SCHOOL EXAMINATION.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2406, 17 December 1870, Page 2

SCHOOL EXAMINATION.

HIGH SCHOOL.—DISTRIBUTION OF PRIZES. The distribution of prizes to the scholars attending the High School took place at the M asonic Hall to-day, in the presence of the parents and a large number of visitors. His Honor the Superintendent presided ; and on the platform there were the Hon. Captain Fraser ; Mr W. H. Reynolds, M. H. R.; the Revs. D. M. Stuart, E. G. Edwards, and G. Sutherland ; and Mr Rislop, Secretary to the Education Board. The proceedings opened with prayer, after which the Rector (MrS. Hawthorne) made a few observations on the state of the school. The distribution of prizes then took place, and certificates of merit were handed to the following boys, who obtained the requisite number of marks at the competitions for the Provincial Scholarships for 18(59 and 1870; — In the first-mentioned year—Arthur 8011, Alexander Stuart, Alexander M'Neil, John Weston, and Ernest 8011, High School ; John Kennedy, Neil M'Lcan, James Adam, John Langmuir, Malcolm M'Nicol. and William Gibb. District Schools. In 1870 —las. M‘lndoe, High School; Albert Cohen, John Chapman, Thomas Farra, John Kennedy, Charles Ho worth, and Andrew Kerr, District Schools. Mr Hisi.or observed that the winners of the Scholarships had during the year well maintained the position they occupied at,the Scholarship competitions. In the course of the proceedings it was stated that his Worship the Mayor had given a prize of L 5, to he called the “Mayor’s Prize,” to be competed for at the midsummer examination. At the close of the distribution, his Honor addressed a few words to the boys. Ho expressed the hope that those who bad not gained prizes would not be discouraged thereat, hut, on the contrary, would be stimulated to greater exertions. He was sorry to hear from the Rector that the spirit of perseverance was wanting in some of them. He hoped every boy would hoist “perseverance ” as his flag, as by persevering not only would they become prize takers, but succeed better in the great battle of life. There was no doubt whatever that the key to success in every walk of life was perseverance. As had been said by Goethe, “ Without earnestness life is vain ” ; he therefore desired that every boy should use his best endeavors for the purposes he had alluded to. He hoped to see a great many of them wearing the scarlet robe of our University. He did not exactly know whether the Cnivorsity Council intended to establish such a distinguishing badge ; but if they did, doubtless not a few of the High .School boys would be found wearing it. He looked to them to show that in Otago we possessed as much intellectual as material wealth.—(Applause.) The Rev. Mr Stuart felt great pleasure in hearing of the progress the hoys had made iu their studies, The Government had liberally provided the means of education, and it therefore expected that the boys would avail themselves of the means of obtaining thorough culture and future distinction. He had confidence in Otago boys, and believed they'would maintain their own in time to come. The country looked to them to main- 1 tain its credit, as also the credit of their 1 teachers. If they failed they would not i

