RUGBY.

Hokitika Guardian, 2 June 1923, Page 4

RUGBY.

A CKNTKXAIiY OK KOOTHAU,. I |!v S. Klliott X;> 1 jii• l'’>. [Sydney .Mllr l li ll l l<-rtil<!). A .hawing of Ttugby School which I across the other day in an English illustrated paper sent me <dl hot--I,:,it to my diary ol tour years ago. And i hai. in min. a-- it invariably j | i; ,, ..ct my memory to work, i nine iliac hUcrac! In the early May | I,i 1 : 1 •:I -almo.-t four years ago to thoi day --l went walking tor a week m j Warwickshire. The entirely linexpeet- ; I alliteration ot that slalenieML i--oaeeslive. and somehow it seems mo-t . ailahle to the snhi'Tt w hit'll produced ,■ W'dkii’" lor a week in V. arwiekiiie' ' \nT in early May! Wind a ■,| ~j o]a moil r and beauty. Itm-e e ! I l,a', e no happen me- ;,. belter l'nan a repetition o! , . i,.,|. , .1. it were a fortnight. 1 .- I ' K; ii;J,v to l llli liei.o,i. r| ; , ,j. ,11 ~J Kenilworth : aim

1,, i],.. oi a moonlit night. \ I ,j | , ; r-h arm in tami Ivmd' I th to Wa :W il it. !>:. nilwovt !i. v. hose ! very name is m;;-:e. ami whose . arvni t -tones speak legend and remain e e'er. . in the noonda.v glare. Kenilworth by t moonlight ! And Cay's Cli lf! And ■, Warwick itself- surely the mo'i .’ iiiediaeval-looking town in many re-■ • s;,..et s in Central F.nglauil ! lbissmg i ihroe.gh the gate that open- on it.e i Stratforl-o-ad. 1 rested on the budge ! beyond, and lingered there in -beer delight to watch the rippled water break 111 liver o'er t! e weir that steins tin- ; live, 11-ni Ihe ea.-lie alls. I’.iaek isi- j side the sii-eam le.mu-d up the gfea I j gr.-v towels, and ;ms their simdow rail! llu- river, v. hose imu :-e I we - V. .1' io j foliow oil I lie morrow to ili.it old low n j o! sj.iies and In iilges where Kiiglnini's I oreate-t poet live i and died, and n >w j reposes in eternal h"nonr. Warwick luwu hehiinl me. Warwick ( a-tle on my i'i edit hand, and there in front of ire tie- most famous stream in C hi".i on. loin - the A veil oi Shakespeare. And all t : a. ilsllg ui e d l.y the niooliligh! of May ! What a night and what a mommy ! I! pi; itY st ;11h>!.. m Warwick, i: -r oi St ra t i'erd-mi-A vou. | t ini' I ■■■ ailed out t" in He. hut ", j pj, , t ire's , mint ry. j and si-, :i,n, d. ion. upon the hank-, ol j ii is own liter. And so 1 return wil u | some regret to my until.m-. Rugby. | bring .o i'.e iuiiet.en ol -iv iiiiportio : j railway I liormigiil.i re ■ amn'ig 11 i i|,,. |j H ..s .lu-eet io Ireland an 1 j Wales ami ..timid •is a him and | : eallhy i,W n. Rut li - fame m not . j a, did that of "Cie-.-a." in the -imy j ,- in m!! eel o' it” i'i ie.i dl i L It 11 if 'll hi . dir J p. i - -es o' s, nor .11 its t roe.lon; I, en j and fogs. though llii- in ! ! i would he cm mgdi -u l e I v to ma. r.e 1 1 j ,-elehra'. d anvw here in H; it ail!. No - : Riigiiv Is i.ll,ions the world m er ior i v ' : thing- - its seliool. am! that brand < ; loot!;-,ill w I lie'll hears its name. Rug l .’, j s;-. (.real Ihd.lie >. ' I- "I F.ngla : i I -i ad it ,s al of blest of ihem. i

