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Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2058, 19 April 1907, Page 4

PRESENTATION OF PRIZES. GISBORNE SCHOOL. At tlio &islmrno School yesterday die prizes for attendance won during tlio past yoar wore presented. The prizes given by the Governors oi tlio High School were also presented. " Punctually at 2 o'clock Messrs. Somervell (Chairman of the School Committee), Darton (member of the Educaion Hoard), Morgan (secretary of the Governors of the High School) Hid the Rev. AV. Grant, proceeded to tlio Infant School where a large number of certificates and medals for attendance were presented. Mr. Somervell, in the,, course of a. few remarks to the children, stated that three years ago only 27 firstclass attendance certificates wore awarded, last year there were (10 and this year there were over 100. Mr. Rowley (headmaster) said that there woro medals for all who cared to try for them. He doubted if they thoroughly realised the value of these awards, lie had received a secondclass attendance certificate when he was at school and lie had it still. He advised those who had received these awards to carefully preserve them. When the awards had been presented three cheers wore given tor the gentlemen present by the children, who wore then granted a holiday for the rest of the day.

At 2.30 an adjournment was made to the big upstairs class-room where the rest of the scholars were assembled, and a formidable array of attendance awards wore distributed. Mr. Somervell then called upon Mr. Morgan to present the prizes (consisting of hooks) won by the pupils in the secondary classes.

Mr. Morgan said that whilst any steps taken to improve the attendance at schools had his approval', his sympathies were with the non-win-ners of medals or certificates—the hoys or girls who did their very best to get certificates, hut who, through illness or other circumstances over which they had no control, missed half-a-day and were denied a firstclass certificate. Despite that, however, lie was in favor of anything done to improve the attendance at schools. A few years ago when he was Chairman of the School Committee only ton first-class attendance certificates were given. He thought children should endeavor to realise that they had not completed their education when they liad passed the Sixth Standard —there was always something more to he learnt. Heretofore tlio Governors had confined the giving of prizes to those who liad pased the matriculation examination, hut this year none of tlio pupils liad passed that examination though two luul done very w ell intlie civil service examination. The prizes were given by the Governors to encourage the pupils, hut the fact that prizes were given this year did not mean that prizes would he given next year. He urged the whole of tlio pupils to say : “I will he as good as Humphrey Parker and win a Queen’s Scholarship.” (Applause.) Pupils in Poverty Bay were unable to gain Queen’s scholarships, hut he was glad to say that Parker was to get a scholaiship equal to the one he won. He hoped that the regulations would yet he amended to enable Poveru Bay pupils to compete for Queen’s Scholarships. The Rev. Mr. Grant made a few remarks emphasising that ability was wholly or partly neutralised if not hacked up by diligence and punctuality.

Mr. Darton also spoke and urged the scholars that they should stay at school as long as they wore possibly able.

Mr. Somervell apologised for the absence of Mr. do Lautonr, who, lie said, was known among the older generation as one of the host friends of education in the district.

Cheers were given h.v the children for the teachers of the school and the speakers and the gathering dispersed.

In addition to silver medals and certificates for unbroken attendance for twelve months and certificates for not having missod more than live half-days for a year, gold medals for full attendance for five years were awardel to Oswald Church and Julian Hanson.

The following received the prizes given by the High School Governors: For passing Civil Service Examination with credit —Geo. Redpath (G 2.8 pe cent., equal to 32nd in order of merit)-‘--“Mill in the Floss,” “Ivanhoe,” “East Lynne,” and Shakespeare’s works; John Hogg (GO per cent) —Tennyson’s works, “Don Quixote,” “Silas Marnor,” and “East Lynne.” Annual Examination —W. Dunpliy, Ist, Scott’s works, “Last Days of Pompeii,” and “The Last of the Barons” ; May Moore, 2nd, Milton’s works and “Middlemarch.”