NEW PLYMOUTH HIGH SCHOOL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 303, 18 December 1908, Page 4

NEW PLYMOUTH HIGH SCHOOL

BKJiAKLNG-LT CERICMOXV. ' The breaking-up ci'remonv at lite New 'i'lymomh School was conductid yesterday al'toruooji in the presence. of u 'large galh.'ring of parents ami frHMuls >of the scholars, Tile function had been 'advertised for 3 p.m., Imt about an •hour was spent at afternoon tea before 'a start was made with the business part 'of the proceedings. .Meanwhile, the visitors who were not interested in the Very excellent afternoon tea awaited f lhe arrival of the members of the Board, 'leaching .stall', and pupils in the large t'lass-room set apart for the " breakingiq."' About four o'clock .Mr. 31. lfraser '(chairman of the Board of (Joveriiors) 'ami his colleagues, Messrs. '»S. I'ercy'.Smith. K. UucKrill, ,f. Ji. Wilson, J)r. 'Fooke-j A. 11. lilas<><)w, took their places 'ami the pupils lih'd into the >,cats allotted to thi'lii. I'liiNi irAi/s Kivpoirr,

.Mr. 11. Ward, acting-principal, delivered his annual report, lie stated that at the beginning of the year there was a roll number of 43 girls and 00 boys. The roll number now was 50 boys and 52 girls. The attendance throughout the year had been most satisfactory, the girls' average being 04.10, and the boys' 05.4. Fourteen boys and three girls gained attendance prizes. Several children who lived a long distance from the school had attended with most praiseworthy regularity, particularly in the case of one boy who had to ride 18 miles and a girl 10 miles every day. The examination results as published at the beginning of the year were most satisfactory. Eight candidates were sent lor the'inatricnlation examination, and six passed. For the junior civil service and .senior free place examinations 22 were sent up, and 20 passed, lan Grant, the dux of'the school last year, was eleventh 011 the list for tile whole of New Zealand. At the examination for the Education Board's scholarship, the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh places were gained by High School pupils, live of whom were awarded scholarships. This year twelve had been sent up for the matriculation, solicitor's general knowledge, and medical and engineering preliminary examinations, three for the junior university and Taranaki scholarship. Owing to a change in the Departmental regulations, several children who had held a junior free place had been granted a senior free place without examination, by what was known as the credit system." Others had gained a partial pass, and the remainder would go up for 'examination in the usual way. Furthermore, the Department was making secondary examination even more accessible than ever, by raising the qualifying limit for a junior free place from 14 to 15 years. It was a matter for regret that more parents did not take advantage of this generous legislation. The secondary schools' curricaInm. following on a grounding ill the primary schools, could not fail to make ii boy 01' girl more fitted to till responsible positions when they left school than if their education had ceased at the sixth standard. During the year instruction had been given at the technical school in cookery to the girls, and woodwork to the boys. It had been intended to give the girls a course in dressmaking, but owing to the illness of the instructress the classes could not be held. Mr. Ward read n report by Mrs. .1, W. Wilson, who had examined the girls in calisthenics. She found that generally speaking the work showed little or no improvement 011 last year's work, and this could only bo remedied by devoting more time to the practise of the exercises. Many girls were really good at Ihe exercises, but there was lack of uniformity. ('Hull and dumb-bell exercises were taken too quickly. Cymbals were better. The examiner suggested as a remedy that if at all practicable a qualified instructor should be engaged for a few hours a week, when, she thought, a marked improvement would tie noticeable. In connection with this report Mr. Ward stated that the girls, unlike, the boys, had 110 professional instructor In their exercises. Tll addition, the examination was held indoors 011 account of the weather, whereas most of the practices were held outside. This report was the only one 'made on the Work of any class by an outside examiner. The conduct of the scholars had been excellent throughout the year, and the tone was a wholesome one. This was especially noticeable at the beginning of the present term, when, owing to a temporary shortened stall', several of the classes were left to work entirely on their own account during the greater part of the'day. The children realised the peculiar nature of the circumstances. and. though receiving little instruction, worked in a quiet and orderly manner.

