Shanghai, Dec. 23.
GIR Herbert Phillips, H.M. Consul-General in Shanghai, who presented the prizes the Speech Day occasion yesterday of the Cathedral School for Boys, urged parents present to unite in pressing for support in the cause of providing sound educational facilities for British boys and girls in the Community in Shanghai.
He assured them, that on his part, he keenly desired to assist in every way and if necessary would fully report the position to the British Government.
Mr, A, E, Seddon, chairman of the Committee of Management, who welcomed Sir Herbert to the gathering of pupils, parents and friends who filled to capacity the main auditorium of the Masonic hall, 1623 Avenue Road, gave interesting dotal of the financing in connection with the project of building new school premises. Mr, P. W. Massey and his colleagues were thanked for their hard work in assisting in the smooth running of the Schoo! during difficult months while a vote of thanks was unanimously passed for the masters of the School who had worked very hard indeed when it became necessary to remove from their premises a number of times owing to the host In referring to the appeal made for $150,000, the sum, of which together with funds already in hand, would allow for building new premises. for the school, Mr. Seddon said a total of $115,000" had been collected and of hat, ust under $100,000 had been deposited with a local bank. The remaining $15,000 had not actually een paid yet but were understood be available when construction commenced.
Criticisms made last year when it was decided not to convert the funds of the school into sterling, the speaker answered by explaining that the Trustees, after having carefully considered the mabier with their egal advisers, decided they were not allowed to make the conversion into a foreign currency as this would be considered a gamble, _notwithstanding the subsequent drop in the 'The temporary premises of school, Mr. Seddon' continued, not ideal. "Pacilities for sports were particularly poor and the trustees had therefore decided to buy a piece fof land on Keswick Road about 200 yards away from Hunglao Road, con isting of 11% mows, This site was. hot big but would permit the laying out of a football-feld and a track, Money to purchase the land came from the Coronation Fund and had been especially earmarked for this purpose. In view of existing conditwons, he said, the price paid was very reasonable, Mr, Seddon then thanked the Chinese Returned Students Union, nyembers of which were present. The Union had offered a number of awards for Chinese studies.
The Rov, P. C, Matthews, Head Master, referred to the difeulties through which the school had passed singe last year's hostilities, Although some 120 " pupils were expect atlond the opening of class September of last year, only twelve actually came but. since Spring of this year, about 130 pupils had enrolled.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.