“BE WORTHY.”

Hokitika Guardian, 21 November 1924, Page 1

“BE WORTHY.”

LORD JELLI COE’S ADVICE. WELLINGTON, November 19. The last memorial which laird Jellieoe will unveil in New Zealand was that ill the Terrace School, which he unveiled to-day. In the course of his address, lie said the school was one of the oldest in Wellington, and for that reason it must have great traditions. In coming up the staircase lie saw some records of those traditions. He saw the names .of four Rhodes Scholars, one of them the first Rhodes Scholar from New Zealand, Professor Robertson. His Excellency reminded the children that Rhodes Scholar./ were selected, not only for their learning, blit principally for their character. Character and training were the aim of school life. The children were taught at school subjects which would lie of uso to them in after life, hut nothing they were taught, he added impressively, could coinpn.ro with character and training. The Terraco .School certainly hail great traditions connected with the Wiir. Over 7(H) old hoys obeyed the call of duly, and of that number 120 never relumed. That in itself was mi inspiration to future generations in the school. Among those who answered the call was one who earned the great tribute to courage, the A’ietoria Cross. Tt was sad to remember that lie did not return to wear that Cross ill his native land.

An i list a nee of the value of the tradition connected with tlTe Victoria Cross was given in the life of the father of (leneral Alclvill, who gained the Victoria Cross in South Africa in the Zulu War in the seventies. When tile 2-ltli. ltegiment was overwhelmed by the Zulus, Lieutenant Alelvill and Lieutenant Coghill, wrapping the colours of the regiment round their bodies broke through the enemies in a last endeavour to save the colours. A wonderful picture had been painted of that incident, and underneath that picture were the words of the motto of Eton “Floreat Fiona”. That picture and incident were a great inspiration to the boys of Eton. As the Terrace School had. produced one who had won the Victoria Cross, he trusted that fact would likewise be an inspiration to the children of that school in the future. The motto of the Devonport School at Auckland was, ‘•lie worthy". There could he no hotter motto. “Ho worthy,” said his Excellency iu conclusion, “lie worthy of your school, he worthy of vour country, he worthy of your Empire. That is what I commend to the children of this school. And he worthy also of the great sacrifices made for von during the Croat War by the old hoys of the school.”