GERALDINE PUBLIC SCHOOL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2754, 22 December 1894, Page 3

GERALDINE PUBLIC SCHOOL.

DISTRIBUTION OF PRIZES. The distribution of prizes in connection with the Geraldine Public School took took place on Thursday afternoon last, when there was a fair attendance of school children, parents, and friends. There were alao preaent Messrs W. H. Walton, D. McLeod, and P. D. Herdman (members of the committee) and Mr W. S. 'Ytaslin, M.H.R. (in the chair). The headmaster. Mr Farnie, explained that owing to the children having to attead a singing practice that afternoon for the concert he would dispense with the customary singing on the present occasion. Mr Walton made a few remarks to the children, urging them to be more rejular in their attendance than they had been in the past. Mr Maslin then addressed the children before handing out the prizes. He was pleased to see that the committee had exerted themselves to procure such a valuable lot of books as he saw before him. He was Bure that many of the larger schools could not show a better lot of prizes. He was also glad to notice the large number of boys and girls in the I school that, at an early age had got into the higher standards. This reflected g^eat [ credit on the teaching staff, for the very I efficient manner in which the pupils were taught must have brought them on so j well. Unless they were well taught the children could- not pass the severe examinations they were put to now-a-days. He was sorry there were not more parents present, as he wished to draw their, attention to something with reference to school attendance. But the scholars present might make it known to their parents that next year under the new law they would have to pay a certain Bum per week for the non-attendance of their children at school. Prizes were given for the boy or girl that was not absent more than 10 half days in the year, and he was surprised that only nine scholars in the first and second classes were entitled to these prizes. He had hoped that before the present time that the status of the Geraldine school would have been raised so that we would have a District High School. He knew the difficulties in the way, but he was convinced that if we were to have good education it should be free from beginning to end. He would like to see the advantages of secondary education so provided in this district that every boy and girl could avail themselves of it. Again referring to the matter of irregular attendance, he mentioned that this interfered with the efficiency of the school staff by decreasing the teacher's salaries, while, on the other hand, the present staff could be increased by a better attendance of scholars. He was sorry that Mr Colbert had left the school. Be remembered him as a boy in the school, and since he had started as a pupil

teacher, after gaining a scholarship, he had been promoted to the position of assistant master. He hoped there would be many masters and mistresses among the boys and girls in the school today. Many good teachers in the past had arisen from amongst the Geraldine pupils, and he might refer to one, Mr Albert Erskine, who was at present master of a large school at Wellington. Then there were Messrs Kalaugher, Smith, Bell, and others, who were now holding hononrable positions in school work. (Applause). The prize list is as follows: CLASS PRIZES. Standard Vll.—Dux of School, Patrick Burke ; Walter Masliu, Samuel Shiers, Bridget Burke. Composition, Ernest Tatam. Standard Vl.—Boys, Thomas Twigg, Harry Walton, Fred Maslin ; Girls, Katie McOaskey, Gertie Ward. Arithmetic : George Dean. Standard V.—Boys, George Shemtt, Alfred Berry, Walter Albert, John Joe ; Girls, Lily Chapman, Jano Pye, Lizzie Quiun. Composition : Mary Shiers. Standard IV. Boys, Edwin Twigg, Victor Baughen, John Boughton, Derby Rennie, Bertie Walton; Girls, Maggie Malony, Rose Gore, Katie Burke, Mabal Richards,Bortha Sherratt,Mabel Bu.rrjdge. Standard 111. Boys, A U<^M W Burke, Patrick Q'Briei}, John Bowkett, John, Smith, Robert Sutherland} Alex. Quinn ; Girls, Mabel Burrows, Kate Riordan, Rose Stringer, Bella Rennio, Sarah Soott, Miriam Morrison, Jano Denoon, Emma Dean, Elsie Sherratt. Leah MjjUw-"'

Standard ll.—Boys, Andrew Baughen, Thomas Towzer, John Chapman, Charles Stonehouse, Chas. Hay, Ernest McCaskey, Percy Smith, Caleb Maslin, Cecil Waters; Girls, Amy Morrison, Eliza Howard, Ophelia Ward, May Baughen, Jessie Scott, Fanny Gore, Maggie Ramble, Eliza Joe, Mary Baughen, Jane Parker. Standard I. Boys, William Rowe, Thos. Richardß, Robert Waters, William Twigg, Walter Ineson, Wm. Burborough; Girls, Emma Booth, Annie Hoskins, Violet Farnie, Grace Borrows, Elizabeth Burke, Effie Allan, Leah Dunford, Jane Gore, Maggie Burke, Ann Bennie, Lily Scott, Katie Sugrne, Maggie Groves. Infant Classes, Preparatory ll.—Boys, George Carver, Willie Joe, L. Scott, Geo. Albert, Carl Hansen, Rich. Towzer, L. Burborough, Geo. Krause, Will. Krause; Girls, E. Dunford, L. Pratr,, M. Booth, M. Quinn, L. Worner, J. Cameron, N. Burke, , E. Gager, M. Allan, L. Hay. Preparatory I. Boys, Will. Turner, Will. Winefield, Albert Fenn, Claude Harris, Henry Carver, Percy Harris, Frank Hood, Bob Richards, Will. Mcllwraith, Herbert Baughen ; Girls, L. Maßlin, J. Herdman, A. Howard, D. Parker, J. Joe, N. Borrows, R. Stringer, T. Bonghton, Linda Herdman. SEWING PRIZES. Standard I. Annie Hoskins (Mrs Sherratt's prize). Standard 11. ■— Alice Shiers (Mr McLeod's prize). Standard 111. Emily Fenn (Mr Walton's prize). StandardlV.—Jane Shiers,M. Burridge (Mrs Sherratt's prize). Standard V.—Mary Shiers. Standard VL—Katie McCaskey. ; SPECIAL PRIZES. Jane Pye; for cleanest sewing (Mrs Dunlop's prize). Bella Dunford : for buttonholes (Miss Mina Dunlop's prize)., Kate Burke and Margaret Maloney: for industry (Miss Peanou's prizes). Special prize for the most industrious girl in the second standard (presented by Mrs Gibson—Sarah Gabey. Special prize presented by Mr Walton —Mary MeLeod. Special prizes in the infant class were also given by Mr A Fisher. ATTENDANCE CERTIFICATES. Ist Class Kate McCaskey, Harry Walton, John Bonghton, Bertie Walton, Rose Gore, Lizzie Berry, Amy Morrison, Fanny Gore, May Boughton, George Morrison, Ann Rennie. Leonard Berry. 2nd Class—Alfred Berry, Gertie Ward, Edwin Twigg, Bertie Borrows, Mabel Burridge, Patrick O'Brien, Bella Rennie, Mabel Borrows, Ophelia Ward, Harold Baughen, William Twigg, Jane Gore, Grace Borrows. 3rd Class—Fred Maslin, Katie Riordan, Caleb Maslin, Ethel Walton, Thomas Riordan, Emma Booth, Annie Hoskins, Violet Gardiner, Linda Walton. Each receiver of an attendance certificate also received an attendance prize. Mr McLeod called for three hearty cheers for the teachers, which were lustily ! responded to by the youngsters, and the i proceedings terminated.