WEST END SCHOOL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81909, 21 December 1906, Page 2

WEST END SCHOOL.

I'IUZjJ DISIIUBUTION. The West End school is'noted"for the liannony existig between the »«>•«.», parents, staff and school committee, and at the scliool prize distribution on Thursday there was quite a "happy family," the largest attendance yet recorded being; present. A spirited mid well-rendered chorus by the children en masse, the head mistress presiding at the organ, opened tlie proceedings. Mr 11. J. Gilbert, chairman o£ the school Committee, made some introductory remarks appvopiatc to tlie occasion. l lt tlianKAuy all who had contributed to the great success of the recent bazaar, he paid a special tribute to the ladies wno had devoted so much time to preparing articles for sale. Mr. Gilbert expressed gratification at the splendid attendance of parents that afternoon, evidencing their interest in the work oi the school. Airs Howling, the bond mistress, ex 1 amed that prizes had been awarded U'l tin* basis of attendance, merit and improvement during the year, also for « u 'ls' sewing and lor the best shooting scores among the cadets. As regarded attendance, a "Jirst class" pnze had been awarded to those who nad not missed one attendance duriii" tlie year, and a "second class" uwuru to tuose who had not been absent uiore than ten times. There were 40 lull attendances us compared with 30 last year, the girls winning the laurels by securing 2, 0 £ them. Secondclass attendance prizes numbered 03, the boys being in the ascendant bv 4U I to 23. ' '

A nicely-treated duet, "Up With the Kuu in tiic Morning," wan rendered by alias Buekinan and Mastei; Mwny i>aker, tlio scholars joining m tlu i^lnuu.

iUi: 0. 'i'iscli, a member'of the Taramtki lUueaUcm itoanl, adilwisscil the gathering in felicitous terms, congratulating the stall' on the efficiency' and attendance at the school. He recollected that four yearß ago the average attendance was 127, and since tlie energetic committee got the establishment raised to a "standard" school, the attendance had gone on increasing, the present average being 313. This total had warranted an application' for further enlargement, and teachers' rooms were to be erected, I i-hus adding to the convenience of the building. Mr Tisch advocated tin. playground being made as attractive as possible, and the establishment, 0 f a gymnasium in order to foster i>hv sital culture. Mr Xiseh concluded bv "filing the children the compliment; a ly wmm and llu -onjfJEaUo holi-

jUr Gilbert then distributed the prizes, a imu lot of books, in handing medals to Willie I'l-estney, Harold iviumt, and iiertio Bowling, for too shooting scores in the West End Cadet

j ilirco presentations followed. lUr Gilbert, oil behalf of the pur,' eu ' ilw Howling a hand,' so.ne gut in the shape of* a take dish and set of silver cutlery ■ a mark of appreciation of her conj- „T t 01 the school. Her success us \ mistress, he sjlid, was known u- L K&~ tca « The compliment jvas *,«• , kuowlcdgcd by Jirs l)r K . f c ' received from the li/' , u e> wJ '° illao through Air Tiscl' iVwl 151x111 B"fci ilrliary was '> a 11Kvt workboxami fourth ' presented by .the third mounted r standards with a silverThu f' i'Ocketbook.

"l'arr -nildren having joyously sung uj- .well to Study,'' several rounds cheers were given, and the ceremony I terminated. As a linal 'send-off, half a hundredweight of lollies were distributed to the children in the playground.