OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2141, 23 December 1890, Page 3

OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

WAITOHI FLAT SCHOOL. ANNUAL TEE AT. The annual treat, previous to the breaking up for Christmas holidays, was given to the Waitohi Flat School children last Friday. Favoured with fine weather, after the recent welcome rain, the entertainment proved a great success. The children, in gala costume, mustered in great force, accompanied in many instances by their parents, while a considerable sprinkling of outsiders and ex-pupils contributed to the hilarity of the meeting. Tea, and an ample supply of confectionery of every description, was served to all about one o’clock in the schoolroom, after which the children were engaged in racing and Jumping contests for several hours. The various events were well contested and thoroughly enjoyed, the head teacher and Mr Redpath acting respectively as handicapper and starter. The programme was carried out as fellows Running (distance, 100yds), age, 12 to [l4— Boys, 1 John Moore, 2 James Moore, 3 P. McCabe, 4 C. Chapman. Girls, 1 A. Halley, 2 M. McOlintook, 3 Bella Fraser. Age, 10 to 12 —Boys, 1 R, Williams, 2J. Connell, 3T. Thornley. Girls, 1 E. Moore, 2 K. Fraser, 3 M. Johnson. Age, 8 to 10 Boys, 1 A. McOlintock, 2 J. England, 3 J. Simpson. Girls, 1 Minnie Currie, 2 A. Gibbs, 3 A. Fraser. To keep up the sports a second series of competitions was engaged in, the winners in the previous events being excluded, in which Annie Mitchell, Frank Chapman, Thos. Chapman, and Annie Southby took the loading places, and Polly McClintock took first place in the final consolation between the ages of 8 and 10. The high jumping competition, confined to boys, and superintended by Mr Thornley, was very good and promised well for maturer contests. Age, 12 to 14, 1 John Moore, 2 Mitchell, 3 James Moore. Age, 10 to 12, 1 Thos. Thornley, 2 F. Chapman, 8 John Currie. Age, 8 to 10, 1 A, McClintock, 2 Thos. Chapman. The competitions ended, the children adjourned to the schoolroom, where JUr Fraser, the chairman of the school committee, after a few preliminary and very suitable remarks, proceeded with the distribution of the prizes. These consisted of a varied assortment of Useful and ornamental articles, procured from Mr Pearson of Timaru, who bad kindly added two handsome prizes to be given to the two best ■choters in the school, which fell to the lot of Bella Fraser and James Moere, both having passed in the sixth standard. Prizes were also awarded to Susannah Simpson and Annie Halley in the fifth standard. In the fourth standard John Currie was deserving of special award for having obtained the best pass, and second to him was Charles Chapman. Prizes were also awarded to Kate Fraser, Mary Johnson and Matilda McClintock in the third standard, while William Currie was first in the second, and a prize was also awarded to Herbert Cone of the same standard. Several articles yet remained unallotted, and a general move was therefore made to the playground to run them off. This occupied the time pleasantly till well on in the afternoonj when the scholars, being at last summoned to the school verandah, Mr Fraser again addressed them, and announced the glad tidings of a fortnight's holiday. The head teacher then, on behalf of the scholars, briefly replied, thanking Mr Fraser and the committee, and all who had contributed to it, for a good day’s enjoyment, and calling for three cheers. These were heartily given, and Mr Moore, in return, called upon the schoolboys for a similar compliment te the head teacher and Miss Stocker, which was duly honored. We have only to add that Mr McCaskill proved an excellent purveyor, and Miss Cunningham an experienced and obliging superintendent of the tea table.

GERALDINE PUBLIC SCHOOL.

The annual concert in connection with this school took place in the Volunteer Hall, Geraldine, on Friday evening last. Owing to a complete oversight on the part of the committee the concert was not advertised, but the children had given it a certain amount of publicity, consequently there was a very fair audience. The hall had been as usual decorated with evergreens, flags and flowers, and a portion of the platform divided off as a stage. Hitherto the proceeds of the concerts have been devoted to purchasing prixes, but this year the committee decided not to award prizes beyond the certificates for good attendance, but to hold a large picnic for the scholars. Very great credit is due to the head master, Mr Aitken, and the mistress, Miss Pearson, for (he excellent training they had given

the children in their varied, and in many cases, difficult parts. The youngsters also had the special advantage of Miss Fish presiding at the piano, a fact which in itself went a long way towards seeming the success achieved. The concert opened with a number of action songs by the infants. This is always a pleasing feature of these concerts, and the precision with which the little ones performed their parts was much appreciated. The hall, however, is so large that the children found great difficulty in making their voices board, in fact, some of the very best points made during the evening were lost to the audience owing to this cause. The second part of the programme was opened with an overture on the piano by Miss May Fisher, a pupil of Miss Fish. The piece was cleverly played for such a young performer, and was loudly applauded. The next piece was a kiuderspiel entitled “ ihe Flowers of the Forest,” Ihe parts were taken in character as follows:-—Uncle Ned, George Stonehouse; Lady of Banbury Cross, Fanny Gibson; Tom Thumb, Harry Berry; Jennie Deans, Annie Bowkett; Bobin Hood and his men, Ben White; John Gilpin, White; Tam O’Shanter, Fred Dunlop; Black-Eyed Susan, May Fisher; Lass o’ Richmond Hill, Emily Maslin; Bessie Bell, Mina Dunlop; Mary Gray, Gertie Fleming; Colleen Bawn, Maggie Morrison; Sandwich Man, George Sherratt; Bluebell, Fanny Jones; Gowan, L Burridge ; Heath, M Burridge; Primrose, Mina Dunlop; Jack Spratt, W Morrison; lorn lucker, B White. Some of the performers also had to taka two or more parts. The dress and get-up of the children was capital, and the whole piece admirably rendered, the only drawback being the difficulty of hearing the children. At the conclusion of the entertainment Mr R. H. Pearpoint, chairman of the School Committee, came forward, and said that after mature deliberation the committee had decided to give no prizes to the higher standards, as it was found that certain children got all the prizes, which left no encouragement to others, who were perhaps not quite so smart. A monster picnic would, however, be held with the proceeds of the concert, and the certificates for attendance would be awarded soon after the school reassembled. Ha concluded by proposing a hearty vote of thanks to the teachers for the way in which they kad trained the children for the concert, The vote was carried by acclamation. In acknowledging it on behalf of the teachers Mr Aitken reminded both the parents and scholars that the school would reassemble on January 26th, and urged upon the latter the necessity of being present the first and every day it was open if they had any desire to obtain a firstclass certificate of attendance.