PEACE MEMORIAL

Otaki Mail, Volume XXVIII, 18 February 1920, Page 3

PEACE MEMORIAL

, A BUBBLE FOUNTAIN. At the. last meeting of th>- O'al'.i School Committee a discussion tool, place as to taking the initiative i” putting up some form of a po: memorial in the locality. Jt was fell that the. ambitions scheme JauncH'.".! n few months ago was 'lead. 1 ah - . therefore, some slart "a* "mde i' v. a fell that the shame id having ~ ' memorial would re-t on the town for ever. A scheme broached by the headmaster (Mr W. Burns Smith) «v«- f.nv curably considered. Briefly li ves (hat an ornamental fountain, for the r\i iydny use of the school children, should lie erected in the school ground'-. Ihe fountain should be put up in I rout of tho school, in full view of all pasti-rs-by on the Mill road. A base of granite, surmounted by a superstructure <*• marble, and that suitably- inscribed v-.iiii the names of the old boys of the school (or of the old boys of the town) who have laid down their lives in the great war. would, it was felt, be a

suitable, ornamental, and mast useful way of commemorating the peace. The fountain would be of the bubble type, doing away with the insanitary cup. and would thus lend itself to the good health of the school children. It would be on public property; if would be kept in good order: and from the point of view Ot our honoured dead lads it was felt that no scheme would appeal to them more thau to have the children of their home town see their names before their c-yes every day, and to have their memory perpetuated thus in the place where they were wont to play in the days of their childhood. The number of old boys who died in the war is at least seventeen, and it the names of all the old Otaki boys were included qnite twice as many. The School Committee generally were in favour of the. scheme, and will at their next meeting get the thing going. At the same time if the publib want something else, more ta their taste, the School Committee would not oppose it. The unthinkable and intolerable thing would be that nothing at all should be done. ' Our dead boys arcasking and calling- us to act in tlie matter.