EMPIRE DAY CELEBRATIONS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 3195, 22 May 1909, Page 5

EMPIRE DAY CELEBRATIONS.

AT MASTERTON DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL. SALUTING THE FLAG. Empire Day was celebrated at the Masterton District High School, yesterday afternoon, in order to enable the scholars to have the benefit of the holiday granted them on Monday. The wet weather prevented the assembling of the scholars in the Schoolgrounds, where it was intended that they should be addressed on patriotic matters by the Mayor,.the Chairman of the School Committee and others. Instead brief addresses were given by the Headmaster (Mr W. H. Jackson) ana Mr A. W. Chapman, of the School Committee, to the scholars of the elder classes, preparatory to the saluting of the flag by the cadets. Messrs Jackson and Chapman impressed upon the scholars the importance of the occasion, which called for the proceedings, making special reference to the memory of her late Majesty, and her beneficient and lengthy sovereignty. They also urged the scholars to cultivate a spirit of true patriotism, to the King and to one another, as by so doing they would strengthen the bonds of national existence, and maintain the glorious traditions of the British race. The girl scholars would find their sphere of usefulness in times of war as well as of peace, as it was then, when their brothers were defending their country on the field of ! battle that in the positions of members of the Red Cross brigade they could do their share in upholding the prestige of the nation. Examples were quoted by both speakers of noble men and women who had de voted their lives to their country in various ways, and the scholars tfere exhorted to follow, as far as lay in their power, the same lines of patriotism and selfsacrifice. The three companies of cadets were then marshalled in a hollow square around the flagstaff outside the school. The bugle corps sounded the Royal Salute, the company stood in the appropriate military attitude, and the flag was duly unfurled. Cheers were called for His Majesty the King, and were lustily given. The cadets were under the command of Major Haslam and Captains Bee, Bunting and Sutton. After the saluting of the flag had been carried out the cadets and scholars were dismissed. l