GIRLS’ HIGH SCHOOL.

Evening Star, Issue 3378, 17 December 1873, Page 2

GIRLS’ HIGH SCHOOL.

The . proceedings at the Girls’ High School yesterday were opened by the Lady Principal reading her animal report, from which, we make the following extracts : The attendance has been more numerous in the past than in cither of the former years. During the lavt quarter, the number ion. the roll has been 137, the average for the year ItlG. At tire beginning of the session, the Education Board acceded to my request tlr.it a master should be appointed solely for the Girls’ School, who should teach higher English, mathematics, and science. Mr Pope was appointed to the position, and the school has in every way gained by the arrangement. In the first place, the whole of Mr Pope’s time being given to the school, I have been able so to arrange my timetable that the middle, as well as the senior class, should have the benefit of his instructions. In the second place, I have had the advantage of liis experience in consultation over school matters, and his cordial co-operation in carrying out all plans for the work and general welfare of the school. Mr Pope has had the entire charge of the senior class, with the exception of Preach. He has also had part of the English work, as well as the arithmetic and science of the middle data. My own work during the past year has been French, throughout the school, with the exception of one class, and part of the English work of the middle class. A lower division of the middle class has been entirely under Miss Am demon's charge, both for English and French. The work of this class is very arduous, the class being composed of girls who, for want of previous training, are not fit for either of the upper divisions. She" has been very successful in bringing these girls forward in the branches of study in which they were deficient. The upper division of the lower room has been unfortunate enough to change its teacher twice during the year. These changes were unavoidable, and have had necessarily an injurious effect on the results of the year’s work. During th j last quarter Miss Huic has had charge of the class. The late examination was uu the last quarter’s 'work only, and has been very creditable, taking all the circumstances into consideration. The second division of the lower room has been a very small one this year, and has been under Miss Hill’s charge. The work of this class has been very well done. In the geological branch of Physical Geography, Mr Pope has found the cabinet of specimens, which was granted to the school by the Education Board, and specially prepared for ns by Professor Tennant, of London, thoroughly suitable and satisfactory. For the botanical work, Mr Pope •has kindly lent his own microscope, in addition to ours. Those science lessons have been taught by lectures, illustrated by diagrams on the black hoard, arid specimens which the girls could handle and examine for themselves. Each girl takes notes, and the class i« examined frequently on these notes. Before the close of last session I laid before the Education Board q scheme by which the individual merit of every girl who did a certain amount of work should Ixi recognised more effectively than could possibly bo done by the ordinary mode of giving prizes, unless at very great expense, namely, that honor certificates should be given to every girl who succeeded in scoring 75 per cent, of the marks. required. I also asked the Board to recognise the dux of the school, namely, the girl who should- gain the highest aggregate of . marks on all subjects, by giving her a gold medal. The Board acceded at once to my suggestions, aqd, so, far, t havg «yery reason to be satisfied with the plan, Hpcqqdrolass certificates uf merit are given to all pupils who score 50 per cent, of marks, so that encouragement 'is given to effort in all the classes. I undertook to give a yearly medal to the dux of the middle class, and to endeavor to obtain through the kindness of friends medals for the lower classes. In this I have boon most successful, and have to tender my thanks to those friends who have so kindly helped in this matter. The better to carry out the above plan, the school work for the year in the upper and middle classes has been arranged in sections. Candidates for honors might qualify in any or all of these. Competitors for the diix place must of course qualify in all. Programmes of the work for the ye:\i, were posted in tl(0 school-looms at the commencement of the session, so that the girls knew what they had to work for. The whole school learns writing from Mr Gow, the lessons heiiu' more frequent in the lower divisions than iu tire higher ones. Drawing’is. also taught by Mr Hutton once a week to the lower room ; twice a week to the higher. A Gorman class has been taught by Mr Beuchlor during the session ; a gymnastic class, by Mr Long; singing, by Mr White; music, by Misses Bell and Huic ; (luring the last quarter Mrs Price took Miss Huie’s place, while Miss Huie tqok the work of the lower room. Music lessons have also been given by Messrs' Towsey and Loos. I have now to express my thanks to all my fellowteachers for their earnest and constant Labors during the past session. Each and all have worked willingly and well. Miss Anderson especially has had heavy work, having the superintendence of the preparations of morning lessons in the evening, as well as her school duties. The honor list we published yesterday. There were some special prizes, which were awarded as follows:- Two gold thimbles, for plain* sewing: Misses Langmuir and Logan, equal. Mrs Burn's prises, two silver thimbles, for

same : Misses J. Smith and J. Strachan. The Hon. Julius Vogel—Tennyson’s Works, for greatest general improvement during rear: Miss E. Harris, middle class (B). John Reid, of Elderslie- Silver medal : Miss Mackay. Mrs Burn’s silver medal : Miss J. Hislop—these young ladies being equal an duces of the middle class. Messrs Keith and Wilkie—Copy of Shakespeare : Miss F. Gallon, os second in the school. Mrs Burn’s special prizes for mapping and drawing : Aliases E. M. Smith and Watt, senior class. Airs Burn’s prize for chronological char's: Aliases Logan and Carnegie. Certificates for do. : Misses J. Cooke, Irvine, and Harris (middle class}. Miss Bell’s 'music prize: Miss Mn.ckeir.is, Mr Lees’s music prize: Miss Trotter, Gymnasties. Mrs Burn's prize, silver bracelet: .Miss M. Ross. Mrs Long's brooches ; Aliases Hastie and M‘( Jlashan, equal. Calisthenics,--Mr Long, col l pencil case : Miss Burn. The Hon. the Premier’s prize of L 5, to the most popular girl in the school, decided by the votes of her companions: Miss E. AL Smith.

