SCOTT MEMORIAL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26633, 2 December 1947, Page 3

SCOTT MEMORIAL

Annual Essay Competition

The annual presentation of prizes for the Scott Memorial Essay Competition was held in the Opera House yesterday afternoon, being attended by the principals of the Waitaki High Schools, Mr J. T. Burrows and Miss J. B. Wilson, and the staffs and pupils of both schools. The Mayor, Mr M. F. E. Cooney, who presided. read the story of the Scott Memorial, written by Mr J. M. Forrester, one of the trustees. They had met, Mr Cooney said, to pay tribute to Captain Scott and his gallant comrades, the first news of the expedition to the South Pole being sent to London by cable message from Oamaru. On February 10, 1913, a ship’s boat came into Oamaru, and two men stepped ashore. They went to the residence of the harbour master. Captain Ramsay, in Arun street, where a memorial oak was planted. They were from the Terra Nova, and brought news of the heroic death of Captain Scott and his companions. The combined schools, under Mr Gibb, sang “ Let Us Now Praise Famous Men,” and a reading from Scott’s diary was given by a prefect of the boys’ school. Mr J. Macmillan announced the results of 'he competition, and the prizes were presented by the Rev. G. D. Falloon. The awards were:—Country schools: Girls— Natalie Sinclair (Five Forks) and Aynslie Whyte (Hilderthorpe) equal, 1. Valmai Robertson (Hilderthorpe) 3; boys—Raymond Wallis (Five Forks) 1. Junior High Schools: Girls—Beverley Mclvor 1, Diana Hendra 2: boys—Lincoln J. Tempero 1. Grahame Storry 2. Mr" Falloon referred to the significance of the occasion, saying he .hoped the boys and girls would catch something of the spirit of the adventurers who went into the unknown. The supreme test of character was endurance, and he mentioned Dr Wilson, the refined scholar and scientist, who endured privations along with his more rugged companions. Optain Scott and his gallant comrades pursued a great ideal in their urge to go into the unknown, so that they might give a littlfe knowledge to others. They had not died in vain. The ideal they strove for was a great inspiration to succeeding generations.