MILFORD SCHOOL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1460, 28 January 1886, Page 3

MILFORD SCHOOL.

The annual picnic and distribution of prizes in connection with the above school took.place on Tuesday, 26th inst. At one o’clock the children and a large number of parents and friends sat down to a sumptuous repast in the schoolroom, which had been nicely decorated for the occasion. Suitable mottoes adorned the walls, e.g.—“ Knowledge is power,” “First obey, .then command,” “Kindness wins love,” etc., etc. These were executed in plain white letters upon a red background, and tastefully surrounded with evergreens, tors, etc., etc. The tables having been cleared, Mr J. Brown, Chairman of. the School Committee, called upon (he Rev. T. A. Hamilton to distribute the prizes, who said that it afforded him extrreme pleasure to do so, as he had himself been a teacher under the North Canterbury Board of Education for five years, and therefore took a lively interest in the education of children and their welfare generally. He congratulated the school upon the splendid result of the examination, which he understood ,te be show 100 per cent, of passes. This would probably bo the best of the year, and Milford might naturally be jubilant over the remit, but he assured them that the whole of the Temuka district would feel proud of the distinction gained by the school. Then taking the various mottoes around the room as bis texts, the rev. gentleman gave the children some admirable illustrations in proof of their truth and general application to school life. The following is the prize list s Standard Y.~— Norah Brogden. Standard IY.—Annie Brown. Standard lll,—Emily Wareing, Florence Brogden, Edith White, David Parke, Gains Woodley. Standard II. —Agnes Wareing, Agnes Maze, Annie Maze, Gertrude Wareing, Harriet Woodhersd, John Brown, William Mackay, George Parke, Charles Woodley, Samuel Parke. ■ Standard I.—Jane Maze, Beatrice Waging, Rose Woodley, Mary Waging, Emma Spiith. John Mapk'ay. John White, Infants— violet Aosted, Catherine

Maze, Harold Warning, Backin Smith, Charles Wareing, Fredk. Ansted, Percivul Wareing, Herbert Wareing, Charles Parke, Robert Brown. The sewing was judged by Mrs Hayhurst, Mrs Hargreaves and Mrs Brown, and a number of elegant and useful workboxes and baskets were handed to the succesful competitors. A special prize for sewing, presented by Mrs Hayhurst, was awarded to Annie Maze. Special prizes for attendance, given by the Rev. T, A. Hamilton and the Master (Mr Smith-Ansted) were won by Annie Brown and George Parke respectively. The Rev. J, Holland, a clergyman from Christchurch, who was present, then spoke a few words of encouragement to the children, and urged them to do their work faithfully and conscientiously, not for the mere sake of winning prizes, but because it was their duty. He gave some interesting accounts of school life in Borneo amongst the natives, and caused great amusement when he imitated the way in which the native girls used the needle. He found that in New Zealand girls in service who had passed tho 6th Standard before leaving the school depended so much on the sewing machine, and knew so little about plain sewing, that they would rather go about in rags and tatters than take up a needle to repair damages by hand. He concluded amidst great applause. The Chairman, Mr Ansted, and Mr Wareing called for votes of thanks to all concerned, which were vociferously accorded by the bovs, after which an adjournment was made to the paddocks, where games, races, etc,, were indulged in till tea-time, when all were regaled once more, and broke up at a late hour, having enjoyed a most pleasant and enjoyable day.