PRIZE DAY AT THE COLLEGE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XII, Issue 294, 13 December 1877, Page 2

PRIZE DAY AT THE COLLEGE.

The distribution of prizes took place at the College this morning when, owing probably to no notice having been given, the attendance of visitors and boys was much smaller than usual.

The chair was taken by Mr Barnicoat, the senior Governor, at whose request the Kev. S. Poole, M.A., the examiner, read the following report:—

To the Chairman of the Board of Governors, Nelson College.

Sir,— l have the honor to inform the Governors of Nelson College that the examination, which they requested me to undertake, has been satisfactorily terminated. The great addition to the number of the pnpils is very remarkable, and there appears to be every endeavor on the part of the Masters to keep up the high standard of previous years. If the results of my investigations have not been as good as I might have expected, as regards particular cases, the deficiencies have been traced to the comparatively short period of entrance. Under the head of Classical subjects I have examined in portions of Sallust, Tacitus, Horace. Principia Latina, Homer, Initia Groeca, as well aa Grammar and Composition. Owing to the great number of examinations in the Civil Service and University degrees, and for which the upper boys have been preparing, the Classical Examination does not include several of the subjects which have been studied in the school. Latin and Greek, on the whole, have been no better this year than they were last.

It is absurd to expect that proficiency in Classics which can only be obtained in schools where these subjects are exclusively studied.

The English of the College is well kept up. I have been able to read the answers giren to the several questions without encountering much bad spelling or many ungrammatical expressions, and lam happy to say that the papers, with a few exceptions, have been very neatly written. Shakespeare is still studied with success. It will, I trust, be remembered that the nature of the examination requires not only familiarity with the test, but also a careful reading over of the notes on each play, as well as the knowledge of the princi pies of English Grammar as laid down by Morell.

The subject of English has, I am happy to find, been more largely encouraged by the very appropriate foundation of the Simmons' prize. The first prize has been won by Harkness and the second Lowe, the Principal of the College having looked over the Chaucer, and having come to the same decision as myself.

In the subject of Mathematics I have examined in Arithmetic generally, Euclid, Algebra, Plane Trigonometry, Statics, Dynamics, and Hydrostatics, Iha ve been as tOQished to find how well many of these difficult subjects have been mastered by some boys o£ tender years. The growth of mathematics has never failed. When I compare my first questions of 1866 with those of 1877, and remember the solutions of the first examination with that of to-day, I find that my predictions, as to the teaching powers and attainments of the then new Mathematical Master, have been most amply verified. The scholarships and prizes, as well as honorary mentions, will sufiiciently indicate, I trust, the conclusions I have arrived at after a most searching scrutiny. A lengthened report will therefore be unnecessary. In conclusion I would ask to be allowed to congratulate you and all connected with She College on having obtained, toe services of one, who, in discharging his duties aa Head Master of Nelson College, will have at his command that amount of varied learning and acquirements which the general management of the Institution now requires. I have the honor to remain, Sir, Your obedient Servant, S. Poole, M.A., Classical and Mathematical Examiner. The following list of winners of scholarships was then read by the Rev. S. Poole:— LIST OF SCHOLARS. Newcome— value £24 . . Atkinson i Richmond-— value £24 . . Fleming Ist Foundation, Classical— value 3 <P M'lvori 2nd Foundation, Classical— value £10 Lowe 3rd Foundation, Classical— value J 5 Wither iii Ist Foundation, Mathematical — value £20 . . . . Watson 2nd Foundation, Mathematicalvalue £10 .... Evans 3rd Foundation, Mathematicalvalue £5 .... Buckeridge Mr Barnicoat said that all present must have listened with pleasure to the report which had just been read. It showed that the College was keeping up its ancient reputation, and this wag saying a good deal, for it had always stood foremost among the foremost educational institutions of the colouy, and to find that it coutinued to hold its high position was very gratifying to the Governors, the masters, and the parents. The numerical test too was satisfactory, for although the population of Nelson was not increasing yet the pupils were becomiug more ans more numeroua year after year. The Governors desired to express their satisfaction with the progress made during the year, aud fully endorsed the concluding words of Mr Poole's report with reference to the head master. The prizes were then distributed as follows:— LIST OF PRIZEMEN. C&assics— Harkness, Andrew i, Houlfc, Ashcroft, Boddington i, Cotterell ii. Mathematics— Harkness, Harley, Whitwell, Ashcroft, Light r oot, Mitchell ii. Physics— Richmond i, Andrew ii. English— •♦ Simmons' Prices "—JJarkness, Lowe. French— Andrew i, M'Donald. German— Atkinson i, Fleming. Mr. Hakling's Phizes— French— Vickermau, Hoult ; German— Myers, M'lvor i. Special Prizes — English — Trolove, Andrews, Atkinson iii. Mr Barnicoat, afterdistributingthe prizes, said that he wished to congratulate the boys

on the honors they had so fairly earned after so able and searching an examination. The Rev. J. C. Andrew said that it so happened that the steamer in which many of the boys were going was leaving early, and therefore he would make no long oration, at which possibly the boys would be pleased, as they had been listening to him constantly for the last half year, and some of them probably had heard more from him than they Hked. He would however like to address a word or two to them, and to remind them that as young people they had all their life before them, and the best thing they could do was to consider how they should spend it. They should commence by thinking what was the character of the age they lived in. The world had been divided into ages. There were the ages of the rocks, the ages of stone, copper, and iron, but what they had to consider was the age in which they lived. Some might describe it as the age of steam, of the spectroscope, and of the electric telegraph, but he would describe it in another way, namely, aa the age of examinations. His life did not extend so far back as the commencement of the period of examinations, but that of his father did, so that it was of comparatively recent date. The Universities examinations first became the rule about the beginning of the present century, and one of the first to distinguish himself, in them was Sir RoberS Peel. Twenty years later, examinations assumed a new phrase, and under that second series Mr Gladstone might ba regarded as the one who received the greatest honors. Now, however, examinations had multiplied exceedingly, and there were University, Civil Service, and no end of examinations to be passed. It was possible that thi3 system of examination might be pushed too far, aa in China, where it had existed from, time immemorial, and old men 60 and 70 years of age were to be found going up for examination for the Civil Service. However, they must take the age as they found it, aud if they wished to be successful must not be content to put on a spurt at the last moment, but must work steadily and perseveringly. The way to get on iu life was to look forward, and to steadily and deliberately prepare for that which was inevitable and had to be met. By means such as these only could they expect to be be successful. Some of those who were now leaving must remember that they had two special examinations to pass before long, and in order to do this successfully they must devote & certain amount of time out of each day of the holidays to preparation. He would now wish them good-bye, merely reminding them that the school would open again on the Ist of February, when he hoped to see them return to their labors with the determination to set to work with greater vigor than ever.

Cheers having been given for the Governor, the masters, and the ladies, the proceedings terminated.