EMPIRE DAY AT THE STATE SCHOOL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3766, 25 May 1907, Page 2

EMPIRE DAY AT THE STATE SCHOOL.

It is tlio duty of all teachers to foster in the minds of their pupils the sentiments oi love of country, respect for its laws, and loyalty to its sovereign.

Yesterday at the Foxton Public School the ordinary time-table work was suspended, and lessons and exercises , were given appro-. „ priate to the occasion. Hoisting""f and saluting the Union Jack, or rather, the New Zealand Engign ; , the reading of National poetry, and the singing of patriotic songs, in- , terspersed with brief addresses on suitable topics, were considered the proper method of ..celebrating. , the day. Every arrangement was". made to bring prominently ' ,befo|«.... the pupils such a yiew ofthe British ■ Empire as would help to_ .develop a , feeling of pride in the of the British people, and ", the groundwork .of knowledge.dp i J which our . intelli gent , patriotism, v might be based. It was not in-//, tended that there should be pny, / . encouragement of an exaggerated, ’ sentiment arising but of a mere., glorification of the British races.. .. > by the disparagement of, i nations, but that the ihtetg§t;ln thie. Empire should rest'pin a khpwl^ge, i ot what it is, and on. an tion of the higher, qualities -that ~ have placed a i part in By this .the,,children " encouraged’,'not only to. be ] tic New . Z%ianders,,.but • patriotic/' .' citizens of the British Empire It; was impressed upon 'the ntinds’of; , s . the pupils that the greatness and stability of the Empire depchded ~ upon the, production ofa/fiqe typ®,. of .citizen, fit of body, , fit of and fit of soul. “ : Punctually at; 9.30,. a.nj^; ; , thh. ! ., children werb drawn up. in |rq,nt,pi;. ’ the school, in:the forni bfEEbllow ~ square, with the . cadet ’ corps' in .v thecentre, facing, the■, • At a given signala .slight ./ ; given to the.halyards, s the flag v waS unfurled, the bugles sounded' the . general salute, .the cadets.presented arms, and the reraainder of . the . pupils came to the salutei Then . all placing the right hand on. the left breast, repeated simultaneously the words: •“ I .lope country; I honour the flag,;. T i will serve the King , and cheerfully... v obey my parentsteachers; and the law.” Immediately after-,,. .< wards, taking 'the time froni :the. j; headmaster, three cheers were . given for the Empire, three cheers for the King, and three cheers fqr, the colony of New Zealand. The ," singing of the National 'Anthem. . concluded the ceremony of Salute ing the flag, andlhechildren werp marched into the large quadrangle,/ where they were addressed by the head teacher on “ Empire Day. ”- The following musical items were tendered by the pupils duripg. the day : ‘“Rule Britannia ” Andrew Eaing and .T6m : 1 Legacy of Fame ’ ’ Flossie Osbqld- ; stone, “ Under the British Flag ”, Tom Eevett and Wm,... Nye, ‘ ‘ Old England Ne’ r / shall lose Her 'Sway " Emma Glemett and Fldfrie; Cook, “ Sons; of the Sea ”. Bbysv ' Fraser and Walls, “The’Eads m ' Blue ” Andrew Eaing, * Heroes of ! : the War” Flossie Osboldstbne, “ The Union Jack of Old England Phcebe Symbhds, “‘ The ,; ' Empty Sleeve ”• Tom East, “ Why Rouse the British Eion " jMilße ' ' King, “ The Soldiers of the King ” ■ ■ Victor Betty and Harold Savill’e, !; ' “The Gallant Blue Jackets” Elsie Reeve, ‘ ■ Red; White and Blue " girls; “ SBall qthfefs sing of of their Fatherland ” Tom Coley and Douglas Bright, ‘‘God Save the King ” by choir. Following is a list of the lessons given during the day: Empire Day—Mr Adams, The extent of the , Empire —Miss Voysey, its wide commerce and varied industries —Miss Wanklyn, The variety 1 of races in it—Mr Baker, Its navy and merchant fleet—Mr Adams, Communication between its ports — Mr Gordon, The significance of ; the flag—Mr Bainbridge, Heoric deeds in war and exploration—Mr ■ Adams, Abolition of Slavery—Miss Wanklyn, Founders of the Empire—Mr Adams, How New Zea- 1 land is connected with the Empire—Miss Voysey, The New Zealand Ensign—Mr Baker, Patriotism—Mr Gordon, The King as Head of the Empire—Mr Baiubritige. ■