have the excuse that those before them had, that the Colony had disadvantages as regarded education. As regarded education, < Hago boys were now on au equality with English boys. Mr Hawth'.rnf., on behalf of the boys, presented Mr Abram, the classical master, M'ith a liel.l-glass and travelling-case ; and in doing so, said he had to speak of his colleague iu the highest terms ; they had worked very harmoniously together, and he hoped ho would return from Ms twelve mouths’ furlougli in renewed strength, mid vig.,r. Mr Aisk vm, in a neat speech, expressed his grateful thanks, not so much on account of the testimonial which in itself was vulnaable, but for the kind expression of feeling which accompanied it. After some recitations by the boys, the proceedings terminated. The following is the list of prize-takers : SIXTH FORM,. Classics Stuart ; Mathematics— Park ; English—Park and Solomon equal ; French —Park aud Solomon equal ; Science - Stuart ; Euclid and Geometry Park, Stuart second prize ; Mapping—Langmuir, Weston second prize ; Special—Park for trigonometery. FIFTH FORM. Classics—Law, Stuart second ; Mathematics—Low ; English—Low, Lees, and Smith second ; French—Low, Howard second ; Drawing—Connor, Barber second ; Euclid—Connor second prize. FOURTH FORM. Classics—Alves, Smith second ; Mathematics— Peterson, Smith second ; English ■t- Gibb, Gray second ; French Farra, M'Grogor second ; Drawing Howorth ; Mapping—Howorth third prize. THIRD FORM. Classics Sorley; Mathematics Allan ; English—Carvosso ; French—G older ; drawing —R. Keid, second prize. The boys entitled to silver medals for the quarterly examinations, arc Stuart, i ; Solomon, Webb, and, Stuart, ii. Certificates were handed to the boys, and it was stated that the medals would be handed to them as soon as they were ready for distribution. Mil DIACK’S SCHOOL. By no means the least successful —although it is the least noticed, for we believe very few persons have a knowledge of its existence —of the schools in the City is that in Maitlan ! street, under the management of Mr J. G. Diack. This gentleman, it is almost superfluous to remark, is an earnest advocate of the phonetic system of shorthand. In his school the system receives prominence in the tuition of his pupils ; Imt not to the neglect of other branches of study. We will not go over the old ground of showing how the teaching of shorthand in no way conflicts with or is prejudicial to teaching, as ordinarily conducted; -we think it has been fully proved that it docs not; aud we cannot do bet ter than refer the schoolmasters of Dunedin, for it is they who', with a few honorable exceptions, by sotting their faces against the system, have prevented its being taught in the common schools, to Mr Diack’s school for a practical demonstration of the truth of the assertion. Mr Diack commenced his school a little more than twelve months ago, under decidedly unfavorable circumstances; but his perseverance and faith iu the system have enabled him to live down the opposition he has met with. He commenced with just twelve pupils ; he now has an average attendance of 45, and at times it has been as high as 63. Although very young, they have nearly all made wonderful progress in writing and reading shorthand. We saw a little fellow, hardly higher than the table at which he stood, road, without a mistake, a column of the Svnhv'j Star's report of Mr Vogel’s speech on Tuesday evening, written in shorthand, and left-handed as lie is, write from dictation several sentences iu a manner which reflected credit alike on him and his tutor. The children were examined in arithmetic, geography, and reading, and by the ready answers to the questions put showed that the study of shorthand in no way prevented them, but, on the contrary, helped them to understand their ordinary lessons. The following is the list of prize-takers : FIRST DIVISION—MR DIACTt’S. Arithmetic. —Henry R. Jewitt, Mary Aim Walsh, George Smith, Alexander J. Muir. Writing Phonography from dictation.— John G, D. Dempster, Henry 11. Jewitt. Writing Longhand.—Hector A. Macbeth, Mary Ann Walsh. Progressive Reading Class. Christina M'Lidiey, John G. D. Dempster, Mary Ann Owen. Sixth Class. —Mary Ann Walsh, Margaret Muir. Fifth Class.—George Smith, Archibald Graham. Fourth Class.—Alfred Neilson. Highest Number of Marks.—Mary Ann Walsh. Good Conduct.—Robert P. Anquetil, Mary Ann Walsh, Fred. •!. Wilson, John G. D. Dempster, John M'George. Reading Phonography. Jolm G. D. Dempster, Henry R. Jewitt, Alfred Neilson. Writing Longhand from Dictation.—Christina M’Liskcy, Henry R. Jewitt. Geography.—Mary Aim Tannahill, Win, D. Tannahill.

SKCON'D DIVISION'.—*II,SS AITKRNV, Good Conduct. —■ James Walsh, Louisa Jewitt, Lucy Miller, Elizabeth James. Arithmetic.—John Churchill, Charles J. E. Anquctel. Phonetic Beading.—Third Book.—Wm, H. Arrow, Alex, Smith, Mary Ann Dempster, Thomas Macdonald. Phonetic Heading.—Second Book.—John Haworth, John James, Janies Walsh. Pending Phonography. William H. Arrow, John Churchill, Mary Ann Dempster, Writing Phonography.—W. H. A now. Highest number of Marks. John Haworth Writing Longhand. Wm. H. Arrow, Mary Ann Dempster, James Walsh. Needlework, under Mrs Dempster. Christina M'Liskey, Mary Ann Tannabill. Diligence. —Elizabeth James.