Empire Day (1908)

Post date: Feb 28, 2012 7:12:31 PM

Extract from Parish magazine of July 1908

EMPIRE DAY.

The annual observance of the birthday of Queen Victoria as "Empire Day" is becoming a general custom in the elementary schools throughout the country. The day falling this year on a Sunday the celebration in the Wateringbury Schools took place on the previous Friday. All the children were assembled at 11 a.m. in front of the school buildings, where the national flag was flying at the head of the flagstaff, and the proceedings opened with a chorus, "Flag of Britain," which introduces the salute of the flag. The Boys' Band then played a selection which they had performed in the Kent County Musical Competition.

The giving away of the medals bars and certificates for good attendance during the past year proved a somewhat tedious ceremony, the more so, perhaps, owing to the cold east wind to which the company was exposed. A list of winners is given below. The single figures indicate the number of years during which each child has made regular attendance without missing at all. For the first year a medal is awarded, and for each future year a bar is given. The additional prizes awarded in the girls' department, except those otherwise noted, were supplied by the teachers, the dolls having been been dressed by the children of the lower standards.

The award of the Queen Victoria Memorial Prize to George Edward Bedford Martin for the best essay on "The British Army during the Victorian era," the Vicar counselled the competitors in future to pay more attention to the title of the subject. Far too much space had been devoted by all the writers to an account of the achievements of the Army and too little to the history of its character, organization, and administration. George Martin's essay was far ahead of his rivals in its orderly arrangement of essential information clearly expressed. The sources of information seemed to have been rather out of date, for no writer had mentioned such important signs of progress as the creation and functions of the Army Board, which fulfils the duties of the abolished Mobilisation Board and reports upon promotions and appointments of superior rank and proposals for estimates, and the Committee of the Cabinet, to which is referred the work of co-coordinating the duties of the naval and military departments in war time.

Mr. Amos Baker, who had presented the prizes, then made a few appropriate remarks on "Empire Day," and the proceedings closed with cheers and the singing of the National Anthem.

Attendance Medals and Bars —Full attendance (368 times).

—Boys: Nevill Smith, 6; Wm. Burrluck, Wm. Crockford, V. Goodwin, Walt. Maytum, 5; Tom Smith, Jo. Bowles, Wm. Shelford, 4; Jo.Burrluck, Ern. Shelford, 3; Leo. Latter, Horace Pickett, Har. King, Syd. Latter, Geo. Tompsett, Herb. Bateman, Arthur Hollands, C. Brotherwood, Fred Gurr, Ern. Mace, Fred. Martin, Ern. Newick, Allen Smith, Bert Latter, Walt. Milsted, Chas Newick, Sid. Shelford, 2; Jo. Horscroft, Herb. Pearson, Geo Randall, W. Ladams, Ed Underhill, F. Burrluck, Chas. Butcher, Alf. Bell, Jas. Ladams, Bert. Humphrey, Frank Jukes 1,

-Girls: Mary Longley, 8; Mabel Clements, 4; Elsie Kingsnorth, 3; Dorothy Milsted, Agnes Palmer, Gladys Cole, Evelyn Martin, Beatrice Pearson, Edith Head, Winnie Pearson, Ethel Head 2, Louie Andrews, Mary Kingsnorth, Flo.Andrews; Katie Whitewick, Alice McMann, Flo. Sales, Mabel Wickham,1.

-Infants (maximum, 333):—Kathleen Bateman, Edith Evans.

Attendance Certificates—over 98 per cent, of full attendances:

—Boys: Gus. Adams, H. Farbrother, Jack Ladhams, Steph Sharpe, Jesse May, 367; Geo. Underhill, Jo. Cronk, Harry Martin, Joe Barnden, Horace Wells, Alb. Deacon, Jas. Humes, Fred. Pearson, 366; Arthur Brooks 365; Geo. Martin, Wm. Barnden, Jo. Sharpe, Ern. Head, Reg. Johnson, Jas. Randall, 364; Lewin Palmer, Fred Relf, Chas Beal, 363.

- Girls: Maud Crockford, 367; Daisy Chrespman, Edith Osborne, 366; Edith Stone, Edith Bateman, 365; Ida Palmer, Daisy Kingsnorth, 364; Rose Brooks, 363; Mary Wood, 362. Infants: Alice Sharpe, 331; Frank Maytum, 330; Harrold Smith, 326.

Girls' department.—For general progress: Alice Shelford (standard vii.); Vicar's prize—Mary Wilcox (vi ), Ethel King (v.), Winnie Curd (iv.), Winnie Pearson (iii.), Dora Kingsnorth (ii.), dolls. For needlework: Mrs. Leney's prizes—1st Edith Osborne (vi.), 2nd Annie Acott (vii.), 3rd Dorothy Fisher (iv.); Mrs. Monger's prize —Edith Head (iii.); extra prizes—Nellie Tompsett (ii.), Lizzie Kirby (1) dolls. For drawing: Mrs. G. M. Livett's prizes for memory drawing—1st Mary Longley (vii.), 2nd Frances Griggs (v.); extra prizes—1st Ida Palmer (iv.), 2nd Ethel Monger (iii.). The memory drawing examination was conducted by Mrs. Livett on the Royal Drawing Society's (Mr. Ablett's) system. Queen Victoria Memorial Essay Prize (1906-7, subject: "food")—Nelly Ruby Adams.