Remembrance 2014

This year, staff and pupils at St Joseph’s College organised a very moving remembrance week to commemorate the Centenary of the beginning of the First World War. We did this through our Remembrance assemblies and events held in our school which raised money for Poppy Scotland and the British Red Cross.

 

This began with the annual selling of Poppies and with the special Centenary badges, which were bought in great numbers. Thank you to our Charity Committee for their hard work.

 

The first of the Remembrance Day assemblies commenced on Tuesday 11th November, which were led by Mr Kevin Jones. The assemblies are held in the school Chapel. Our pipers performed the ‘Flowers of the Forest’ with Rory Perkins and Bethany Hanley playing at the fifth and sixth year assembly and Lani O’Neill and Ben Porter at the third and fourth year assembly. Euan Purdie and James Kenyon played the very poignant bugle call, the ‘Last Post’ at all the assemblies.

 

The Chapel was originally erected as a memorial for the 57 College boys who gave their lives serving their country in the First World War. Since then, the Chapel is used as a place for people to remember not just the lives lost in the Great War, but all the wars following it.

 

The assemblies give pupils a chance to reflect on the price paid for their present lives. As in past years, this sombre occasion reflected the efforts of a wide range of staff and pupils. As Mr Jones declared at each Remembrance Day remembrance assembly: “Death is not the end. God is looking after the dead from all the wars.”

 

There were also other events in the school on the 11th November which helped raise £300 to be split between Poppy Scotland and the British Red Cross. A Coffee Morning was held at break which was well attended by both staff and Sixth Year pupils. There was a bake sale held in aide of both charities also.

 

Students and teachers also observed in a two minute silence on Remembrance Day itself where everyone took time to reflect on the lives lost over the past century.

 

Depute Head Teacher Mr Daniel McGee said: “The College Chapel with the plaques commemorating the former pupils that lost their lives really brought home to pupils to the significance of Remembrance Day. The pupils' exemplary conduct contributed enormously to the dignity of the service which honoured these fallen heroes.”

 

Jon Jardine S6