ACKLAND ROAD SCHOOL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 61, 14 March 1913, Page 3

ACKLAND ROAD SCHOOL.

ANNUAL PICNIC AND PRIZEGIVING.

Only twenty-three scholars attend the Acland Road School, but that not prevent the school being a really live institution, nor did it prevent the annual picnic and prize-giving yesterday from being a most successful function, at which everybody enjoyed themselves to the full. The morning was wet and -unpromising, but the sun struggled through in the afternoon, and the slight showers did not at all interfere with the proceedings. When the ladies had provided everyone with an excellent lunch, the committee, with Mr Frank Mackay at the head, got to work with the sports. Children’s races, married women’s races, stepping the chain, catching the pig (not a greasy one), tug-of-war, etc., etc. followed each other in quick succession, and provided plenty of amusement. A fine fat sheep, whose live weight was 1401 b, proved a baffling proposition to would-be guessers, Mr Mackay being the only one to solve the problem correctly and calculate the exact weight. Speculation was also rife as to the champion tug-of-war team, the married men proving more than a match for the bachelors. THE PRIZE-GIVING.

Both Mr Robert Masters and Mr Rogers, members of the Taranaki Education Board, were present at the gathering and the duty of presenting the prizes fell to the former. In introducing the members-of the Education Board, Mr Mackay, chairman of the School Committee, referred to the splendid financial position of the school, and stated that next year visitors would find the school grounds much improved, and, he hoped, a sheltershed erected., Mr Masters, before presenting the prizes, addressed the children briefly, and in a few wellchosen words impressed upon the scholars the value of education, and in particular the benefits to be obtained from the lessons in agriculture imparted by the Board’s instructor. He hoped that the children would attend the classes regularly,, and that ultimately some of them might win the agricultural scholarships which the Board hoped to endow from its Education Reserve funds. (Applause.) Prizes were then distributed as follows: Attendance Prizes.—First-class certificate: Isabel Knox, Ada Lumsden, Arthur Harvey, Ivy Booker, Malcolm Knox; second-class certificate: Gertrude Lumsden. Sewing Prizes (awarded by Mrs Mackay): Ivy Booker and Rose Oldridge. Diligence Prizes (awarded by Mrs Marlow),: Douglas James Mackay, and Eleanor Knox. Neat Work: William Mackay, Ada Lumsden (prize awarded by teacher). The following pupils gained prizes in their respective standards.—Standard V. : Pearl Witt, Ivy Witt; Standard III.: Victor Derby, Ada Lumsden, Isabel Knox, Ivy Booker; Standard I. : Myrtle Witt, Augusta Derby, Elma Derby, Doris Jones; Pr; 2; William Mackay, Douglas Mackay, John Knox, Arthur Harvey, Eleanor Knox, Winnie Knox, Rose Oldridge; Pr. 1: Gertrude Lumsden, Archie Christensen, Frank Christensen, John Harris, Leslie Oldridge. Mention should be made of the good work done by the teacher, Mr Norman Blair, who during the short time he has been in the district, has made friends among the parents, and is deservedly popular, with the youngsters.