Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954), Tuesday 30 December 1947, page 4


Out Among The People

PRO VOX

THE Mayor of Glenelg (Mr. Wil-liam Allen) made a great suc-cess of his first effort in charge of the commemoration of the birth-

day of the State. It was a friendly function throughout from the opening of the Commemoration ceremony at the Old Gum Tree, to the reception at the Town Hall and the various functions in the afternoon. Time has changed the arrangements for Commemoration Day, but the opinion was freely expressed yes terday that it should always re main "Glenelg's Day." Among the "guests was the De puty Director of Education (Mr. Edgar Allen) who is a brother tr the Mayor of Glenelg. It was his first time at the official ceremony. It would be bard to estimate how many adults and children in South Australia have interest in Mr. Edgar Allen because of his long association with the Education De partment as a master at the Ade laide High School, Inspector of High Scnools. Superintendent of Secondary Education, and now De puty Director of Education. With him was the Director of Educa tion (Mr. E. Mander-Jones), who was also on his first visit to the historic function. The Mayor was somewhat Indignant when Mr. Edgar Allen introduced him as "my older brother." "you are giving a lot of secrets away." the Mayor said. Savings Bank Among the guests was Mr. H. Neuenkirchen, the recently ap pointed general manager of the South Australian Savings Bank. The block of land on which the Old Gum Tree stands was given to the Glenelg Council for com memoration purposes in 1857 by John Hector, who was the first manager of the Savings Bank. Early next year the bank win cele brate the centenary of its estab lishment. The Christmas card sent out by the bank this year has a picture of the Old Gum Tree with a photo of John Hector hi a corner. Anniversary The Town Clerk of Glenelg (Mr. Frank Lewis) had a "silver an niversary" yesterday in that it was his 25th consecutive Com memoration Day as chief ex ecutive officer. All will acknow ledge that Itaey have been most successful, particularly the great j:ort that was made in the cen ??nary year in 1936. Yesterday was the 111th anniversary of the proclamation of South Australia, but Frank Lewis said he hoped to take part In the 160th celebrations and to have a hand in the pre parations. Yachting rPHE yachts in their races at Glenelg yesterday formed a colorful background, -and it was a day of celebration at the Glenelg Sailing Club, for it is now in its 50th year of establishment. The first meeting to form the club was held 50 years ago at the home of Mr. E. B. Godwin, who is still a vice president. The club is part of the life of Glenelg. and at present has about 170 members. Yachting is a hardy sport, and runs true to the traditional British love of the sea.

The fine clubroom near the Pata walonga, "The Sunny South Memo rial Room," is dedicated to the memory of five members—L E Lenton, G. Walsh, W. Hammond. A. Hammond, and E. Armstrong, who lost their lives when a sudden squall swamped the Sunny South in 1932. Tradition THE Glenelg Sailing Club's room is crowded with tradition in the trophies to be won, and the young men who win them from year to year take great pride in their success. The commodore (Mr. H. C. Hogan) said that this 50th year promised to be one of the most successful in the club's ex-perience. The sharpies were now carrying experienced crews, who should be able to hold their own with any in Australia. Other en-thusiasts are the vice-commodore (Mr. W. J. Kearse), the rear-com-modore (Mr. D. A. Kither), the sec-retary (Mr J. R. Rogers), the as-sistant secretary (Mr. H. F. J. Dickens), who is also the starter. High in the esteem of members are the Judge (Mr. Kearse) and the timekeeper (Mr. W. A. Thompson). If anybody has an idea that being an official in a sharpies' race is an easy job, the opinion would be changed after watching these men in action. Lew Cottrell, one of the original sailing members of the club, is still an enthusiast. Success ONE of the proudest exhibits in clubroom is the picture of "Miss Johnnie" which won the South Australian championship in 1935 and afterwards successfully com-peted in the Australian champion-ships in Perth. Mr. "Micky" Hall was a member of the crew on that occasion and he is still one of the leading sailing members of the club. Associated with him at that ttime were Messrs. S. Cocks (now of Whyalla), A. Thomas, Herbie Berry, Frank Tuohy and O. Hardy. Yesterday Micky Hall was in the Holdfast Bay Yachting Club's sharpie "Jewell" which has won many races. In his crew were "Blue" Johnston, Jim McKenzie and C. Sorrell. Blue Johnston will be remembered as the State, Glenelg and Magarey Medal winner footballer. The sea is in his blood for his grandfather, Capt. G. B. Johnston was a pioneer of the River Murray after coming from Cadell, in Scotland. He was the first skipper to take a steamer from -Goolwa to Albury. Blue's father, Capt. George Johnston, was for many years in the South Australian coastal trade with headquarters at Port Broughton and was later skipper of the Captain Sturt when construction on the River Murray locks began. Grasshoppers ON the public holiday yesterday wmany had to go to work to make the enjoyment of the majority pos- : sible. Some went to toll on bicycles. This was the comment of a tram conductor. "I have read in The: Advertiser* that monkeys at the ' Zoo enjoyed the grasshopper plague. Ino longer believe that man has descended from monkeys. Pushing my hike uphill, I swallowed at least four mouthfuls ot grass- ? ?' hoppers. ? This will do me for the : ? rest of my life. The monkeys can have my bike if they would like to ? do the same." , ' ?