ASHBURTON BOROUGH SCHOOL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2311, 21 December 1889, Page 2

ASHBURTON BOROUGH SCHOOL

LECTURE AND DiBTiaBUTION OF pr.7zr:i The annual distribution of pr'z a s' r.c breaktnz-up of the Borough School for ihe Ohriatmaa holidays took place last evening In Bt. Stephen's sahool-rootn, the interest wnd eojoyment of the oeoaalou being tnuoh enhanced by tha delivery daring the proceedings by the Rsv J, JB. Battle of hie very able lecture on •' The Maori Race." T-iere was, of course, a targe master of the children attending the school, with a few adults, the total attendance being, we suppose, about 300 ; bat, as there was won* for moro, it U to hi regretted tbat more of the parents and frleDda did not av»il themselves of the opportunity of listening to the rev. lecturer's exoeedlagly Interesting account of the Maori peopla, their origin, history, onaicma, and characteristics. Tho proceedings wero opened by Mr W. J. Sllcoek, Chairman of ths Sohool Committee, who expressed the pleasure be felt a i seeing so large a muster of children and his regret that ths parents were repreiented by bo small a nembar. New fcaaland was possessed of great privileges — not tho Last of whlob was her excellent system of free education, and ha thought tbat the least the parents oonld ba expected to do was to show their appreciation of these advantages by patting In an appearance on oocftilons like the presort. Tbe Committee were very muoh kdebted to Mr Battle foe his goodness In coming to their assistance by delivering a lecture this evening In aid of the sohool treat fund, more especially as tbere were other oa!)s upon bis time— other work from whloh he bad to ran away for their dike. And here he might mention that it was the intention of the present Committee—or rather of its members, ihould they be re-eleoted— to arrange for a series of lectures and entertainments daring the winter months for the good of the school, »b a means of assisting Id the eduontlon of their soholais out of school hoars, and sor the eduo*Mon and benefit of the oommunlty generally. He would not now detain tb<?m by farther ;ema*ks, bat would move—" That Mr Walker, M.H.R do take the chair." The motion having been daly seconded and carried by aolamatlon; Mr Walkep eala that despite that gemleman'u difeolritners he ihought that Mr Siloook, as Chairman of the Sohool Committee, was the proper person to preside, but as he and they had appxren ly decided otherwl c he presDmed thit he (the speakei) was bound to do their bidding. It. was indeed an honor to be asked to take ihe ohalr on so Interf sting an occasion and it wso with are»t pler^ore th*t h • s*w so many yousg peop'e present, whose bappy fao s brought to the minds of ibalre'darr pleasant remfniscanßOE of similar periods m their own rchoold*y wh'n, the work of the jear cv^r, they ware looking forward to the holidays. If there was one feature m thaic common life as New Zalaudera of which th y mlgbi justly feel prca*! . it was their edaoitloca' system about w ich he could nnd should like to cay a g od deal, bat tbere were many thlnga whtoh ho might a*y tha< would perhaps go over the h ads of the young people, and he would therefore confine his rema ks more direct'y to them. As New Zealand boys and girls they were In the p gjesslou and enjoyment of great prlvllogea T,»ey had been born m a country richly endowed by Nature, an '• had the hetitßgo of tbe reEults of the labors of the early colonists and of th > f e who immedivo'y followed them, aud who had done much to ll'hten the labors of their Bncoeasars/ and had laid for them firm foundations upon which they might, batld up what ought to be a very great and a very ha-py nation. Thoee who wore the boys and glrla of to-dsy would In a very few years bo tbe men and women of tho colony, taking part by their votes, and perhaps m higher o*patifea m tbe gudaDOa- ot its affairs. Indeod, bo open were all the avenuse of advancemspt that It was gu te p. silble that among the boya present tbeio were some woo, st no distant day, would be called npon to discharge very bis;h duties, and they ehon'.d always keep ths before th em a* »n 'lnontlve t» steady application and good, honest work durln? their t cbool days. He hoped that all New Zealaud boys and glrla wonld leara to ba proud of their native land, and to ba thankful that they h»d been born on NewZoaland soil and edaoated m Nay Zealand schools, and (hat they would always regard It as not tho li-ast of the blessings which had been vouchsafed to them, that they ha i been bronght up In this free, h»ppy country. Referring next to tho Exhibit on now In progress at Dunedln, M? Walker spoke la the highest terms of Hie *;duoi'!ona! Onrt aud hopad •hat, If darcg ihe hoiidsyp, some of. them visited the Exhibitioa they would not forget to vhlt ths. court and see for themaJves what rxc -ill-. at work the sohool children of the o-lony ware doin.', Among other things thera were many "excellent examples of tha*; work In mapping and writing, and he was pla.-aed to add really beautiful work In sawing eto, by the girls. They would also see what creditable work the Maori schools wore d»ing, and he might tell them that he had been informed by many who were well qualified jadges tbat the New Zaaland eduoatlonal court was a great credit to the sobeo's of the oolony, He was sorry not to see any representation of the Ashburton schools, the more especially that he believed they oDuld havo sent many creditable exhibits if they had only thought of It. It was indeed noticeable that tbe country schools generally showed up very well Indoed. scma of the up country schools m O. u ago for Instance exhibiting work which bora comparison quits sue*, ocsofully with that done by the schools m the largo oltlej. Taia w;s an exceedingly pleasing f*ofc ai ?h. wing .th t under thele New Zis'mi system education was oared for equally In the remote aottioMipnts of the dlony as In the obief centres of population. He would however, not detain them longer but would now o*n upon Mr Buttle ~to proceed with the first parfc of his ieoture. The Rev Mr Bmtlathen dollverec-a that portion of his leoture treating of the orgln, history, langusge etc., of the Mic»i race, being listened to with great attention and Interest, aftir frhloh the Chairman delivered to the winners a largo uunaber of weU-bound and interesting J book*, nddroaalnß t> tha reolplei ts (eaoh of whom was heartily cheered by tbe obildren on being oallad to the platform) a few kindly and encouraging remarks. Tho dlatribu lon concioded, Me Walker also addressed n word of enoouragement to those who were not prize-wlnuerß, In- I olting them to renewed effort and pointing but that tho offo'rt to excel was sure to bring tta own reward, the prJsoo of after life often falling to those who failed to win priz.s »t col ool._ Mr Buttle thon oono'.adea his lecture, whloh was throughout greatly appreciated and oa the motion of Mo jar Ste»atd 1 seconded by Mr Sllcook, 1 * vety h©»rty vote of thanks was ecooided to that gentleman. A simlhr compliment having been p»id to Mr Wrtlkor on the motion of Mr Baan (who also mentioned the Indebtedness pi the Committee to tha Revs Bf«»aia Scoit and Baatty for havlne Cirae forward to aaelßt at <ho ex»rain*tion,) the Bluglng of a ve?B? of (be National Anihem closed the prooocdlne;a. It should hoeddedjthat thoreaaonthe lufaot olaeees- wore uot present was aoo anted for by., the. ffiot tbat they h«d aseemb:ed m. the mornicg, when a email book was presented to eeoh of them, by Mr Biloook on bebalf of >ha Committee no an encouragement. Also that on the name ooaelon Mr Siloock ;on behalf of tbe teachers and pupils of the Infant apbool " fcretonW Miss Andrews with a handapme beg and putse, exprei- • ■log bli re^tet »t h«i leaving h» ip^pol,

