Thank you for correcting the text in this article. Your corrections improve Papers Past searches for everyone. See the latest corrections.

This article contains searchable text which was automatically generated and may contain errors. Join the community and correct any errors you spot to help us improve Papers Past.

Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image

THE HIGH SCHOOL.

The presentation of prizes to the _ boys attending the High School took place in the Provincial Council Chamber to-day, in the presence of his Honor the Superintendent, the members of the Education Board, several citizens, and a large number of ladies. His Honor the Superintendent occupied the chair ; and after prayer had been read, the Rector delivered tne following ADDRESS. “Before asking your Honor to distribute the prizes to the successful competitors in the examination which has just concluded, I desire to make a few brief statements regarding the work of the school during the past twelve months. I understand.—and many of you are no doubt aware of tbe fact—that owing to various causes, and amongst others to the general stagnation of trade which has prevailed for some time in the Province, and which affected more or less all classes of the community, the attendance at the High School has been gradually decreasing for the last two or three years. On my taking charge of the school at the beginning of the present year, the numbers had fallen to about seventy, with a downward tendency. Many of the more advanced boys left the school ftt the end of the first and second quarters, to enter upon the practical duties of life ; while others—and amongst them, I regret to say, some of our most promising pupils were removed and sent to other schools, on their parents learning that no provision was to be made in the meantime for the accommodation sf boarders in connection with the High School. Independent, however, of those circumstances, and of the fact that the Education Board—though the subject was repeatedly brought under their notice—did not feel themselves justified on financial grguhd?, in appointing a 'writing and commercial master, to meet’ a want which had long been felt in connection with the school, the attendance has not fallen off to the extent I was prepared to expect, The average number for the past year has been seventy ; and during the last few months a slightly upward tendency has been observable. The school appears to have reached its lowest point, and to be at length on the turn ; and I think I may venture to hazard the conjecture, that the year 1870 will show a much larger attendance than the present year ; whilst I have not the slightest hesitation in expressing my firm conviction that within two, or at most three years from this tinje our roll will have reached, if not exceeded, the highest number that has yet been found in the bpoksj of the Institution. We have faith in the future of the ‘school, and I believe we shall not be found to fail in our efforts to make it deserving in every respect of the support and confidence of the community. “To refer in detail, on the present occasion, to the work of the school would be unprofitable, not to say tedious and uninteresting : and I shfdl therefore confine myself to giving "a' general outline of th.e studies pursued by the various ' forms .dqripg Jjbp hfsfc twelyp months, and of the changes winch it has been found necessary to make in order to secure greater efficiency in the management and general work of the school. “ Up to the end of 1868 each master had, to a great extent, the entire charge of a number of boys, whom he was expected to instruct in the whole of the subjects usually included in the curriculum of a liberal education. . “Under the original constitution of the school, I found that two of the masters, Messrs Abram and Brent, had been appointed, the former as English, the latter as Mathematical master. After giving the matter mature consideration, I thought it better to revert to the old arrangement, and accordingly gave Mr Abram the whole, or nearly the whole of the English work, while Mr Brent took charge of the mathematical department. This plan has worked very well hitherto, and, with some slight modifications which will he introduced in the course of the ensuing year, will be found, I believe, to give general satisfaction, by providing |!oy the moye efficient teaching of two very important branches of education — English and mathematics, the latter including arithmetic, and other equally practical subjects. Although the work of the school during the early part of tho year was necessarily of a somewhat desultory character, we have on the whole good reason to be satisfied with the result of our labours. In classics the upper forms have been reading Xenophon, Homer, and Plato in Greek, and Nepos, Virgil, and o}cpro in Latin. Considerable progress has been made in the study of Eng: lish, muob more time having been 'latelydevoted to this branch than previous arrangements would admit of. The higher branches of mathematics have been very satisfactorily taught; and although there has not been that progress in the lower branches, such as arithmetic, &c., which I should like to see, and which I trust wo shall bo able to secure in the course of the ensuing year, still I believe that very considerable improvement has been effected in this respect. Considering the comparatively

