50 years ago From THE LIFEBOAT of November 1918 The Duke of Northumberland's Prize Essay Competition Early this year the late Duke of Northumberland, the then President of the Institution, placed at its disposal the sum of £100, to be utilized in the presentation of prizes for essays on the heroic work of the Life-boats, written by children still actually attending the senior classes in national elementary schools throughout the United Kingdom.

The aim was to encourage in British children a knowledge of, and a pride in, the achievements of the Life-boat service, and to imbue them with something of the spirit of heroism, endurance and humanity which shines like a steady flame through that service.

The country was divided into six districts, and a Challenge Shield was presented for each. Further, War Savings Certificates were offered to the writers of the ten best essays in each district, while Certificates of Merit were to be awarded to the next twenty-five in each area.

A brief account of the Life-boat service was sent to the head teacher of each competing school, and the essays were to be written in school, and were to be the unaided work of the pupils themselves.

It is very gratifying to be able to state that the scheme has been a great success, especially from the educational point of view. Although a few of the Education Committees which were approached in the first instance were not encouraging, the vast majority of educational authorities throughout the country not only welcomed the proposal but gave it their very cordial support, recognising the great moral value of the example which the Life-boat service embodies.

But the most pleasing feature of the competition has been the whole-hearted support given by all the head teachers who participated.

As soon as they received the literature and grasped the importance of the Life-boat service as the embodiment of the qualities which have been so conspicuously shown by our race in every field of human endeavour, they recognised the moral and educational advantage of bringing before their children the practical example of the Life-boat crews.

We have received scores of letters from school teachers, which give ample evidence not only of their interest, but of the public-spirited attitude in which they have approached their task.

Again and again they contain the assurance that, whether the essays sent in by them are fortunate enough to secure a prize or not, the value of the lessons taught by a perusal of even a very brief survey of the Life-boats' work during nearly a century of heroic effort, has been an ample reward for the time and trouble involved in carrying out the scheme..