BOYS'. HIGH SCHOOL

Taranaki Daily News, 17 December 1915, Page 3

BOYS'. HIGH SCHOOL

GREAT PROGRESS MADE. t TEACHING OF AGRICULTURE.

Like the pupils of tlie sister school, the boys of the New-Plymouth High School have this year shown- their desire to sacrifice school prizes so that the money could be devoted to the Patriotic Fund, and at the prize-giving ceremony held in the school gymnasium last night the boys accepted certificates in lieu of p-izes. There was a good attendance of parents and friends at the ceremony, and Mr. E. Dockrill (chairman of the Board of Governors) presided. There were also on the platform Mrs. Dockrill, Mr. H. Okev, M.P., the Mayor (Mr. C. H. Burgess) and the Mayoress (Mrs. Burgess), and several members of the Board of Governors. The proceedings opened with the singing of. the National Anthem, after which if?'. W. 11. Moves (the principal) read an interesting report on the past yejr's work at the school. Brief addresses were given by the Mayor and Messrs Okey, Dockrill and members of the Board, while the prizes were presented by Mrs. Burgess. The school song and, other items by the boys added to the success of the gathering, the school orchestra taking a prominent part.

In the course of his repoft the principal said the school had continued to grow, and had now probably reached its maximum as regards the number of pupils in attendance. Some idea of the progress made could be gleaned from the fact that the total roll number for the year had increased from "1 in 1912 to 221 in 1915. During the year 75 boys had been in residence as boarders, and it would therlfore be seen that it was of the utmost importance that the building of the proposed boardi'nghouse should be pnsh(fl on with the least possible delay. The staff now comprised nine permanent masters and two part-time masters. At the annual examinations in 1014 G. M. Salt was the winner of a Taranaki Scholarship. I. W. Pott, F. A> Bruce, D. Grant, \V. N. Leech ami V. S. McMurray passed Matriculation, and in the same examination R. Monteath gained a partial pass. Two candidates, A. M. Sutherland and W. N., Leech, were entered for the entrance examination for the Royal Military College at Duntroon, and both were successful, Sutherland taking fourth and Leech sixth place for New Zealand. Education Board Scholarships were won by D. G. Mackie (who took first place for Taranaki), C. C. Yates, J. H. Kendall, A. A. Huse and D. Denny-Brown. The Alf. Bayly Memorial Scholarship was won by R. A. Callander. L. Eyre and V. S. McMurray gained very creditable passes in the Auckland 'University College examinations of October last. Two boys, A. Jobcs and D. Svkes, were entered for the Pharmacy Examination, section A., and both were successful in passing. The report proceeded: "The agricultural course has been still further enlarged, and we can, I think, claim to have accomplished as much in practical agriculture as any secondary school in the Dominion. An area of five acres is now under cultivation, and on this manj experiments of an interesting ar.d an instructive nature have been carried out." Considerable field work was done, anil in the second term an orchard of 80 treeswas planted in order that the agriculture boys might be able to gain an in-' sight into this important branch of farm- . ing. This course of study was essentially of a practical nature, and was one which could be pursued with profit by those boys who intended to make farming their life work. The agricultural ' work in the various grades, however, j was sadly lacking in co-ordination, and [although good work was admittedly .done >n the primary schools, in -the technical schools and in the secondary schools, as yet it is impossible for a boy to pass from these schools to any agricultural college in the Dominion. He was sure that it would be a step in the right direction were agricultural scholarships tenable at such colleges founded. The course in book-keeping had found favor with a large percentage of boys attending the school. The work in book-keeping had been supplemented by a useful course in commercial correspondence, indexing and precis writing and typewriting. A determined effort had been made to build up a library worthy of the school and a 'considerable sum of money had been spent with this object. Other features of the school -work were touched upon. The preparatory school had continued to grow in numbers, for, from a roll number of 29 in 1913, it rose to 46 in 1914, and to 02 at the beginning of the present year. The various school institutions continued to flourish. The report concluded with reference to the splendid response made 'by the Old Boys in connection with the war.

PRIZE LIST. The- prize-list was as follows: — Preparatory School.—Form lb., G. Fookes Wm la.. JI. Lvsons, B. Blundell. "Form" H„ R. Dolby, F. Williams. Form lib., \ v - Mackay, H. Holden. Form Ila., L. Fag"®, S- Hayden Form 111., G. Webster, E. Pope.' Elocution prizes (donated by Mr. T. Avery): Lower Preparatory, K. Neal; Pieparatory, C. Kyngdon. UPPER SCHOOL.

Form Ilia.—First in form, K. Rob- | ertsp Languages and Literature, H. j (Joss; Mathematics and Science, H. Calder; Elocution, H. Goss; Drawing, D. Denny-Brown. Form 11 Ilj .—First in form, A. B. Sturtevant; Languages and Literature, 11. Murray; Mathematics anil Science, L. Sampson; Elocution, E. Johns; Drawing, C. Ducker. Form IV.—First, in form, D. Doile; Languages and Literature, A. Brooker; Matliematics and Science, C. Way; Elocution, D. Doile; Drawing, P. Meuli. Form V.—First in form, M. Atkinson, E. liamerton and K. Lealand; Lauguages and iLterature, D. Saxton; Mathematics and Science, N. Fookes; Elocution, M. Atkinson; Drawing, W. Traill. Form Vlb.—First in form, K. Brokenshire; • Languages and Literature, N. Quilliam; Mathematics and Science, C. C. Yates; Drawing, A. Huse. Agriculture prizes.—Junior, F. Train; senior, A. L. Death. Commercial prizes (donatetf by the sJew Plymouth Accountants' Society)— Senior division: Ist, G. Rodger; 2nd, C. U'ay. Junior division: Ist, B. Wilcon; 2nd, N. Bellringer. Commercial correspondence —Senior division: K, Clemow. Junior division: L. H. Wood.

Dr. Fookes' cup for general excellence —V. McMurray. Dux of the School—V. McMurray. Head boy's medal—F. A. Bruce. Bayly Scholarship medal—A. Callander.

The cups and prizes won at the sports and it 'tic gymnasium, competitions were also presented. The list of winners lias alr«>dy/bß«n »uWislw&