GERALDINE SCHOOL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2311, 28 January 1892, Page 3

GERALDINE SCHOOL.

The annual distribution of prizes for regular attendance and merit at the Goraldine Public School took place on Tuesday afternoon, when there was a large number of children present, but only a small number of parents. The great pleasure and satisfaction of a prize distribution with children is when their parents and adults are present to witness it. The presence of grown up people also gives encouragement to them to excel in the year before them; but when parents are conspicious by their absence, as on Tuesday last, what encouragement is there for their children 1 Mr R. H. Pearpoint (chairman of the i School Committee) presented the prizes, and Lufyro doing so, said that an alteration had been made this year in the regular attendance prizes. The Committee had thought that the giving of a better class of prize would be an inducement for parents to send their children, and also for children themselves to attend more regularly. They could not get good results, no matter what kind of master or mistress they had, if they did not have regular attendance. The committee therefore selected some very good prizes, and he hoped that next year they would do the same, and that the chairman on that occasion would not only be able to give 17, as had been done this year, but even more than that. He hoped that the parents would make an effort to Bee that their children did attend regularly. The prizes were then distributed according to the list below. They consisted of handsome story books in the preparatory classes, and for regular attendance they were well-bound and handsome-looking volumes costing at least 5s or 6s each. For proficiency etc., a number of ladies' workboxes, baskets, and cabinet photo, frames were given to the girls, and books to the boys. Mesdames Pearpoint and Hawkins acted as judges of the sewing. After the prizes had been distributed Mr Pearpoint said the only thing he regretted was that there were not more parents present to witness the prize giving. The parents present, however, could tell the absent one 3 of the special inducement the committee had provided for regular attendance. There was one good thing, the present year had opened with a better attendance than heretofore. On the opening day there was an attendance of 239, and on that day (Tuesday) the attendance was 236, which was far above anything they had had before, in Icact tLe highest since Geraldine became Geraldine. This was a good start, and would like to see it continued. He had been asked by the head master to request the parents to provide the necessary books for the new year. He thanked the parents, and moved a vote of thanks to the teachers for the pains they had taken with the children during the past year. This was responded to by good hearty shearing fromHhe children, after which Mr Shiers in seconding the vote of thanks, said that he did no* think that anything he could say wonld make much impression on the colonial boys before him, but he must say that because a great number of boys present had not gained prizes it was not that they had not the capacity for learning, but because they been neglectful' of their work. Perhaps as they grew to men they would see some of the boys present who had been diligent driving about in their buggies, while others who not had been diligent would be shovelling gravel ou the roadside. The neglectful boy might then say of the diligent one, " Why that man went to school with me when we were boys, and why can't I ride about in a buggy like him 'I " The reason would be because he had not been diligent like the other boy, and he would then have to make the best of it. His own boys, and other boys if asked to do certain things, would very often say " Its too much bother. " All he could say to such boys was that if they did not take trouble with their work they would be found in after years with a pick and shovel in their their hands, while those boys who had taken trouble with their work would be Having the best of it. (Applause.) The children and parents then dispersed. The following is the list of prizef 'takers : Preparatory Class I.—General Excellence : Wm, Mundell, Rose Stringer, Jane Parker, Andrew Boughton, Ophelia Ward, Elizabeth Joe, John Chapman, Thomas Tozer, Fanny Gore, Martha Pratt, Maggie Ramble, and Annie King. Good Conduct: Lilly McCaskey, Caleb .Maslin, Mary Baughen, Sarah Gaby, Jtiphard Groves, Beauehamp Pizzey, Agnes Rowe, Robert Finlayson, George Worner, L,eah Mcllraith, and Leta Post. Mental Arithmetic : John Law son. Read- i ing : Arthur Chesterman. Singing:, Ellen M. Henney. Diligence : Evelyn Weston. Preparatory Class ll.—General Excellence ; George Prouting, Elsie Sherratt, Robert Sutherland, Sarah Scott, Patripk O'Brien, Katie Riordan, Robert Newport, and Annie Tozer. Good Conduct: Annie Hansen and Frances Buzan. Reading : Edward Herlihy, Andrew Burke, Jane Denoon, and Ernest White. Singing : Mary Farrell. Writing : Lizzie Coppin, Norah Burke, Geo. Waters, John Bowkett, and Ernest Howard. Standard I. General Excellence : Maggie Albert and Francis Johnston.' Drawing ; Eihma 'Deah, : 'and/' Leonard JJenhey: Drill Exercises : Jessie Allan. -% Reading : Flo Maslin, Jane Shiers, and John Finlayson Writing : Jessie Coppin, Wm. Heatley, and Thomasina Scroggie. Arithmetic: Bertha Sherratt. Singing: Hetty Wallach, May Morrison, Mabel ssurridge, Lilly Chapman, Alipk,' WhiteJ ftoe fye, yictoi 1 ' Annie Hammond. w t^n ! j A? v d 11.—Special prizes for ing: George Booker, Alice, Hpatley. (Presented by Mr Fisher,) LjjiT o*' Shwing Prizes. Standard YL ; Maggie Scroggie 1, Alice Riordan 2, ■ Standard Y-: .lane Fyfo I, Fanny Jones and Mina Dunloj) 2. Standard IY,; Bridget Burke 1, Fanny C^' l " a nd Mary gcott an'-i Standard III.: Katie Clouston 1, Katie McCaskey 2. Standard 11. : Katie Burko 1, Heatloy 2. r Standard I.; Emily 'Fp.hu 1. "Special.— Standard Wl. ; Mary Burke. (Presented py' ' Mrs ' Pearpoint.) " Standard Y.: Emily Matilin. : (Presented' by Miss Pearson.)"' Standard ILL : Maggie MqLeod (Presented hy Mrs'Hawkins;) Perqnicfi Albert' '(.Drtisentod by Mrs s)'n'nlop7

Regular Attendance.—Second clans prizes : John Joe, Jane Fyfe, Robert irfcvoggie, Bella Rennie, Gertie Ward, Andrew R nnie, Aleck. Quinn, Wm. Fyfo, Harry Walton, Amy Morrison, and Rose Gore. First class prizes : Alice Hoskins, Bertie Walton, Maggie Maloney, Lizzie Berry, Alfred Berry, and Thomas Aitken.