BREAKING UP OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION SCHOOLS.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 4931, 11 January 1877, Page 6

BREAKING UP OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION SCHOOLS.

■ The'various city schools conducted under the auspices of the Board of Education -broke up for the Christmas holidays during the week ending Dec. 22, the annual examination by the Inspector haying just been, concluded. ■ The' examinations have revealed a most satisfactory state of things in the city. The schools have been more largely attended than in any previous year, ’but the percentage of. children who passed the standards set up for different ages has exceeded fontier results, and there is every evidence that excellent ; work is being done in’ all the schools. ’ In some ,cf the schools prizes were not given,’ owing either to the local committee having: considered it unnecessary to provide them,' or having been unable to get them ready in time for the breaking up. THE TEKUACE SCHOOL. At this school (Mr. J. Young, master) on Saturday there was a good attendance of

parents and visitors to witness the distribution of rewards. Mr. J. Burne, who presided, and Mr. John Knowles and Mr. Lindsay, members of the local committee for the school district, were present, and in turn delivered addresses to the assembled children, advising them to make the best use of their school days, by storing their minds with that knowledge which proves so great a power to the possessor when fighting the battle of life. Prize-takers were urged to persevere in the course of industry they had evidently followed during the past year, and a few kind words of encouragement were addressed to those who had not been so fortunate as to gain rewards. The Chairman .. spoke' in a congratulatory: strain on the past hjptory of the school. He . mentioned : that it .had only .been in existence since the commence-, ment of the year, and though at the start there ■■ had been under twenty pupils, in thefacepf many difficulties, the roll had been cbdtinually.added. , to until there were now about 120 upon it. This success he attributed to the untiring energy of the local committee and the head- ' master, Mr. Young. He was glad to say that, i owing to the healthy site and the sanitary precautions taken, the sickness- so prevalent in - many parts of the city had not affected the children attending this school. No doubt the institution would increase in public favor till it would be difficult to secure-admission., In ' fact, he thought it would become the select school of the city, and therefore those who ; were at present in attendance, and who of course would always be regarded as having a prior right to remain, should consider them- ' selves privileged. ' The prizes were then distributed to the fpl- - lowing children:— Standard IV. (Highest).—Mary Young and Henry Gamble. Standard lll.—Albert Cllmle, Albert Costall, Harry Blaoklock, William Mitchell, William Toomath. William McLean, and Emma Archer. . Standard ll.—Charles Mitchell, Frederick Levy. John McLean, Arthur Jaoka, Ernest Wright, Samuel Foley, Charles White, William Judd, Percy Knowles, James Miller, Charles D’Arcy, Henry Simeon, an l Arthur Hoggard. Standard I.—Sarah Buck, Emily Sievers, Elizabeth Gamble, Helena Sievers, Katherine Costall, Katherine Chappell, Emily Weaver. Annie Myers, Henry D’Arcy, Philip Diraant, John Buck, Arthur Lindsay, David Alexander, John Kelly, Frederick Mitchell, I D. B. Snow, Boss Gore, William McKay, and Ernest 1 Myers.. Special.—Euth Archer, Charles Young, and David i Hutchings. Mr. Inspector Lee’s certificates of having success- ’ fully passed grades IV. andlll. were then distributed. 1 None are Issued for grades II and I. Grade IV.—Mary Young and Henry Gamble. Grade HI. —Emma Archer, William Mitchell, Albert Climie, AY. McLean, H. Blacklock, William | Toomath, and Albert Costall. ■ Votes of thanks were then recorded to the School Committee, for their kindness.in having 1 provided rewards ; to Mr. and Mrs. Young and Miss Beresford, for their care and atten--1 tion to the children during the year ; and to ’ the Chairman, for presiding. . After these favors had been acknow--1 lodged, Mr. Costall spoke a few words, in 1 | which, as a parent, he expressed his gratitude ! that such a school was open to the children of ' the town, and intimated his intention of giv--1 ing a box of. mathematical instruments to the 1 scholar who should during the next year attain the highest number of marks. Mr. Knowles added that the local committee, having a small sum on hand after paying for the reward books, proposed on the first or second school days to give the scholars a treat on a small : scale. I The proceedings were terminated by the singing of the National Anthem. THORNDON SCHOOL. This school (Mr. - Mowbray, head master) broke up on Friday, but the distribution of prizes was postponed till after the holidays. The prize list was announced as follows: First class.—Wm. Callaghan, Marcus Marks, August Koch. Secend class.—Sophia Lindsay, Annie Pitt, John Koch, Alfred Cook. Fourth class. —Harold Bannister, Willie Hickson, Wra. Daly. Fifth class.—Mary Wood, Wra. Johnson, Ewen McColl. Sixth class.