| j mid mil' i 1 i tiif ni.'-i celeluati-d. li j | i ,!,iv- ni' (iiiin! (.iimcii lies'. l'l w ho- e ; jI • |:; irih 11 - t Ml!;--. ■: Ilf I -;l: 1 1- ■it I ■ Shel l ifo i 8 j -ill ;- i it! ( .1,1 IMIII y lit (1 I'n.rr - . ' In I . 'II ■ . | 'll" I ii’i -ir ii'i neighbour!!. !!.| "I : v,.„ - - IV, "!, I.;,I).!,'ll. I"ll II 1 ; I" ~ll'i I li". IV :- I Tljl'i'i- I i II- j : : i"!l' vl i !),■ V.' I: . IK'.l II".i 1 ■ 1)1" - have It 1 , ' 1 1! I 1 i ! !;, ll’ 'ini '"I ; i'll* high"- I. 11 ! ill ’ . ;• n ill 11 I’ll! I'll eitl- , : C.: 11 :ir\ . I! > i it vm u:;d"i' id" ■ j-islf ; !:•■ i,i mi ill- Hr Thom;. • A■ a i'i ~mi:"11 ; i'll:. I'lnim in- g ! lie, ! "!>'- v "in lily, l' "-- I ha;.-. e, ,; . I A lit"!.! V. If lil I ! \il , mid fi'i tic ;I; 11 1 ill- I-- I", I'll liftkllov.ll, i ...! 1111 ! il l (link. til' I.fi- ! .Jiiiil !he "hem!" in i. 1 1 ;ihi—, known |: , i till !'. .! li !II lit-, til" "'Fill li'-l I li' i . I Till.i! lyii"-. ■'> : .'.I'M.: ! "II i'i' nidi.-d itii in- 'l'l'v’ l : Ikm v. : I'll il" :I i • ■,! J! ughv i. if t!:-.' win Id ‘ "i• 11 v«I a ■ VI l!'.l' mi him l inti <■:' i ; "HI !'.,]■ lit' | ill' •'.—'fill- d f )fS.V..” 1 111'!' • ■ ii i ■ 111 v other di-tiwpd-hed men ; v!, tif-ir nlii 1 1 ! i'h'f'l i • ifti" : ;; i. t i |\ lin. 111 I Ill'll, ini'll !:<• 11 > In keep il -t ■ mini,, it ■ mni'ii' - .'i ■ i !u'ir "\i ii. Maij i!n‘v. \ ijii !il I?int"<*3l\ Vi-vounl < l !:•••!. A" lltll- I i 11 1.:. i! ( lotlL'll. ‘-"I Ralph A■ i cri .ini,v. Si,■ i! ii'iinr 1 Temple. \v:,! t. • r \ :n;." i ,:!iui<ir. f.'i'till ’■Hanley. Hmiiiw! Ruti.r. >! the tminr. i' ' i v 1,; I 'll i !l" I! H l 11(1111 I','. . < 1 'III "i'll" I I" 1 I i,,' I ,1: | ( III! 'lt.'l !lH', I■) IMIllI' Illlt " j‘|.\t' t!i; t | immediately t" 'l'll I' I" 1 11' memory. ■mi': pi<tx!•:i-:i!. Jill! tlll'lV !'- olio lliaill' W 'li' il. t holly Ii il 'ii- hai'dly ever mellt iiiih" I. is VC j more int limit.'ly ;i "Orin It'd with Rugby's I mni' than id uni' I any <l l s ilu'-.i i'ii'.iut uni's. That liana.' I- ! William Webb Kllis —an ! mi’.' - that I j i;;iwritten it dnu'ii. I wonder Imw j !||;;||v tl' all lilt' I ItnllSUluls will) V. iI ] tn-dav ! if 1 jii'ac-t ising the art nf which In' was the "rent progenitor have I'vir ! mil'll in ii. nr. having heard. ivnioin--1,,"'. All ill'll lull! -1. l Allst ialia n-. id ! least -. is, like Caesar's Caul, "diviiled mi..' i lire" pm"! s"- -" R agger.'' I I ".'iii. i'." and tiie native name, it is I nil' i iia I til'.' i'.i'-t 1'- 1'! ill i cry I i clearly into tun eicat Mil.dvision.-, j "Fnion" and "Fongue hut. despite j their di Here Hies, they are hill variants nf tin- cite t heme, while between them as a class and the other two there is a ureal gulf fixed. 'I his is the era of lion,nimble remembrances. We are always eelebra ting the birtle dav of 'erne great mull or the iinnij versarv of s.ino great event. It i* ; a worthy am! a grateful linhit. bet us, then, mill to the number m these festivals one which it is surely iillinu' should lie en their list- the Centenary of Rugby Football. It w;m in | Isi_>,'! that Kills, the scholar alorosaid, ! invented tlte varutlion oi the historic ! and honourable gaine which wit' t thenceforth to la’ known by the name of ]iis s,-]ioo|. Variation, 1 have called ii : hut the term is a misnomer. Kills, disdainin.e: mere names, struek nt tiie whole loot of thinos hy tor--1 mulatiny a pastime in which a bail. ; striitly destined for the iVvt. Could lie | dealt with liy the other extremities oi j the players. It was a drastic chance : J and only a heroic soul could nave j j illumined it. or. 'i imattiite. have e: ; rifd it into action. THK nrCV.Y STONK. If ever you have the yood fortune to visit, the old town of Rugby, 'tru! through the gates that admit re e from the dust of Bntby-road to ftu- . cool green sward of the school playing fields, and tht-ie. upon your right, as