short time that is devoted to the study of French—two hours in the week by each form—the progress has been very satisfac* tory. In addition to the ordinary work of the school, a course of lectures on natural science has been given to the sixth, fifth, and fourth forms, and if we may judge from the examination which has just concluded, with very satisfactory results. The course embraced elementary astronomy, physical geography, the principles of the thermometer, barometer, and other scientific instruments, and inorganic chemistry. “ The examination which has just concluded has been on the whole satisfactory. It was conducted entirely in writing, in accordance with the practice which generally been adopted at this school. Some friends of the school have expressed the opinion that our examinations should take place in public, in the way that the examinations of the district schools in the Province are conducted. I may say that, so far as my own feelings are concerned, I am in favor of written examinations. No doubt the viva voce examinations are very good ; they have the effect of smartening up the boys and are gratifying to the parents and the public generally, at the same time I think that teachers generally in the Province will agree with me that viva voce examinations are not the best means to discover the real merit apd capabilities of the boy, that his real intelligence and ability can only be decided by a thoroughly search? ing written examination. I should however like now to make a promise that next year the examination should be a public one, at tbe same time written examinations will be continued for tbe most important subjects. It is intended to invite the parents and the public generally to the schoql to see how tlie work is carried on ; and I should he glad if a few of cur leading citizens would como once a fortnight or once a month, although I think once a month would be quite sufficient, I should be glad also, if teachers and gentlemeninterestedin education would attend these examinations, so as to satisfy themselves the boys are making in the different branches of education. Next year we hope to have an addition to the staff of masters, if all goes well, and it the Government adopts the report of the High School commissioners, which f believe has been submitted to them. I hope to have in connection with the High School the services of a writing and commercial master, which we have not at present. This, I believe, has been a great want for soma time. The writing master is required to teach the boys book-keeping and the like. The masters have attempted this year to do something, but have not succeeded in tbe way we would have liked to do. Ido trust sincerely that this appointment will be made in the course of this year, and then I believe parents who have complained will have no reason to complain next year. We have succeeded in establishing a library and museum ; the arrangements of which are by the boys, a majority of whom are members of the library. The museum contains articles of interest, both found in this Province, the neighboring provinces, and colonies, The boys elected one from among themselves as curator, and he hag done his work well, and deserves praise, I may mention here that we are to have an additional class-room which will enable the masters to devote themselves more to their respective branches, and that the Government intend to provide a boarding establishment and residence for the rector. I think this will remove an objection that has hitherto been brought against tho school. During the next year I intend to inaugurate a system of quarterly examinations in connection with this school, Tjie regulations are as follows :—“ in addition to the annuaj examination there will also be three quarterly examinations j at the end of the first, second, and third quarters of the school year respectively The first quarterly examination will be in English subjects, including history and geography ; the second in classics j and the the third in mathematics. In these examinations the pupils will be divided according to their respective ages into the six following classes:—l. pupils under 12years at the time of examination ; 2 pupils under 13 years ; 3 pupils under 14 years ; 4 pupils under 15 years ; 5 pupils under 16 years; 6 pupils over 16 years. These examinations will be held on the last two days of each quarter, and will be open to pupils from any of the public or private schools of Otago, whq will compete on precisely the same conditions as pupils of the High School. A printed certificate, stamped with the school arms, will be given to the successful competitor in each of the six classes mentioned in the foregoing regulations ; and the holder of two such certificates in any one year will be entitled to receive a silver medal at tbe public distribution of prizes in December. I hope examinations may be productive of much good, and by them we may be enabled to discover tljose boys, who if taken in hanc| and educated, would sorpe (jay he hot only a credit tq themselves but ’the Province. The examination will, in the meantime, be conducted by the Education Board, but when the University is in working order, then, no doubt, the Professors will consent to act as examiners, and thus would give the public confidence in the examinations, After some further remarks, lie concluded >y suggesting that the Corporation should give a vote of LlO for the best collection of minerals illustrative of the Province, and by stating that the hoys who gained the Provincial scholarships were getting on excellently, and were amongst the best boys in the school. The prizes were then distributed as follows by the Superintendent: — Mathematics.—4th upper—Bege, prizeman ; Eccles and Stuart, honorably men* tioned. 4th lower —Wilmot, prizeman ; Park and Curtis, honorably mentioned. sth form —Mackay, prizeman; Weston, M‘Neill, Secular, Murray, Langmuir, and Hunter, honorably mentioned. 4th foini - Barber, prizeman ; Mathicson, Webb, Black, Simpson, honorably mentioned. 3rd form —Peterson and Banuatyne equal prizemen. Euclid. Upper Gtb—Begg, prizeman ; lower 6th—Curtis, do. sth form—Mackay, honorably mentioned. 4th form Simpson, do.

french. 6th form—Park, prizeman ; Begg, Smith, Solomon, honorably mentioned. sth form Mackay, prizeman ; M'Neil and M'fndoe, honorably mentioned. 4th form —Healy and Barker, equal prizemen j Mqtjiieson, honorably mentioned, Bt4 form— Bbfrie, Jriseman j Sorj’ey and Tame, honorably mentioned. Natural Science.—Gth form—Stuart, prizeman. sth form—M'Neil, do. 4th form— Black, do. After addresses by the Superintendent and the Rev. Mr Stuart, the proceedings terminated.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD18691218.2.11

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 2066, 18 December 1869, Page 2

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,967

THE HIGH SCHOOL. Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 2066, 18 December 1869, Page 2

THE HIGH SCHOOL. Evening Star, Volume VII, Issue 2066, 18 December 1869, Page 2

Help

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.

By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.

Log in with RealMe®

If you’ve used a RealMe login somewhere else, you can use it here too. If you don’t already have a username and password, just click Log in and you can choose to create one.


Log in again to continue your work

Your session has expired.

Log in again with RealMe®


Alert