AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.

North Otago Times, Volume CVII, Issue 17748, 17 March 1927, Page 5

AT THE HIGH SCHOOL.

HALL OF, MEMORIES OPENED. DUKE'S IMPRESSIVE SPEECH. Punctually at the appointed hour the pilot train pulled up at the crossing at the entrance to the Wai- ■ taki Boys' High School, and after discharging a number of the special constables chosen as the Duke's bodyguard, it proceeded on to Oamaru. Twenty minutes later the Royal train, drawn by the famous "Passchendaele" engine, which was used when the Prince of Wales toured New Zealand, had stoppecl : at this spot. . ] At,- the entrance to the school gates" was ah archway with the words "Heare Mai" standing out in bold relief. Another arch was erected above the entrance leading to the left, the words "Welcome to Waitaki" being earried out in the school- colours, red and black. A considerable quantity of hunting, flapping gaily in the strong southerly breeze, was also displayed at . the stepping-off > place. Boy Scouts and pupils of the Junior High School were drawn up in front of the gates, a battery of cameras he- j ing trimmed ready for action. - Sir Heaton Rhodes, who is in charge of the tour, was the first to jeave the train and he was followed immediately afterwards by his Royal Highness, wearing a gi'ey lounge suit and a hrown /elt hat turned down. The Duke was met by the chairman of the, Board of Go-v-ernors (Mr E. P. Lee) , and in- 1 troduced to Major H. S. Orbell, l)r Douglas and Mr G. Livingstone, members of the Board, and to the j Hector (Mr F. Milner). After the in- j troductions there was an expeetant ; hush, then as the party moved to~ wards the school, the pent-up feel- s ings of the boys were aliowed free play and, the. Royal visitor was ihe . recipient of warm-hearted cheers, a stirring haka causing the Duke to pause and smile his apuroval. As the Duke stepped on to the lawn in front of the School thfi band played the first four lines of the National Anthem. The Guafd of Honour, furnished by ■» the Iiigh i School Cadets, under the control of 1 Major M. K. M'GulIoch, was in'spected by his Highness who then j met. members of the Hall of Menr } ories Committee and wives of Board members, The Duke also met j Mr W. Gardiner who was unahi e to 'eave his car. The Royal guest was escorted into the School by the Rector and shown the photographs taken when the Prince of Wales, visited the School. He also viewed the picturesque grounds from the window of one of the class rooms. Before passing out of the School to the Hall of Memories, the Dulce graciously consentqd to sign the visitors' hook and his staff followed suit. A MEMORABLE CEREMONY. Described by a member of the I Duke of York's .staff as one of the] outstanding functions at which they had taken part in New ^ealand, the seryice at the ppening of the Hall | of Memories will linger long. in the ( mmds of those fortunate enough to ; he present. It was short, hut of a profoundly impressive nature and as the' Duke, during a touching speech, aptly remarked, an occa- ' sion to he met with silence rather than with words. The Dulce proceeded through a weleoming! lane of Boy Scouts to the Hall whieh was crowded with. old boys and friends and present-day pnpils, the seating aecommodatien being fully taxed. His Highness formally opened the main doors and proceeded to the platform, whieh had been appropriately deeorated, at the eastern end. • MESSAGES FROM EMINENT MEN. service was presided over by Mr E. P. Lee v/ho, before 'extendmg a weleome to the Duke of York, rf.ac! several apologies. The Prime Mimster (Hon. J. G. .Coates) telegraphed as follows - I "May f join in aclcnowledgmg i our debt of gratitude to the Old 1 Boys oi the Waitaki High School , whsse sacrilice is commemorated ti

