BREAKING-UP CEREMONY.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 December 1920, Page 3

BREAKING-UP CEREMONY.

ST. MARY'S SCHOOL, STRATFORD The annual prize distribution and breatingup ceremony in connection with St. Mary's D'ocesan Girls' School, Stratford, was held yesterday afternoon, a. large number of parents and visitors being present. It had been arranged to hold the ceremony on the lawn In front of tte school, but owing to the inclemency of the weather conditions this was impossible, and one of the classrooms was used for the purpose, a good deal of the programme having also to be cut out. The chairman of the Board of Governors (Mr, W. H. H. Young), presided, and read a telegram from the Bishop expressing best wishes for the function, :'.-.& an apology for absence from tho Rev. <;. .'.istle. of.Eltham.

Tte repo.t <-f the lady principal (Miss Stanford) stated that the past year had been one of satisfactory progress, both mental and physical, and the school was gradually making Its influence felt throughout the district, as a power for good. The attendance has beer, excellent, except during the last lerm there bos been-an outbreak of mild infi:i«v,™, followed by measles. Tl'e alterations in the staff were mentioned, and it was stated the school had been successful in gaining two pjofloleney certificates, and the 3en!or inspector spoke in high tennis of praise of the intelligent way the girls answered, and of their knowledge of current events and general Information. The girls had gained tnirteen certificates in the various grades of the Royal Academy of Music, an excellent result as the examiner of tto year required a high standard of excellence. Reference was made to u small sale of work In the Parish Hall by the girls In aid of various school Improvements. Horizontal and parallel bars, etc., had been erected, and the principal looked forward to the time when St. Mary's will have a well-equipped gymnasium for the physical development of the girls. In relation to the gsmes and sports, It was stated that tho Board of Governors had laid down a third lawn, usable for either tennis or croquet. During the winter ,the elder girls had attended Dr. Gordon's lectures.

The principal impressed on the girls that they were the linrnc makers of the future, so they should have high ideals of home life, and a high regard for religion and purity of thougtt and spccc'.i, also that a girl should esteem it a very high privilege to help In her home before going out to earn her living. She also stressed the necessity for a longer course of secondary school life for girls, as it I was between the ages of H and 18 that a girl learned more than in all her previous school life, and would go forth belter pre pared for the great battle of the world. Parents were urged to communicate with the principal on mnlter9 concerning the welfare of the girls. Thanks were given to Mrs, Good and Dr. Brewster for judging needlework and physical culture; also ot Mrs. W. H. 11. Young, Miss Bates, Miss Christie, and Mr. Grant-Fargle for special prizes; to parents and friends for keen Interest in the school, and to the Board qf Governors for assistance rendered. The staff had worked splendidly, all having done well.

The chairman expressed Irs great pleasure at seeing so many present. Since the war, he ndded, the cost of maintaining schools of the nature of tl'elr school, was steadily on the increase, but the Board had pulled through and just managed to make ends meet. While the financial position was satisfactoty it had been decided, In conformity with other schools, to raise the fees slightly next year. He congratulated Miss Stanford and her staff on the very excellent work of tire year, and the way tho girls had advanced in wisdom and stature. In this connection he could not do better than quote a paragraph frora the report of Chief-Inspector Valentine, of the Taranaki Education Board, who had visited the school. Mr. Valentine said: "A very fine tone characterises this school. . . and the training tends to develop In the girls certain admirable qualities and graces." That wa3 the considered report of a gentleman who had visited most of the schools In Taranaki, and all friends of the school were justly proud of the opinion expressed. Although private schools for some reason or other were regarded will- a little jealousy, he thought that any private school, of which the staff and girls could secure such a eugolistlc report, well justified its existence.

A matter which was exercising the ir.lndi of the Board at the present time, addei Mr. Young, was how to devise some method by which the school could be more firmly established than at present, and if the friends of the school—and there were many friend.'— came forward and gave the support which other similar schools were accorded, its finance aud progress would be assured. The Board would like the whole-hearted support of its friends, and hoped those present would leave even stnuncher friends than they iad been up to the present.

The Rev. Franklin, of Hawera, spoke Interestingly or the reasons why the Church ol England had cstablisred its awn schools. He said that the Church felt that it had a duty towards the young In seeing that their educaion was not one-aided as was the case In the secular schools, 'but complete In every particular. The State schools . provided splendidly for tl:e Intellectual training of the children, hut the moral and spiritual side was, for some strange reason Ignored altogether. The Church had therefore established its school to develop all sides of the child's character. Mr. Franklin then went on to deal with the progress which had been made In establishing Church schools, and concluded by expressing the hope that the day would soon come when every parish would have Its school as well as its church, because of the influence for good such schools would be in the community.

Dr. Home, of New Plymouth, was called on by the chairman to present the prizes, find before doing so Dr. Home expressed .lis very great pleasure at seeing the progress which the school had made and congratulated Miss Stanford on the results obtained.

At the conclusion of the prize distribution, the visitors were entertained to afternoon

A lengthy programme of musical and dramatic Items had been arranged to, be given on tile lawn, but owing to the limited space available in the classrooms, most of these bad to be abandoned.

PRIZE LIST. Following Is the prize list: — Senior Form.—Scripture, Mary Bell; English, Alice Webster; mathematics, Alma Smith; languages. Alice Webster. Middle Form —English, Rosalind HoneyReld; mathematics, Phyllis Perry; languages, Phyllis Perry. Junior Form.—English, Erica Carryer; arithmetic and French, Erica Carryer. Preparatory.—Scripture, Lionel Budge; Std. 1, Jean Abraham l ; primers, Joyce Barnltr; Needlework.—Senior. Alma Smith; middle, [mlah Harrison; junior, Antoinette Campbell; preparatory, Adele Carter.

Drawing and Sketch Club.—Senior, Alice Webster; middle, Jean Christie; junior, Antoinette Campbell. Special Prizes.—Music, Mary Bell; languages, Norah Wicksteed; composition, Alice Webster; English literature, Anita Relra; general improvement. Mary Fookes; physical culture, Alma Smith; tennis senior champion, Marjorle Pease; tennis Junior champion, Margery Fargie; sports senior champion, Faith Larsen; sports junior champion, Margery Fartie; steeplecrase, Phyllis Perry.