Presentation of Prizes.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3433, 23 December 1879, Page 2

Presentation of Prizes.

The prizes won in the competition by 'olara from the several schools in the Act were presented in the Academy of lusie last night. The Mayor occupied the

air. The children of Mr Grigg's sol-fa

ais were seated on the stage, while the jody of the Hall was well filled by the public.

The Chairman referred to the admirable educational system on the Thames, and complimented the several school committees, to whom he said public thanks were due. The Board of Education had expended no less a sum than £ 10,700 on the district, and there were now attending the sereral schools nearly 2000 children. He was pleased to.be present to distribute the prizes, and as several gentlemen had set a good example in giving prizes, he intended to follow in their footsteps, and would next year place a sum of monej at the disposal of the school committees. The children, in a very creditable style, sang "Hoaming thro' the meadows." Throughout the evening the siogiog was much admired, and many complimentary .remarks were made respecting their teacher, Mr Grigg. Mr Gray gate a reading from " The Innocent Abroad," which caused some amusement.

MrGrigg said: In presenting before you my choir of juveniles, who hare taken the Junior Certificates, I think it my duty, both, to you and to them, to offer some explanation of the circumstances under which they appear. First, I wish it dearly understood that they are not selected from among their school-fellows on account of any superiority in the quality o£ their voices. While there are, undoubtedly, some Tery excellent voices among them, there ; are also many of indifferent quality, and some very weak indeed; so that if you are in any way disappointed in the volume of sound they produce, you will understand the reason. They have been selected entirely by the proof they hare afforded me during their examination that they hare learned what I hare been endeavoring to teach them—namely to understand (within certain limits, of course) music itself—that is, the actual relation of musicvl sounds one with another, and also to produce music theuuelves without the aid of aay vocal or instrumental pattern, but by reading direct from the printed notes. Singing is usHslly studied for one of two objects—-either as au accomplishment or for social enjoyment; the former has hitherto been the chief incentive. Where such is the case, a knowledge, of music is not absolutely necessary, natural qualifications such as a food voice and power of expression being the chief re* qnirements; and unfortunately it too often happens that the possessors of these gifts are too idle, or think it beneath them to study the science itself. But music is not taught in the public schools as an accomplishment—it is intended to fit children for social enjoyment, to give a love for intelligent end innocent recreation, to make home happy, the picnic merry, and the church resound with tbe praises of the Giver of all good. Theretore we teach them to sing by note that they may be able to join in and sing the parfe their voice is fitted for whenever occasion required—-a pleasure that the uninstructed can form but little idea of. In order that you may judge to what extent these children have acquired the power of reading music, I hare written a little test piece. It has never yet been sung, and consequently never heard. It has been printed to-day (in confidence) by Mr Newton, and will now be submitted to tho childron as a test piece. Ido not expect thorn to sing it right) off at first sight, the certificates they havo taken not being so high as that, but I hope that after two or three trials they may prove able to sol fa it fairly. We may then attempt it with tho words, and if they seeiu to enter into the spirit of it we may possibly try it in three part harmony. The test piece, a little song written by Mr Grieg, was readily given by the children, who, after once or twice singing the notes over, gave the words. Mr Grigf's anticipations were more than realised, and he is to be congratulated upon the proficiency shown by his pupils. Two youug ladies, the daughters of Mr John Wilson,^' of Tararu, played very nicely a duett on. the piano, which with Miss Airey's accompaniment to "My Own New Zealand Home" were the only portion of instrumental music given during the evening. "Miss Airey deserves credit for the admirable style in which she played to the children who took the solo parts in song mentioned. . Six scholars of the Kauaeranga School played very creditably a charade, after which — Mr McCullough said: Mr Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen,—When Mr Ben- | shaw asked me to give a short address on the occasion of tbe presentation of the district prizes this evening I said to him, on what subject would he like-mo to speak, or what sort of an address was I expected to give. In reply he said, give your reasons for offering the prize for English composition. I accepted his suggestion, and will confine my remarks to that subject. A good knowledge of the English language I consider one of the greatest accomplishments, though one seldom valued as it should be. Boys aad girls go to school and learn grammer for years, can tell you all the parts of sptech, conjugate their verbs, tell you, probably, the derivation of a great many words, can parse a sentence correctly, and yet, when required to write upon the simplest subject, or express their opinions at ahy length of a page of history, how very few of them can do cither one or the other in fair English. A moments consideration will convince any one that what I hava said is in tho main correct. Try and think how many of your friends write you a good iettert or can address you from «'