in the Meinorial Hall. The story j of their service forms an inspiring chapter in the history of the School, and constitutes a high ideal to which every pupil may j strive in timh of peace no less r than in war." I [ Cablegrams were received from Lodr Jellicoe and Admiral Sir j Lionel Halsey. The former said:— 5 "May the honour of the opening ceremony by H.R.H. the Duke of | York imbue future generations of . Waitakians with the spirit, cour- • age and self-sacrifice so splendid- ( ly displayed by those whom the ( Hall honours " \ | Sir Lionel Halsey sent the fol- « lowing message : — ^ | "On the occasion of the openI ing of the Hall of Memories by j H.R.H. the Duke of York, please express to present and past Waitakians my admiration- of the splendid traditions of the School, which I know will always he jealously guarded and maintained by alL" The High Commissioner (Sir James Parr) forwarded the following communication: — "I am delighted that H.R.H. the Dulce of York has consented to honour the Waitaki. Boys' High School with which I had .so much [ to do in the past, and I congratulate you and the boys * on this stgnal mark of recognition. As a I former Minister of Education I know of no school in New Zea- [ land which has done better or more efficient worlc in either peace or war. Your Hall of Memories will perpetuate' the story of the hrave lads you sent to _ the war, nurtured, as they were, in a sound national and imperial patriotism by - yourself and your efficient staff." Simijar messages . were received from the Minister of Education (Hon. R. A, Wright) and the Hon. Downie Stewart SYMPATHY FOR DUCHESS. "On behalf of the School I regret that the Duehess of York is not with us to-day, owing to indisposition," said Mr Lee, "but we are pleased to learn that she is convalescerft and we hope that the rest will restore her to health so that she will be able to carry on the strenuous programme ahead of the Royal party." To the Duke Mr Lee extended a sincere and hearty welcome to the School. His consent to open the Hall of Memories had conferred on the School a lasting and great honour which no words of the spealcer's could adequately express. The Duke was not the first member of the Royal Family to visit the School, They recollecied and appreciated the visit of the Prince of Wales when he had planted a tree on the lawn. Perhaps, said Mr Lee, they would iiot be justified in- asking the Dulce of York to visit the School were it not for its war record. This showed that 690 Old Boys had'gone to the front, 120 were killed or died of wounds, 300 were wounded, 230 gained commissions and 80 received decorations, ineluding a Victoria Cross. It was felt that there should he, on the School grounds, somq permnnent memorial in honour of their service and to that end Old Boys andl friends erected the Hall of Memories, It was not a mere monument. It was erected to show future boys of the School that their first duty was service and with such a fine eXample before fhem they could instruct the boys as to what the Empire was and whai it stood for. They would talce the opportumty of impressing upon future generations Ihe spirit of true impefialism. They had every copfidence that the boys of the School wonld show their rqsponsibilities, render service and accepi sacrifices in the time of war, . > The beautiful memorial window was then unveiled by the Dulce of Yoi'k and a prayer of dedication offered by Rev. Walter Maclean. DUKE'S APPROPRIATE SPEECH. Addressing the gathering, the Duke of York said: "Mr Chairman and boys of the Waitaki High School, I Ihank yon very much for the welcome you have given me today and I am glad to have the op- . portunily of visiting this School, j for I have hearcl a lot about it from j

my brother v/ho, - as you know, visited here in 1920. I am going to say very little beeause a Hall of , Memories requires few words. Its associations and all that it sfSnds for calls for silence rather than speech, hut I do ask you not to let those words, '"Hall of Memories," become merely an empty name td you. Remember that this room stands for all that is best and noble in those who gave their lives for the Empire to which you and I belong, Remember the loyalty and sacrifice of the Old Boys and see tbat the generation which comes after shall also learn the lessons they learnt, for as they served in war, so must you serve in peace. Cherish the ideals of truth and right and the sacrifice will not be made in vain. I have much pleasure in declaring the Hall of Memories open." A SIGNAL HONOUR. Mr Milner said it was his great privilege to voice, on behalf of the School, their deep sense of gratitude at the signal honour conferred upon the School by his Royal Highness' personal participation in the ceremony that afternoon. The golden thread of the Duke's progress through New Zqaland increased the spiritual ties with the Hoineland. He deplored the absence of the Duehess who had won all hearts by her charming personality. Mr Milner said he had been proud to accepi the admission of Waitaki to the famous pubiic schools of Great Britain. The Hall of Memories would be a repository of their high traditions. To the present scholars Mr Milner said as the Old Boys had done their part in the war so had the boys who had been unable to go to the front. These boys had also made sacrifices and raised £3000 for patriotic purposes and £1000 for a Hall of Memories to perpetuate the deeds of the older boys. Their memories would . go down witb added lustre by the signal honour conferred upon them by the visit of the Duke of York that day, During the service the boys of the -senior schocl sang Kipling's i "Song of the Children" and the j hyinn "F.or All the Saints." i In passing from the Hall of Mem- j ories to the .main building his | Highness planted a tree in the j quadrangle. He drove away from j the School to the accompaniment of ] a rousing haka and enthusiastic cheers on the part of the boys. At the end of the road leading from the School the boys of Redcastle College had assembled and gave the Duke a hearty cheer as he nassed in an open car.