KAUAERANGA DISTRICT SCHOOLS.

Thames Star, Volume VI, Issue 1860, 18 December 1874, Page 2

KAUAERANGA DISTRICT SCHOOLS.

DISTRIBUTION OF PRIZES.

A very successful entertainment marked the distribution of the Christmas prizes to the children of the Boys' and Girls' Schools of the district. The occasion will be one to be remembered by the rising generation who were there, as a great event in their little history ; and what is of far greater importance, it has made an indelible record of the great success which has attended the introduction of Government Education on the Thames, where there were and are so many little souls hungry for knowledge, A number of ladies attended, among whom were noticed the following:—■ Mesdames Ninnis, Dewar, Berry, Sagnail, Kilgour and Perston; of gentlemen, the members of the Kauaeranga School Committee, namely — Messrs Dewar, Speight, McHhone, Greenville and Berry; and Messrs Porter and Macnab. The teachers of both schools were present.

Those of the Girls' School, Miss Hazelden, head teacher; Miss Boon, assistant teacher; Misses Wills, Lovatte and Keevan assistant teachers, and a number of monitors. Messrs Nodder and Gribble had chargo of the boys. Entirely exclusive of visitors, of whom there was a number (including the parents and friends of children), there were present not less than 400 children. It wa« indeed a beautiful sight. All the little ones were scrupulously clean, orderly, and wellconducted; while in them all the appearance of intelligence was a feature which the most casual observer of human nature could not fail to notice. Great credit is due to those who have entrusted to them their instruction. A number of local amateurs, who had kindly tendered their service.-; to make the entertainment a success, performed throughout the evening, Mr H. G. Weeks presiding at the piano. Mr W. H. Reed, as usual, made himself useful—exceedingly useful—in amusing the youngsters, and sang a popular ditty entitled "I saw Esau." in which he made the children (recollect there were four hundred, who didn't know the song) join in chorus. The chorus was extraordinary. Other gentlemen also contributed to the enjoyment in effort; Mr Brown, who ha 3 a fine bass, sang Nil Desperandum; also Mr E. White, Mr Mills, Mr Fergusson and others lent their welcome aid. The vocal portion of the programme was a success. Previous to commencing the real proceedings of the evening, nuts (which it may be mentioned, en passant^ proved subsequently most destructive to silence) and sweetmeats were distributed amongst the children, who -appeared to enjoy themselves immensely. In introducing the proceedings Mr Dewar (Chairman of the Committee) expressed his gladness at seeing so many visitors; and looked with pride upon the fact that this was an improvement upon last year, in respect ot the number of ladies who were present, and he thanked those ladies and gentleman most heartily for their exceeding kindness in providing the prizes which were to be distributed among the children. Every effort (he. said) had been put forth to make up for such deficiencies as were in the Act, and he looked with gratification upon the manifestly good results which had attended those efforts. Mr Dewar then proceedad to read out the names of the scholars who had won prizes, MrsJNinnis, Mrs Dewar, and Mrs Bagnall giving them away to the happy i little recipients. As noted above, the distribution was interspersed with music and singing. A number of the children gave recitations, and they deserve notice, especially one little girl—a mere waddler of about, five years of age, who recited with childish eloquence, those beautifully touching lines of Wordsworth's " We are Seven." We understand that this poor little child is motherless. Mr Speight took occasion to observe <hat during the year four young ladies had given ■ their assistance in teaching the girls gratuitously. It was therefore due to them, the committee considered, to make a recognition of their valuable services, with which idea the committee determined upon presenting these young ladies, three with work-boxes and one with a desk, given by Mr Wilkinsoii. The youngsters gave some lusty cheers for those who had provided the prizes and fun, and the proceedings were brought to an end by singing the National Anthem.