Peebles Cornet Kevin Smith was installed outside the Parish Church last night after the 2013 Cornet Daniel Williamson reluctantly returned the Burgh Flag.
Kevin’s partner Sharon Rusnak was installed as Cornet’s Lass in an emotional ceremony watched by hundreds of townsfolk and visitors.
There were speeches, hugs and handshakes before Cornet Smith led his cavalcade to ride the burgh marches in time-honoured tradition.
And that tradition meant a halt at Neidpath Castle, standing gallantly but battle-scarred, high over the River Tweed.
But here there was a break with tradition because the Warden of Neidpath was a woman – the popular headteacher of Kingsland Primary School, Jacqueline Wilson. After she had been installed with her sash of office, she bid a welcome to the Cornet and his entourage.
And it was children and young people that was a dominant theme in her address.
Mrs Wilson, proud to be Hawick-born, has been a teacher in Peebles since 1983 and spoke of how she had come to learn about the traditions and the values behind the Beltane Festival.
From the doorway of the ancient castle, she told the company: “The community of Peebles has always valued children, not least if you look at the history of education in the town – it has always been a priority. But also the unique role children are given in celebrating the town’s festival – not just on the Saturday but at the outset of the week when the various youth organisations parade to the Cross Kirk.
“We want our children and young people to grow up and want to represent their town in a range of different ways – not just in Beltane week.
“They are the town characters of the future, the leaders and organisers of clubs and groups, the fund raisers, the councillors.”
Mrs Wilson said the role of the teacher was changing, with the new curriculum aiming to ensure that all children and young people in Scotland developed the knowledge skills and attributes they would need if they were to flourish in life.
She added: “That is something to embrace in our changing world. But it is our duty to create a context and real-life situations for children to learn. The community can support us to do this. Children need the skills to anticipate problems and be able to contribute to their solutions.”
She stressed that the traditions of the Beltane were important and had to be cherished. She concluded: “They are what makes Peebles, Peebles, and gives us the most unique Borders festival. How we celebrate these events may have to change in the future, as they have in the past, according to how we grow and develop as a community.
“Our resilience will be proved as we maintain the importance and love of our community, by celebrating what is important to us. Beltane is a tradition full of community involvement of which we can be proud.”