public platform in a pleasing or > creditable manner, anff in correct English* Possessing a language never surpassed in the world for its many excellences, with a power of expression such as perhaps nerer stood at the command of any race of men, yet by how few of those we meet every day is it in any way understood. It is not required of a man that he should know the whole 60,000 words said to be in the language, for some of the greatest writers only used 8000, such as Milion, and Shakespero, who spoke.more or less of most things under the sun, used about 16,000, while in the Bible only about 6000 different words are used; but it ought to be required that men should use the few they are acquainted with correctly. Children are taught Latin and Greek from an early age, and more consideration is given to the dead languages, as they are called, than (o their mother tongue, instead of looking upon the knowledge of Latin aud Greek only in the light as a help to the better knowledge of English, the first require* ments of the latter are frequently neglected. A few days ago I met in a book a sentence somewhat as follows, a quotation from a German writer: —"The care of the jtfatioaal language I consider as at all times a sacred trust and a most important privilege to the higher ordera of society. Everyman of education should make it the object of his increasing concern to preserve his language pure and entire, to speak it so far as is in his power in all its parity and perfection. A nation whose language becomes rude and barbarous must be on the brink of barbarism in regard -to everything else. A nation which allows her language to go to rain' is parting with the best half of her intellectual independence, and testifies her willingness to cease to exist." If the trust is to be preserved, in whose hand is it to be placed but in the hand of the boys and girls now at school. Everyone will admit how pleasant it is to get a letter well written, the ideas plainly pot forward, the language choice and the sentences well turned. So also it is pleasant to hear a public, speaker use choice language, his ideas logically placed, and hie voice and actions in keeping with his subject. But how few-of our friends can fulfil either requirement. I said it was a nice accomplishment and few will be found to say to I the contrary. To encourage the study of English I.therefore save the prise, for the paper showing the best knowledge of , English, and am pleased to find | so many of our scholars entered as com: petitors, and the high terms in which the examiner speaks ot the whole of the papers submitted to him. The speaker then read one of the papers written by | Miss Watkin, the winner of the prize, ! which was received with applause. Mr McCullough. referred to the progress made in educational matters on the Thames from the time of the first school committee elected on the Thames, composed of Messrs Tyler, Brodie, Porter, iiowe, and M. O'Haire, to the present time. He also stated that there tv every prospect of the High School being established, and probably by next year scholars from that institution would pub* lically be presented with prize* as they were doing that evening to those from the present schools.

Dr Kilgosil spoke for some time upoa the progress nade on the Thames daring the last four years, and said with 10 many schools and.churches the wants of the community were well provided for in ino 1* "directions. ': The Ker. Mi ? " spoke ' 'he "». sore he had '.; * part ' ~*«mi* tion of the t" mj>)titors. Re had .. . 'e-a . .progress during the yt> ,n the aamber of papers and the in which the sub* jects were treats ' ed great advancement. He apologist r the absence of Mr Carpenter and ML Tiler who were associated with him as c. liners-.

Mr G. N. Phillips are a Terr humorous reading from !• okwtck, which created considerable amn££i;-eat . ' The following prices mt then distributed :—lst, J. 8. Buras,^ff aio-Karaka School; 2nd, Henry Eeary, Slauaranga Boys' Sjhool; 3rd, W. J. May, ditto • 4th, Millieenfc Fisher, Waio-Karaka School. Drawing prise, W. >T. Edmondi, Kanaeravga Boys School; composition prize, given by Mr MeCnllomgk, Miss Watkin; and 58 musical certificates granted by Mr Grigg. The Chairman then presented a silrer medal to Mr G. N. Phillip* from the joint School Committees in recognition of tho fact that the scholar taking the first prize belonged to the Waio*Karaka School, of whi«h he was head-nuster.

Mr Phillips replied suitably, after which the usual Totes of thanks brought the proceedings to a close.