»«d Un behalf of himself tho OommUtea sod teachers wishing her saooesa and hftpnlneea m the fuiur?. Mr Gideon Sett Jo returning thanks for Miss Andrews, endorsed the k h ti Dents of the Ohairman and said that r o .ue felt more regret at losing her Brv'oes tfaan himself. Following Is the complete Pains Tist, Standard VII — Girls Dux Prlza, Mionie Bennats ; Bjya Dux Prizi, John farchase. Standard Vl—Ernest KM 1, Newtoa Junoo 2 Alloe Qertrado Orr 3, Standakd V -George Pa 3fl 1, .Tumes Ohotit 2, Lauretta Pass 3, Fred Tqoket 4, Fr^d Smith and Georgina Shaw 6, Win. MUea and Jessie Soott 6 — Bbaaial, History, Lsslle MoDonald ; Writing, Nettte Arthur ; EzeroUe Books. Lavlnia PdBB. ' ; Standard IV— Janfe OUyton 1, Sarah Graham 2, Fiorrle Hefford 3, Frad Stloook 4 Janle Meyenbnrg 5, Ronald Douglas 6, Joho Birch and J. Campbell 7. Speoial foi general progress, Gaorge Soott. - Standard lll— Annie MoDonald 1, Mlunte Worner 2, Robert Smith 3, Sldpey Arthur 4. Baaile Scaly 5, Laura Worner 6. Standard ll— Ada Tuoker 1, Bsryl Oolyar 2, EroUy Potter 3, Jobn/Hirriogton 4, Jobn Qaate 6, L zzia Tdvdaf 6. Stamsabd I — Alice Sovtt 1, George Hancox 2,KaMe Breizj 3, Ernest Taylor 4, Fanny Hale 5, Clarence Vincent 6, Maud Johnson 7 Attendance Pbizss-.No. i Ward: Julia Heff ,rd, Florence Court, and L : Kz!e Miles (these three have attended the fall number of times) So. 2 Ward: Brio O.r No 3. Ward : Percy Thomas. No. 4 Ward : Georgina Williamson.