—Herbert Koch, William Sutherland. >-Seveuth class. AYm. Beeves, Wm. Greig. Prizes were also awarded to four children who passed the late examination. ■ and who are believed to be tlie youngest children of these respective standards in the province, viz.:—Wm. Kidier, standard iv.; Frederick Bolton, standard iii.: Wm. Eeay and Nelly Isaacs, standard i. - Several interesting presentations were then made, affording a proof of the kindly feeling existing between the children and the teachers. Mr. Mowbray. was presented with a locket, and Miss Devereaux, the senior assistant mistress, was presented with a copy of Shakspere and a copy of Moore. BUCKLE-STREET SCHOOL. The prizes were presented on December 21st by his Worship the Mayor to the successful scholars attending the Buckle-street schools. As none of the class-rooms could by any possibility contain the whole of the an adjournment 'was' made to the playground in front of the building, where the various classes were ranged in-order by their respective teachers. His Worship addressed a few kindly remarks to the children, urging upon them specially that whatever they got to do, whether learning, or working, or playing, they should do it thoroughly, putting their heart into it, because if anything was worth doing at all it was worth doing well. The books (a liberal contribution from the members of the local committee) were then presented to the respective prize- takers, with a word of encouragement to each. At the close the Mayor was requested to make the presentation of a handsome writing-desk to Mrs. Tarn, the gift of. the girls of the school to, their excellent teacher, which he did in appropriate terms, and which was suitably acknowledged. Three cheers for the Mayor'wound up the proceedings. This school, under Mr. Everisa,' Mrs. Tarn, Mrs. .Wilkinson (who, by the, way, was also: presented on the previous-day with a-writing-desk by.her scholars), and their assistants, fs in excellent order, and really doing most efficient educational work; TE ARO SCHOOL. In this school. (Mr. W. H. Holmes head master) no prizes were provided by the committee ; but prizes were given by the headmaster,for generalgood couductandproficiency, to Alfred Feist and Tillira Watson. The under teachers presented the head master with some books, and the scholars made him a present of an inkstand. KAIWARRA SCHOOL. The following is the prize-list at the Kaiwarra School : Fourth and third ' classes. —Boys: Hugh Phillips, John Overend, Edward Smythc,. Alex,. Cameron. Bobert Harris, George Hogg. Same class girls: Mary Cameron, Lizzie Flaws, Jessie Cameron, Jessie Overend, and Alice Greaves. Second and first classes.—Boys: Alfred Palmer, Charles Aplin, Samuel McCallum, James Overend. George Flaws, "Willie Overend, lind Alfred Holmes. Girls: Annie Searlo, Mary Casey, Kate Cameron, I.avinia Tucker, Kachel Holmes, and Mary Gillies. ' . ■ , TAAVA PLAT SCHOOL. _ The annual distribution of prizes in connection with the Tawa Flat School took place oh Tuesday, the 26th ultimo. Owing to there not being sufficient room in the school for visitors, &c., the ceremony took place in a paddock near the school. Mr. Taylor, chairman of the school committee, distributed the prizes; there were also present Messrs. Duncan and Allan, members of the committee, with many of the children’s parents and friends. Mr. Taylor addressed the children, advising them not to be jealous of one another’s prizes or places in the, class; but if some should feel a,’ slight disappointment therewith, he hoped it would act -as an incentive to further exertions another year. . The Dux Prize, or the first in the fourth standard division, fell to Miss Annie Duncan; 2nd, James Nott. Ist in the third standard division; John Ryan; 2nd, Andrew Brown.' Ist in the' second standard, Amelia-Taylor :; 2nd. Marian Massey. Ist in the'first standard, John Duncan; 2nd John Melted. A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr. Taylor for presiding and distributing the prizes, and .also to theothermembers of the committee for the interest they have all taken in the getting of books, &c., for the children. Every scholar had a present of some sort. The Chairman highly complimented Mr. Horne, the teacher, on the state of the school. Mr. Toomath, who arrived too late to distribute the prizes as was formerly arranged, also addressed the children. He took notice of the great improvement that had taken place in educational matters during the last few years; and he was happy to find that some of the good things had fallen to their share, as he believed two of their number had specially distinguished thenwclves-Miss Annie Duncan,

who was said to have furnished the best arithmetic paper in tlie province during the last annual examination by Mr. Lee, Inspector of Schools; and Master James Nott, whom he was happy to congratulate on having gained the Wellington College Scholarship for the year. The children and visitors were then regaled on cakes and tea in profusion, when the youngsters set to work with bats and balls and at other games. A little singing helped to enliven the scene, and altogether a very enjoyable day was spent. The meeting broke up with three cheers for the ladies who had kindly assisted in the matter. TAITA SCHOOL. . At the breaking up of the Taita public school for, the Christmas holidays the following pupils’ obtained prizes::—First, division— Arthur Death, Walter Clement, Frederick .Welch, Mary M. Sinclair, Kate Meagher.' Second division—Ernest Clement, Geo.-Death, Emma. Heath, Augusta Clement, Mary King, Deborah Avery, Mary Ann 'Davison, Ada James. Special prizes were also awarded to Martha Bbden and Hose E. Rodgers. The master said that owing to the ploughing match and sports in the neighborhood there was a very small attendance on the day the school was inspected, but he hoped to see a better turn out on the next visit of Mr. Lee ; and he reminded pupils that, if they wished to pass particular standards, or figure high on examination lists, they must be regular in attendance and persevering in their studies. ’