Monday August 4, 2014 LEARNING CENTRAL: Berhampore School parent Kerryn Pollock, student Joseph Tihanyi, 10, Principal Mark Potter, student Trinity Tupuivau, 11, with parent Sadie Coe. PHOTO CREDIT: Sam Duff
Walk down memory lane in Berhampore By Sam Duff Berhampore School are on the search for local tales as they put together a book to celebrate their centenary. The original Berhampore School burnt down in 1905 and was replaced by South Wellington Intermediate School on the current Waripori Street sight, says parent Kerryn Pollock. Modern day Berhampore School on Britomart Street was built in 1915 to accommodate an overflow of students from SWIS. Kerryn says there is not much published
material about the school or about the suburb of Berhampore, which was named after a Baharampur in Bengal, India. “It’s not just a place on your way to Newtown or to Island Bay,” she says. Principal Mark Potter, who has been in charge at the school for 17 years, says the book is a good chance to celebrate the school and the wider suburb of Berhampore. “It’s not just about having a big hoolie, it’s about celebrating what has happened in the past,” Mark says. “It’s something people will be able to have and to hold about the school.
“We want people to have something that has their history in it.” Parent Sadie Coe says the school believe it is important to be part of the community. Well-known Berhampore students of the past include writer Robin Hyde and sports commentator Keith Quinn, while playwright Roger Hall was a teacher there. The book will be sold during centennial celebrations on Labour Weekend 2015. Anyone interested in being interviewed for the book should contact Sadie Coe on 9722270 or berhampore100@gmail. com
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inbriefnews Call to arms in Mt Vic Anti-social behaviour such as vomiting, speeding, tagging and petty vandalism has led to Mount Victoria residents wanting to take back their suburb. A public meeting will be held on Saturday August 9 to discuss the issue in the suburb. Councillor Iona Pannett says the meeting will be held in conjunction council, local police and the Mount Victoria Residents Association. The meeting will be held at the Crossways Community Centre on Roxburgh Street from 3pm till 4.30pm.
Petrol prices should drop – AA The AA thinks petrol prices should drop despite a falling exchange rate. According to AA PetrolWatch, petrol prices rose a total of 1 cent per litre during July. AA PetrolWatch spokesperson Mark Stockdale says the AA often gets complaints about the high cost of fuels.
LETTERS to the editor Letters on issues of community interest are welcomed. Guidelines are that they should be no longer than 150 words. They must be signed and a street address provided to show good faith, even if a nom de plume is provided for publication.
The story of a line in the sand
Dear Ed, in answer to previous July letters. Antiochus IV of Syria had been conquering bits of Egyptian territory after his sister, the first Cleopatra to rule Egypt, died in 176 BC. BY 168, her children were old enough to unite against their uncle. Lacking real power they appealed to Rome. On the beach at Eleusis, the Roman mission leader, Laenas, handed Antiochus a written ultimatum which recommended his army should leave Egypt immediately. Expecting diplomatic protocol to prevail, Antiochus intended to take the ultimatum to his commanders for consultation. Laenas suddenly changed the rules. He walked around Antiochus, drawing a line in the sand as he went, until the King stood in the middle of a circle. Laenas ordered Antiochus to decide whether to leave, yes or no, before crossing the line. Impressed by such boldness, Antiochus gave in. He stepped out of the circle, the Syrians left Egypt. Atticula (nom de plume), Hataitai
The editor reserves the right to abridge letters or withhold unsuitable letters from publication. Send or fax them to the address on page two, or email them to news@wsn.co.nz. Please note that your name and street address must also be provided in e mails.
which one enters at their peril. 2. A demarcation line, beyond which there is no going back. 3. Loosely, "this far and no further, or else." History is punctuated with examples of its application and just to mention a few: In 168 B.C when the Roman consul Gaius Laenas drew a curved line around King Antiochus IV of Greece demanding his pledge to withdraw his army from Egypt before he moved out of the line of encirclement in the sand, or face a declaration of war from Rome. In the bible, Johns 8:6 records Jesus drew a line in the sand to defend an adulterous woman from a stoning to death, saying "Let him who has not sinned cast the first stone etc." In 1807 at the battle of Te Kai a te Karoro during the early musket wars in NZ at Morenui, chief Taoho of the victorious Ngati Whatua drew a line in the sand with his spear to indicate that no more Ngapuhi would be killed beyond this mark. Whichever way you slice this hackneyed idiom I don't think it lends itself to the warbling of Pat Boone or the gladiatorial combats of Circus Maximus, and the true origins of this expression will never be claimed. George Scott Slater, Berhampore (abridged)
The debate continues Down with the pokies Dear Ed, H. Westfold of Miramar seeks
clarification for the meaning and origins of this dusty old metaphor, and my best definitions are: 1. A symbolic barrier of limitation beyond
Dear Ed, there is a new pokey machine den opening in Newtown at the old police shop! This is going to impact on the most vulnerable! Martin Beck, Mornington
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