GIRLS’ HIGH SCHOOL.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2124, 14 December 1880, Page 3

GIRLS’ HIGH SCHOOL.

The annual gathering of the pupils of the Girls’ High School, their parents and friends, to celebrate the distribution of prizes, was held in the now.Boys’ High School, Worcester street, last evening, commencing at seven o’clock, when the company assembled in the main hall on the second floor, a spacious, handsome apartment, admirably suited for the purpose. The accommodation thus afforded, though much greater than that presented by the old girls’ school in Hereford street (where tho same event took place in 1879), wae all required, tho attendance, of ladies especially, being very largo; and the well lit room, when filled, presented a strikingly pleasing appearance. At one end of the hall, a stage or platform was erected for tho accommodation of those ladies and gentlemen taking a prominent part in the proceedings, and for the juvenile performers contributing the entertainment which is regularly associated with the annual distribution of prizes. Shortly after seven o’clock the Most Rev. the Primate and several other members of the Board of Governors of the Canterbury Collage, including the chairman (Mr Montgomery), ascended the platform, accompanied by the lady principal of the school and her assistants, and on a table in the front were piled a collection of handsome volumes, being awards of merit which were presently to be distributed.

Mr Montgomery offered a few remarks by way of introducing the business of the evening. He said it was his duty, as chairman of the Board, to read the reports of examiners who had examined the school, and that of the Inspector - General of Schools, who had been sent down by the Department of Education in Wellington especially* to examine and report upon this school. The Board of Governors, he might say, had been exceedingly anxious that this school should prove a success, and had used its best endeavours to bring about such a result. In this connection he complimented the lady principal, and congratulated her on the fact of having been assisted by such a capable staff of assistants, including Miss Edgar and Miss Oonnon, ladies who were distinguished by having taken degrees from the University of Now Zealand. The Board considered there should be a strict and searching examination of the school before the close of the year, partly in order to ascertain what pupils were entitled to prizes for marked diligence and ability, and [partly to chain an accurate idea of the general ohaactor and tone of the school, so that any