The report dealt fully with the athletic institutions in connection with the school, and stated that it would be a very great assistance to the games fund generally if parents could be induced to contribute a sum every year to cover the working expenses incidental to the various institutions. If it could be realised how important a part athletics played in the life of the school, and what strong factors they were in the de.velopnusnt of bodily and mental vigor, more encouragement would be given to the boys. Reference was- made in the report to the girl pupils' excellent production of Tennyson's "Princess*' towards the end of the second term. Tn- concluding, 'Mr. Ward public'y thanked the stall' for the loyalty they had shown to the school and to himseif during the year. Further, he trusted that when at the beginning of next •year Mr. Pridhani would once more take up his dutic>. he would find that the thoroughness of work which his own earnest character had imprinted on the school had been unimpaired during his absence. The chairman of the Hoard warmly

'congratulated Urn principal and Hie 'other members nf the teaching st.iil" 'upon the excellent report read, 'partieuhirly as tliey had been working under serious stalling and other iiuidcntal dillii-ukies that he was proud to say liad Wren m-m*oiin\ Parents ami Hie Hoard. in* 1011 M s«i,v. were agreed Ihiit very good work liad boon dune, and tlicy were pvmid of it. lie also wished the pupils an enjoyable holiday. ..Mr. 11. Okoy, A1.1'.. congratulated the pupils who had been Miccessful in winning prizes, and urged tlie uusiteeessful one- to "try again." They would find that their whole lifetime was a continuous "try again,' - avoiding' in the one year the mistakes made in the one just ; closed. tie reminded the pupils that they had facilities such as were not lo be obtained in his boyhood days, and l liey should take every advantage of the educational advantages enjoyed by the children of to-ilay. Education was becoming more and'more essential in every walk of life, and they could not succeed without it. Messrs. S. I'erey-Siuil h. T. Kelly. Al.lj.t_"., and .1. li. iiov al„o liriellv ad dress,.,l the scholars.

JJuring the afternoon concerted s";igs were given by tile pupils, including 'Cnudoaiuus" and "Dulce Dunuiiu'' and a part-song, "fairy t.iiiccn." A departure. from the usual routine was made, 11 school orchestra under the baton of Mr. Wills, one of the teachers, contributing an excellent selection, the latter portion of which they were compelled to repeal. I'UKSIiXTATIoN" OF I'IiIZICS. The prizes were presented by .Mrs. S. iPercy-Sniilh. in the abseuci' of Mrs. M. I'raser. as follows: The Dux -Alary Howling, tii'iieral Excellence.—Form VT., Alary Terry, dames Sinclair. I'hilip tirey. Arithmetic.—Form V., Alt'. McArtlmr; Form IV., C'arthew Xorris; Form til., 'Phyllis Clemance. Algebra.—Form V., Villa Wiling; Form IV., Norman tittle} Form HI,, Hugli 1 Shaw. _ . '

Geometry.—Form V., Vida Billing; Form IV., Nonnau Little; Form 111., Lewis Warren. Latin.—-Form V., Vida Billing; Form IV., Ronald Adlam; Form 111., Hugh Shaw. French.—Form V., Ronald Baily; Form IV., lionald Adlam; Form 111., Kathleen Tobin. Literature.—Form V., Edith Arthur; Form IV., Alarjoric Glasgow; Form 111., William Mulloy. Grammar.—'Form V., Alice Gleeson; Form IV., Carthew Norris; Form 111., Lewis Warren. Composition.—Form V., Ronald Baily; Form IV., Norman Little; Form 111., Elma Wallach. ißotany.—Form V., Alice Clemance; ' Form IV., Carthew Xorris; Form 11lHugh Shaw. {Drawing. —Form V., Edith Arthur; ■Form IV,, Gwen Skinner; Form 111., Gladys Doile. Geometrical Drawing.—Form V., Edith Arthur. English History. —Form IV., Irene - Footc; Form 111., Lewis Warren. ! t Geography.—Form 111., George llooi;- ! ■ cr.

Attendance I'ri/.es. —-Maggie Bollard, Amy Marie, Gladys Doile, Clement Clemance, Charles llenricbs, George Hooker, Alf. Sykes, Lewis Warren, Ronald Baily, Lancelot liellringer, Avoudale Gray, '•Philip Grey, Roy Jackson, Alfred MeArthur, Allan .Matthews, .lames Sinclai'', Thomas Tuohy. Gymnastics.—Girls: .Senior, Alary Dowliug; junior, (llailys Doile. Boys: 'Senior, Thomas Tuohy; junior, Alfred tSykcs. 1 Dr. Fookcs' Cup for general excellence. —.fames Sinclair. Points Prize Cup.—J. 1!. Sinclair. Old Boys' Challenge Shield.—l. R. Sinclair. Tennis Champion Prize.—'-Mary Dowling.