31 MAY 1913, Page 2

The growing importance of the Empire Day celebrations was illustrated

this year in a variety of ways. As Lord Meath, the founder of Empire Day, observed at the Guildhall meeting, at least nine millions of boys and girls were assembled that day to salute the Flag. Empire Day was more and more recognized as a great agency for the promotion of good citizenship, and the movement was now supported by all the county education authorities throughout England save two. In the London schools the details were left to the discretion of headmasters and headmistresses, who in some cases arranged a special ceremony. Thus at the Ben Jonson School, Stepney, a flag sent by a public school at Mascot, Botany Bay, was unfurled in memory of Captain Cook, a resident of Stepney, and patriotic tableaux were presented.