defects noticeable might be remedied. In conclusion he would point out that the reports might justly be relied upon as being strictly just and impartial, hence their value to the institution and to all concerned in its welfare; and it was extremely pleasing to be assured that, on the whole, considerable progress had e been made by the school during the past • year. (The different reports referred to were then read. They were as follow: — i Canterbury College, December 7th, 1880. i The Chairman of the Beard of Governors, t Sir, —We have the honor to submit our third i annual report on the Girls’ High School. _ With regard to the upper classes wo desire to express our pleasure at finding that they have reached the standard which last year we hoped they would reach. The upper first class does 1 all the work which is usually done by candidates • for the University junior scholarships, whilst ’ the lower and larger section of the class is not l far behind it. In this class the English htera- [ ture, the Latin grammar and translation, as well as the arithmetic and algebra, were especially well done. In the second class the English literature and arithmetic were worthy 1 of special mention. In the third class the Latin and English literature were well done. The other subjects in this class were, as a rule, only moderate, whilst the spel ing is, us it was last year, bad. The fourth and fifth classes do not hold that position relatively to the higher classes which the lower part of a secondary school ought to hold with reference to its upper part. Speaking of the fifth class last year, we said—“ We hops to see the elementary work done in this class gradually disappear from the programme of the school.” We desire to express a decided opinion that a class like the present fifth ought not to find a place in a school in most respects so advanced as the Girls’ High School. The attainments in this class are so meagre, that it would take a girl in it a greater number of years than are usually allotted to secondary school life to reach even the lower part of the first class. We think that this objectionable feature might be largely by greater stringency in the entrance examination. At the same time at least the first four rules of arithmetic should be added to the list of subjects for that examination. If onr suggestions on this head wore carried ont, the school would undoubtedly deserve the name of secondary school in the highest sense of the term. We append Professor Bickerton’s report on the examination which he has lately held in those science subjects on which he has lectured to the school during the year. Wo are, &0., J.‘ m! Brown,^ 1 Examiners, Professor Bickerton’s Report on the Science Examination. Sir, —The answers to the Examination Papers in Science in the Girls’ High School show an < intelligent acquaintance with Elementary Chemistry and Physics, and? I think that fair progress has been made since last year. A. W. Bickbeton, Examiner. Education Department, Wellington, I December 4th, 1880. ; Eeport on the Christchurch Girls’ High • School. —I visited the school on the 29th ult. i On the occasion of my first visit in June, 1878, 1 I said—“ lam satisfied that though the present I standard of attainment is low, this is to be accounted for by the necessity of laying a good , foundation where it has not before been laid, ; and that the present staff is quite competent to do much higher work when the pnpils are ready for it.” The confidence which I then expressed ■ is folly justified by the present state of the ' school. The work now being done in it is of a , high order, very thorough, and altogether worthy of a good secondary school preparing ■ pnpils for a conrse of University study. The f Lady Principal is still too closely engaged in i class work to have sufficient time for becoming ] personally acquainted with the state of the ; classes taught by other teachers; but the gene- , ral efficiency of the staff is such as to render ( this defect in the organisation of comparatively little moment. Wm, Jas. Habens, Inspector- ’ General of Schools. j Mr Montgomery, in commenting on the above reports, add he wished to draw special j attention to the fact that they not only dealt ■ with the attainments of the scholars and the j relative positions occupied by them with , respect to one another, but painted out such ' defects as were found to exist. He referred ' specially to the weakness which was said to ( exist in the third class, and that he thought ■ might perhaps be accounted for by the fact that a number of the pupils in that class, who joined the school this year, had only reached - the second or third term. However, he could confidently promise, on behalf of the } Lady Principal, that during the ensuing term j strict attention would be paid to the suggestions of the examiners. With refer- , ence to the fifth class, the examiners expressed the opinion that some of the children were not sufficiently advanced to entitle them to admission to the school. The Board had carefully considered that question, and , they were anxious that the children should . attain a high standard before being admitted 1 to the school; but several reasons had weighed S with them in dealing with the question, one i being that parents were adverse to separating "j their children, But the matter would be again i brought before the Board of Governors, and J the suggestions of the examiners would, they . might depend upon it, receive careful con- 1 sideration. He might mention that two ' pupils belonging to the school had distin- 1 guiahed themselves this year, namely—J. 1 Grossman, one of the pupils who came 3 to the school in January, 1876, and , had gained a Junior University Scholar- : ship, and E. Pitoaithley, who was ad- 1 mitted in September, 1876, and gained B a scholarship given by the Board of Edu- , tation. Among the prizes to be given away : this year, he might mention a special one, 1 presented by Sir Julias Vogel, through Mr J Hislop, and which was to be awarded to the 1 scholar who stood first in English litera- 1 ture. 1 The distribution of prizes was then proceeded with. Appended is a list of the prize- 1 takers : * Upper First Class—Edith Searle, Caroline Woodley. First Class—lst, Ellen Pitoaithley; 2nd, 1 Elizabeth Harris; 3rd, Elizabeth Milsom. Second Class Lily March; 3rd, Mary Gibson; 4th, Hester i Connon; sth, Winifred Cox. i Third Class—lst, Edith Hobbs ; 2nd, Helena Gibson; 3rd, Margaret Hall. _ ] Fourth Class—lst, Suzette Carew ; 2nd, Alice Cnddon; 3rd, Laura Beath. Fifth Class—lst, Agnes Hay; 2nd, Helen Tait. Extra Prizes English Literature, Edith ' Soarle. 1 Mathematics Ellen Pitoaithley, Elizabeth ' Milsom. Needlework Beatrice Gibson ; 3rd, Edith Howland. Honor- , able mention —Lilian Papprill, Margaret Bor- , rows, Annie Piorcy. Edith Papprill, Winifred ■ Cox, Helen Inglis, May Aikman, Helen Gibson, Agnes Hay, Lilian Manning. Mapping—lst, Ella Cook; 2nd, Ellen Mason, 1 Writing—lsabella Macanlay. \ Music—Lilly March. Mr Montgomery here made amends for an omission in his introductory remarks. Ho had not mentioned the number of pupils in I attendance at the school. Dming the first term this year there were 88, second term 88, and third term 95. During the entire year 112 children received instruction in the school. He might also say that the present schoolroom would be used as a School of Arts, and the new school in course of erection in Oranmer square would be ready for occupation in about two months from date ; but, it was not intended to move the children into the new building until the second term of the ensuing year. The stage was then cleared for the usual examination entertainment, as it may he called, given by the scholars. The programme was well chosen to exhibit the acquirements of the performers, and the result was such as to reflect the greatest possible credit upon the scholars and their teachers. The Very Bev. the Dean, on behalf of the public, in proposing a vote of thanks to the ladies who had so successfully entertained them that evening, expressed the pleasure it afforded him to be present on such an auspicious occasion as the present. Ho congratulated all connected with the institution on tho evident progress _ made by those taking advantage of it, shown not only in the fair and impartial reports sent in by the examiners, but in the latter part of the proceedings that evening, when those present were enabled to form for themselves an estimate of the attainments of tho pupils of this school. He expressed his congratulations to the ladies having the conduct of the school, and in speaking of the important part filled by tho Board of Governors in reference to tho institution, 'made special mention of tho chairman of that body, whose zeal in tho cause of education was well known, and ha felt sure highly appreciated. Mr Montgomery returned thanks on behalf of the lady principal and Board of Governors, and with respect to his own part in the matter of popular education, said he should like to see public examinations in connection with all the Government schools in the same way aa the examinations wore conducted in this. This concluded the programme of _ tho evening, and after singing the National Anthem the company dispersed.