ST MARY'S CATHOLIC SCHOOLS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 178, 25 July 1878, Page 2

ST MARY'S CATHOLIC SCHOOLS.

(Communicated.)j dn Tuesday afternoon the boys attending }.lie above school p'resehted tlife Eev Father Orari n with the following address, accompanied with a very handsome and useful book entitled " Hadyn's Dictionary of Dates." The following address was read by Louis Prank: — To the Rev A. M. 6arim Patron of St. Mary's Schools. We, the undersigned pupils attending St. Mary's School, beg to offer you our sincere congratulations on this, the 68th anniversary of 3'our birth, and hope you may be spared to .us for many years. We ask you to receive this present ;i3 a Mark of oiir .'affection, and in return foir the untiring zeal in the interests of St. Mary's schools for upwards of 28 years. Though the Gpverncaeut grant is withdrawn from, ,thi3 school; and it is solely supported by school fees and voluntary contributions, we have much pleasure in congratulating you that even under those great disadvantages St. Mary's Schools shall continue to hold the high position it always had in Nelson. Wishing you every happiness, we are, &c, (Signed by 57 boys.) After having thanked the pupils for their kindness in feeliug terms, the Eev Pather Garin said: There is a remark which on this occasion I wish to pass itpon the character of St. Mary's Schools, and this remark is grounded Upon facts. Yoli will agrfee with me that these schools have always been highly spoken of. The- Inspector of' Schools in all his annual rep'o'vts showed How they were excelling On .ninny points; but I must say that this year it has not been so favorable. The report states that this year the school falls somewhat short of the high standard reached iv former years. This report may in one respect be* true, but if Mr Hodgson had stated the cause of this falling of instead of conveying an unfavorable idea of the teaching powers in the schools it would bave, on the reverse, Reflected to the credit of the teachers. But being limited in his articles for want of space I suppose he could not enter into details. The matter of fact is this: Since January it was rumored tbat St. Mary's Schools, after six months, would cease to be snpnorted by Government, and ou this account several pupils of the first class of the first division tried to secure to themselves situations before the school would break up. The consequence was that the best pupils by degrees left the school, which consequently could not in the last examination show the same high results as before. Was not this circumstance a mark of great proficiency when pupils who had not even accomplished tbe studies they intended to go through were yet aide to be promoted to advantageous situations r Therefore as the report pointed out a defect in the school without referring to the cause of it I consider it but right that I should (ell you that the cause of that defect, far from being disadvantageous, reflects most favorably upon the proficiency of several pupils, who were able to fiud readily situations on leaving the schools. As to Mr Kavanagh, who had beeu acting as second teacher, I will only pass this remark : He took charge of the second division about fourteen months ago, and during that short period he has had to contend against the great disadvantage of having had more children thau he conld reasonably be expected to attend to, a great number of tbem being very small children crowded in the small space allotted tbem. But what shows Mr Kavanagh's ability is the good name that he has already earned, for he has had to replace a good experienced teacher — Mr Hichards. He has to contend against the great disadvantage of keeping a school which had been for many years free, and which now must be supported by fees. And yet, in spite of these disadvantages, children come to place themselves under his charge in great numbers, so much so that he has already beeu obliged to employ a monitor in order to be able to attend the upper classes, and I have no doubt that his exertions will he repaid with brilliant success.

Mr Kavanagh said: Rev Father Garin and my dear pupils— l feel proud indeed of the generous manner my boys have acted to-day towards the patron of this Catholic School Father Garin has done more for education thau any man iv New Zealand. Wheu you are older, my dear boys, you will understand what a great obligation you are under to Father Garin for your education. I thank Father Garin for the flattering terms he has spoken of me. lam perfectly satisfied with the progress of my pupils. I did my best to advance them in their studies. If your parents were not satisfied, you, particularly the Protestant boys, would not be scut here, when you cau receive education free in the Government schools in the town.

Father Mahoney spoke a few words of advice, and hearty cheers were given for Fathers Garin and Mahoney, and Mr Kavanagh.

Father Garin was also presented with an address and copies of "Chambers' Encyclopedia of Science" and "Roget's Thesaurus" by St. Mary's Branch Hibernian Society, for which he returned thanks in a suitable speech.