. Tlie Caledonian Society had taken considerable interest in the sports b} r presenting not only some of the competitive gear for the various games and sports, but also prizes ; and these latter were farther supplemented by the generosity of several of the public present.

The sport provided was excellent. To begin with, there was not a dull moment, some event or other, or perhaps two or three simultaneously, being in progress. In this respect the organisation was admirable. The high jumping, vaulting and long jumping were special features of the sports programme, bringing out keen competition and producing a high standard of excellence. The running and novelty events were all well contested. The fields were invariably large, and most of the events had to be decided in heats. In this way an excellent afternoon’s programme was provided. The senior scholars conducted a tea-rooms, sweets stall and soft drinks bar. To the credit of the kiddies the sweets and soft drinks vanished as if. by magic, and a replenished stock suffered a similar fate. The tea-rooms were well patronised, and these adjuncts to the financial side, added some ,£lO to the day’s receipts, which were further supplemented from the gate takings, about Altogether the day was most successful reflecting every credit on all concerned. Mr de Berry expressed his thanks to all those who had assisted, speci-; ally mentioning the .School Com-' mittee, Caledonian Society, and the mothers who had helped with refreshments and otherwise to ensure the general success. Cheers for these and others, most heartily given, closed a very pleasant afternoon’s proceedings. The following were the results of the sport’s events :

HIGH SCHOOL. High Jump—Seebeck, 4ft B ; |in L Kirwan 2, Hackell, 3. 100yds Championship —Kirwan 1. Hackell 2, Stopforth 3. Hop, .Step and Jump —Stapleton, 33ft 7in, 1, Seebeck 2, Thorpe 3. Vaulting—Seebeck, 7ft 3fin, 1, Leamy 2, Kirwan 3 Quarter Mile—Kirwan ], Hackell 2, Stopforth 3. Long Jump—Seebeck, 16ft lyin, 1, Stapleton 2, Kirwan 3. Relay Race, High School —Allardyce’s team 1, Kirwan’s team 2, Tug of War — Stapleton’s team 3, HackeU’s 2. Basket Ball—The Juniors (Captain Miss Belle Forsyth) defeated the Seniors (Captain, Miss Gladys Paterson) by 3 goals to 1. 100yds Handicap—-Pierson (6yds) 1. Hackell (Iyd) 2, G. Aitken (4yds) 3. ' Relay Race, (Stds 5 & 6 Boys)— Nightiiigale’s team 1, A. Aitken’s team 2. 100yds Handicap (St 3 & 4) —K. Aitken 1, R. Nightingale 2. Obstacle Race—Metcalfe 1. Relay Race (Stds 3 & 4 Boys)— Nightingale’s team i, King’s team 2. Potato Race (Stds 4, 5 & 6 Girls) —Winnie Thompson 1 Relay Race (High School and St 6 Girls)—Muriel King’s team 1, Gladys Paterson’s team 2. Three-Legged Race (Stds 3 it 4 Boys)—A. King and Dale 1. Barrowman and Palmer 2. Three-Legged Race (Stds 5 it 6' Boys)—C Nightingale and King 1, D. King and R. Jones 2. Relay Race (Stds 4 it 5 Girls) Eva Fowler’s team 1, M, Schroder’s team 2. Long Jump (Stds 4, 5 it 6 Boys) Metcalf (12ft 4in) 1, N. Wogan (lift 3in) 2, K. Aitken (lift 2in) 3. 76yds Handicap (Stds 4, 5 & 6 Girls) —Muriel King 1, May Schroder 2, Sack Race-(Stds 3 it 4 Boys)— Neil Wogan 1, James McDonald 2, Davie Breeze 3. Potato Race (.Stds 2 and 3 Boys) G. Batson 1, S. Jones 2. Skipping Race, Stds 5 it 6 Girls Eva Fowler 1, May Schroder 2, Lottie Valentine 3. Skipping Race, Stds 3 it 4 Girls— W. Thompson 1, M. Keller 2, L. Dale 3. Obstacle Race, Stdsi 1,2 it 3 —E. Glass 1, J. Macfarlane 2, L. Gibbons 3. Thread the Needie. Stds 5 it 6 Girls—Muriel King it May Schroder 1, May Bannister it Eva Fowler 2. Relay Race, St 3 Girls —Olive Barrowman’s team 1, Bessie Houston’s team 2. infants’ races (Girls) Joyce Dalgleish 1, Ellen Robinson 2, Phyllis Maunder 3. Ist Primer—Alice Henderson L

2nd Primer—Myrtle Sweney 1. 3rd Primer—Mavis Sumner 1, Preparatory Class-r Jean Houston & Ruby Ward 1. infants’ racks (Boys)

Ist Primer—Francis Dawson A Arthur Naylor 1.

2nd Primer - Alex Jones 1. 3rd Primer—John Dale 1. Preparatory Class—Ronald King 1. Boys’ Hoop Race (Stds l & 2) — Claude McDonald 1, Len White 2. Thread the Needle Race (Stds 3 <fc 4) —Violet Gooch & Lucy Dale 1, Jessie Sherrill & Thelma Jacobs.

Relay Race St 1 Girls) —May Thompson’s team 1, Melba Gibbons’ team 2, Rita Morgan’s team 3.

Boys’ Relay Race (St 2; —Len Dale’s team 1, Arthur Greaney’s team 2, Malcolm Houston’s team 3.

Boy’s Relay (St I )—Fred Hall’s team 1, Harry Staines’ team 2, Len White’s team 3.

Skipping (Stds 1 & 2 Girls) Lourine Fowler 1, Lily Evans 2. Girls'soyds -MaisieDuncan l,lna Greaney 2. Boys’ 50 yds—Harry Staines ], Robert Ramsay 2, Charles Fowler 3. Quoiting - Jim Stapleton 1, Max Valentine 2, Tni Seebeck 3.

Tni Seebeck won the medal presented by the Caledonian Society for best all round athletic.

Tui Seebeck altogether won three medals, one for vaulting, one for best all round athletic and the other for jumping. .

Of the six medals four went to Kumara, Jos. Pierson winning one for 100yds handicap. The other two medals w.eht to J, Stapleton for quoiting and G. Kirwan for 440yds championship.