van walk low tirtls Hie chape!. you v. t I t see upon the wail, and near its ceil e roping, a (itrven oblong st one. I lion t to r|uotc the elegy, "approach and l read —for thou eanst lead” the wo'-. 1 -, engraven there; and ii Haul h-e -d good and loyal "sp.ol't" remove the ■ hat from off thy head, for truly thou : sigilt know the spot for holy ground The tablet hears tlte following inscription : This -Ine {’oir.nu'nmriites t!:<‘ Exploits oi William Wclili Kllis. wito. with a fine disregard for the | rules m Foot hall as played in ' ! his time i Kir-i took the hall in liis arm'- and j ran with it. I Thus originating the distinctive lea tut e ! of the Rugiiy Came. j 1^23. | The exact date of this epoch-making j ! event is not given, nor have 1 been -j e!>!e to trace it ill the records, hut - i siirelv it is not too much 1 o snpp.is ' j that it occurred at the beginning o -j Hi., football season. 11 so, how fitting I'l i-. it tliat in tliis, the lieginning m . the season, one hundred years later. . we should pay a little of the debt of i homage due to the memory of William

\y e ]>!> KM*. What ovonts iron'. 1,11;,. caiiM's -print:! !lo "tnok llic Kail jn hi-, arms am! ran with it.’ lint an innovatin'! What an up--etta! of all jiivi nlenl! W’hat a l|,nu inp of all amln-i-ilv! What a re vi.hu i-.Ti i- novo ".nomemoraU'd! Ar.d s Cl. like all :"oa i thine.-, how -'mpl.'. (•' limn Hi m a Iml. *‘ilO look ,1„. In'll In i m aim- ami ran with il." |'ij ail! -Tim lit tin more !a,much ii i-!" ihti ni' -imh mill ... \l ; m am the pimmer- iiiailc. ti'"> ]■, ■, i 1 1 1 [a. the lU'i'nlo! one- ol tile v, ilii id the (jii.it a! tvoi'il- nr 1.. 1. ~| many a -nil'll,lid r-U'-imj ril-ll , u , v .. v- i," llvil’U down flllll v-iive" in "twenty-live" : o many 'a liiilliant pn-s and savin' "free!" When Harold llni'iler, or hr , a,O, ,1 V|ie in union rank-, tuck- up tin l,i,i|. ;l! id - iueimv to hi- -tride, d<liullt- II- v.'it 1 1 one of tiio-e demptive daz/dimt run- ol hi-, dm'- he or an.' ,u:e Ol 11.-. tin that mm tor - -top hah wa V in u tier a 1 rihute 111 prill ve to In ; 1,.j i-ninimr - appropnale word .n> the llnehv plavimt held- 1 tne. A,„l scl !,«• -liiely slmiild. II .i rat it ude. Or. il 110 ldm Hi; 111.. iictiml mu io-ell. eertainls al ie !. . ] ,•( 11 a l del I'll ii . all! placed ill 1(1,11 with nice c\:lot it ude heliiml ih i„a.m. la.r il n had m.i he,a, h, William Wel.il Klim, that i'lnosut II cell I ill's' a UO. Ilonler and all th I.C ci.l.dommad in the p- or p ‘ --ihii s.iin'i'! A lei i■ i 1 1!c l lton.:.iil | less oraiefn! -hiiuld If. i!a u. not on! all ih" i.iv, r- of th- "Iffon ." lea cl " ('ll!, il" a- Weil. ;.' toe mi mom. I L'l he Hide alin in el ll:e m' 1.. j, e i p I',, M L rc, | and -! 11 nlli ii u "rut held- of earl h.. n"i «- "ol ph lure him there r With a proud an ar;11 i hi ,l swei'ii of that arm v. hit! "11l -i of ail hi- 1 rill'.'." onihraei a 1 th !:,i!l. he -land- nii’id the eiowd. at oil .a Sir ( nri.-looher Wi, 11. e-elaiu in... v.ith a tin- -ioiii'miiiii e , 1 M nan: ....."in.,, n-cnirl-' -eirc'im!”