SPORTSGROUND CLOCK

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 217, 13 August 1937, Page 9

SPORTSGROUND CLOCK

FOR BOYS’ HIGH SCHOOL. GIFT FROM OLD PUPILS. An addition ivae made to the amenities of the Palmerston North Roys’ High School, yesterday afternoon, with the presentation of an electric, allweather, metal clock l>y the Old Boys’ Association. The clock is mounted on the front of the new pavilion and should be greatly appreciated by the generations of pupils yet to pass through the school. The presentation was made on the steps of the pavilion before the scholars and masters. Mr J. Murray, the' rector, extended a welcome to Messrs F. G. Stockwell (president), T. M. N. Rodgers (pastpresident) and P. B. Trow (secretary), of the Old Boys’ Association, and to Mr A. A. Langley (president of the Parents’ Association). Mr Stockwell said that he had been pleased on his arrival in Palmerston North, not long ago, to find the Old Boys’ Association a live body. The accumulation of funds for the clock had been going on for some considerable time. The clock should remind the boys now at school of the existence of the association and of their duty of supporting it, and the school through it. In itself the clock would help to make the history of the school in that school games and other activities would be governed to a certain extent by it. Mr Rodgers said he felt honoured to be present at the gathering, saying it was the attainment of hopes of nis over a long period. The association at one time had almost gone into recess, but had been resuscitated and, although headway had been made, it was hoped to make more if further old boys would become members. ine scheme to provide the clock had been started about a year ago, and he hoped that it was only a beginning of what the association could do tor the school. . , First assuring Mr Langley of tne school’s appreciation of the continued efforts of the Parents’ Association, the rector pointed out that the pavilion itself had been presented by the Parents’ Association and the flag oveihead by a member of it. The rectoi thanked the Old Boys’ Association sincerely for the very handsome gut of the clock. He touched on past activities of the Old Boys’ Association, the presentation of the school library as a memorial to old boys who had fallen in the War, and the provision of funds to help to maintain the annual S'ilson Prize, in memory of a late master at the school. One hoped that, with tangible evidence before the boys of the interest the Old Boys’ Association took in the school, they would remember to throw in their forces witli the association. The provision o the clock had entailed a large amount of thought and work, and the rector again thanked the committee of tne association for their efforts. The boys shouM remember that the school had served them .once, and they should endeavour to serve the school in turn, ine speaker touched on a sermon lie bad heard, recently, in which the preacher had spoken of a clock on tho back, ot the church. The clock had no Lands but an inscription: “Now is the time to serve God.” It could also be said: “Now is the time to serve an ideal. The old bovs responsible for the gift had served an ideal, an ideal born possibly when thev had been attending the school. While the present-day scholars might look at the clock to gauge the progress of a’ game, _ they should also see in it that reminder “Now is the time to serve ail ideal. Three cheers _ were then given tne donors of the gift.