The Hon. the Premier, after expressing his pleasure at presiding on such an occasion, spoke as follows :-—Mrs Burn, I congratulate you most heartily on the groat success which has attended this institution, for I think I really may call it an institution of Otago ; indeed, I may say an institution of New Zealand. I have lived many years in Dunedin, and profess to have some knowledge of it; but this institution has grown up since I ceased to reside here, and it comes upon me as a great surprise to think that in the comparatively short time you have had charge of the school it should grow up to these dimensions, and be so astonishingly successful. lam one of the disciples of John Stuart Alill’s theory of the right of the female pex to the franchise. lam one of those who hope that amongst the reforms that we introduce into this Colony we shall be among the first of the Colonies or countries to recognise the rmht of women to the franchise. If I may be allowed to say so, I think that from an institution of this kind a very strong argument m its favor may be adduced. I behove lam right in saving that this is really the only public girls school, not only in this Colony. but I think, in any of the Colonies. Although there may be large proprietary schools elsewhere I think there are vevv few of what may be called, in the true sense of the word, public schools for girls. From what we see before us there can be little doubt that a girls’ public sc boo may be made a great success, and when I think of the mag ficent endowments given to public schools for bovK. and how small a share of those endowments is' devoted to girls’ schools, I can “°* he }P thinking it desirable that women shpul • some extent look after themselves. Mhenthcy attain to the franchise lam sure it Mil t their object, to see that a proper s ™re* f attention is given to the endowments which schools for girls should enjoy. None of us-I am now speaking of persons of my own sox—are admirers of what are known as strong-minded females, nor do we, I think, care mne or blue stockingism ; but on the other hand there are few men indeed who do not like to meet ir> the other M T ith those who nave nunns oi their own, Mean of their own ; who have ciilti* va f ed thoughts, and who are able to exchange thought for thought, and idea for idea. And I would say to you, Atrs Pump and those who enable you to manage this institution, that the members of it—the girls of the school, who will in future have a large "hare in dispensing hap niness throughout this Prpvinc-'— md those who come after us, wPI have to reioice at the intelligence and at the beneficenc - ' of those who had the enterprise to establish this institution —(Applause.) Tam told that the real parent of this institution, the lady through whose im mouse, i nergv it absolutely - sprang into existence —Alias Dalrvmple—is not here to-day. I have never had the pleasure of meeting that lady, but I bavo had the pleasure of corn* spending -with her officially upon subjects of au .valorous nature ; and it, is a gratifies Mon to me to be able on this occasion to bear my humble testimony to the energy, intelligence, and beneficent love for her own sex which has prompted her to become the parent of this institution. . . . Young

ladies, I have asked Mrs Burn, before you depart for yonr holidays, to allow me to carry out a little net scheme of mine, which 1 endeavored t.o apply th" other day in the Boys’ School, and which T hope will he applied more successfully on this occasion. I am one of those who believe that school is not a. place for the mere acquisition of knowledge, hut a. place where many of those qualities which'men love and esteem in after life are signnl’y displayed; and I think that amongst the prizes,to he given, one prize is well deserved—namely, a prize to he bestowed upon flie girl who secures among her schoolmates the largest amount of love and esteem—the girl most popular in the school. Mrs Burn was rather reluctant ,nt .first to allow me to give such a. prize. She thought that there might ; he some difficulty in making the selection. But I wish to say that there ought not to'-,bn, any difficulty. It will be, in fact,, a first lesson in the exercise of the franchise —in the exorcise of the ballot.— (Laughter.) All yon have to do, is for each of you to write down the name of the most popular girl in the school, according to the writer’s estimation. If there are a great many popular girls, so much the happier must he your lot, in being at such a school. If you arc att popular girls, it must be a very happv lot. All I wish to say on this occasion is that I hope there will bo no failure, and there need be no failure. Whoever has the largest number of votes gets flip prize, and if there is a tie I will give two prizes. I again thank yon for allowing me to preside on I this occasion, and T hope that your success hitherto will bo but the precursor of a larger success in time to come -ft success which will enable you to be known not only throughout Otago, and throughout New Zealand, but also throughout the whole of these Colonies. Presentations were then made—To Mrs Burn, of a handsome crystal flower stand and two vasp«, from the pupils in classes A and B: to Mr Pope, of a handsome picture, the gift of class A; to Miss Anderson, a handsome Chinese workbox ;to Miss Hnie and to Miss Hill, In presenting the, gift to Mr Pone, Mr Vogel said : — <4 Por himself; he had only to say—knowing how long and how intimately Mr Pope had been connected with the educational institutions of Otago, and looking upon this institution as one of the most, if not the most successful of them all—that it gave him very great pleasure to think that Mr Pope had "'become associated with the Girls’ High School,” The National Anthem was then, and the school brojke up.