Albany Advertiser Newspaper Article of Albany State School ‘Unveiling of Honor Board’

“ALBANY STATE SCHOOL / UNVEILING OF HONOR BOARD / A ceremony possessing features of / deep significance was performed yes- / terday afternoon in the hall at the / local State school, where an honor / board was unveiled. The school chil- / dren were assembled in the hall, and / there were a large number of friends / present, most of whom were relatives / of those to whom honor was to be paid / Apologies were received from Mr. and Mrs. H. Day, Mr. and Mrs. Jno. Nor- / man, senr., Mr. and Mrs. W. Wheeldon / and Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Mews At one / end of the room was placed a table dra- / ped with the Union Jack, at which was / seated Mrs. A. Y. Hassell, Miss Hassell, / Mr. R.T. Robinson (Minister for / Mines), Mr. C. McKenzie, M.L.C., Mr. / A.H. Dickson and the Rev S.B. Fel- / lows. / The proceedings were opened by all / singing the ‘National Anthem’ after / which / Mr. M. Little, head master, explain- / ed that the honor board, the unveiling / of which was the reason of the assem / blage, was the gift of Mrs. Hassell / who by her action had paid a feeling / tribute to the old boys of the school / who had gone to the war. The list of / names on the board would in all pro- / bability be forund to be incomplete, but / he earnestly entreated anyone who no- / ticed any ommision to come forward / and supply any information regarding / anyone who was entitled to be honor-ed by inclusion in the list. The cere- / mony, he reminded the children, must / be regarded in a religious light from / the fact that many of the names on the / board were of those who had paid the / supreme sacrifice. All honor to them / for by their devotion to King and / country they had set an example wor- / thy of emulation by the very least. He / then called on the children to sing / ‘Austarlia’ after which / Mrs. Hassell, in a feeling speech / spoke of the brave boys who had gone / to the war in order that those who re- / mained behind might enjoy the free- / dom of their forbears, and also that / the boys and girls of the younger / generations might be clothed and fed / Many had died in the cause of free- / dom, and she expressed a hope that / never again would there be a war so / terrible as the last one. / She then unveiled the honor board / which is constructed of sheoak in the / shape of a scroll, on top of which and / immediately beneath the roll is carved / the inscription, ‘In proud and grate- / ful memory’ following which were / the names in gold letters of :-S. David- / son, P. Norman, W.J. Ingham, G.R. / Green, R.C. Green, E.C. Mouchemore, / C.G. Gorman, T.F. Howard, O. An- / gove, W.R. Bruce, F. O. Baldry, A.E. / Baldry, D. Orio, E.J. Finlay, H. Gar- / rity, H.F. Bennett, E.G. Brennan, N. / Conway, G. W. Brown, A.C. Wear, W / E. Thomas, W Pettit, B. Roberts, / M.M., C. M. Wheeldon, E.J. Mews, W. / R. R. Richardson, J. Turner, A Heming- / way, H. Hartnup and E. Shenfield. / ‘Shepard of Souls’ was then sung / by the children, at the conclusion of / which Mr. Little called on Mr. R.T. / Robinson to perform the ceremony of / unveiling a portrait of Sergeant Sam. / J. Davidson, who had relinquished his / position in the school to go to the front. / Sergt. Davidson had offered himself / three times before being finally accept- / ed for service. He was a true patriot / and had stood many hard things said of / him from those who had been indiscreet / to voice opinions on matters which / they were not conversant with regard- / ing the reasons for his rejection. He / had , however, been successful in his / endeavors to enlist, and after a brief / stay in England had been rushed off / to France, with thousands of other / brave comrades to Amiens where he / had laid down his life. / Mr. Robinson expressed his regret..”.