The Ypres British School.
8o
GENERAL SIR CHARLES HARINGTON DISTRIBUTES THE PRIZES.
Specially contributed to the Ypres Times.")
By Henry Benson, M.A.
ON Monday morning, June 6th. General Sir Charles Harington presented
the prizes to the successful scholars attending the British School at Ypres.
Beyond the fact that the pupils numerically exceeded their parents, relatives
and friends, this pleasing little function was typical of a prize day at any of our high-
grade private schools in the British Isles.
Bright, happy, healthy, well-clad and exceptionally well-mannered, the
youngsters reflected unqualified credit upon their home environment and the tuition
and influence of their popular master and mistress, Mr. and Mrs. Morris.
As an old public-school boy it has fallen to my lot to attend many speech-
days," first as a victim and afterwards as a spectator; but I have never
witnessed a similar ceremony better arranged or more faultlessly carried out.
The highest compliment I can pay is to complain that the proceedings were all
too brief; and I would ask Mrs. Morris on the next occasion to include more of
those delightfully naive glees and ditties. Doctor Foster found us very
appreciative and grateful patients.
A goodly company graced the homely function. In addition to Sir Charles
Harington I noticed Sir William Pulteney; Father Faes of St. Martin's Cathedral,
Ypres; Colonel Higginson, representing the Imperial War Graves Commission;
Colonel Heath of the British Legion: Colonel and Mrs. F. G. Poole; Dr. A. and
Miss R. C. H. Fleming; Mrs. L. K. Briggs; the Rev. G. R. and Mrs. Milner;
Capt. G. E. de Trafford, Mr. W. Parminter, Major Macfarlane and Mr. O. L.
Gill who are attached to the Ypres Sector of the Imperial War Graves Commission.
Of all those present Sir William Pulteney looked the happiest. He smiled with
delight and justifiable satisfaction as the proceedings developed. There is no
exaggeration in stating that, but for his tireless energies and almost illimitable
influence, there would be to-day no Ypres League, no British Settlement at Ypres
and, consequently, no British School there. I hope that this fact is being impressed
upon the children who are reaping the rich harvest of his labours. To my mind
the most glaring omission in the Settlement is that there has been installed no
special memorial as a grateful recognition of his work. Still, as with Christopher
Wren and St. Paul's Cathedral, it can truly be said, Si monumentum quceres,
circumspice
After Mr. Morris had given an interesting résumé of the activities of the
school during the past twelve months, Sir Charles Harington presented the prizes,
which took the form of books of a varied and appropriate character.
On this occasion they were generously donated by
(a) Mrs. L. K. Briggs, of Broadstairs, for ordinary school work.
bLa Marquise du Pare, of Vlamertinghe, for Scripture, to the English
Catholic children who receive their religious instruction at St. Martin's
Cathedral.
(c) The Third Army Corps Fund. These were awarded to children on the
vote of their fellow scholars and were won by George Durkan,
Dorothy Thomson and Irene Gallagher.
In his brief address to the youngsters, Sir Charles Harington laid stress upon
thp importance of character as a sure shield in the strenuous battle of life. He
