Annual Distribution of District Prizes.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3741, 21 December 1880, Page 2

Annual Distribution of District Prizes.

The annual distribution of. the district prizes, obtained ia competition of the various Thames schools at the general examination, took place last evening in the Academy of Music. His Worship tbe Mayor presided, and the room was well filled. Great interest was taken in the exhibits of drawings and essays, which were freely criticised.

His Worship said that the rising generation on the Thames had far more advantages in the matter of education than people who were educated like him a long time ago. .Referring to the Bible being excluded from our public schools, His Worship thought, as did many people, that religious teaching should form part of the educational programme, but he deprecated the adoption of the Bible as a task-book. He urged those present, who were reponsible, not to be remiss in the exercise of their privileges and duties in this respect. His Worship finished his speech by reciting Longfellow's " Psalm of Life."

A part song by the children, " Farewell to Study," followed.

Mr William Carpenter then spoke. He was very pleased to see that the principles of the Education Act were so ably carried out on the Thames. Ho had been an examiner of the} papers submitted by the competitors for" the last four years, and it was his opinion that the papers sent up this year were not so good as those presented on previous occasions. Speaking of the teachers on the Thames, Mr Carpenter expressed himself in inpat flattering terms as to their proficiency, and he concluded by saying that the art of singing and gymnastic exercises were of great utility. In order to study proficiently it was necessary that children should hare a sound constitution.

"My Own Native Land" by the children, v - Mr William AfcCullough was called upon to read the prize essays. The prize one was written by Howard Warren Watkin of the Kauaeranga Boy's School. The second, highly commended, was by

William Henry Victor Hall, of Tararu School. The following are the essays :—

Prize No. 18, by Howard Warren Watkin, aged 14 years, Kauwaeranga Boys' School. — Composition. (1) Th ■ Thames is a goldfield situated at the font of the Hauraki Q-ulf. It was opened in 1867, when a great rush was made from all parts of New Zealand to the new g ildfield. The secret of the gold being there was disclosed to a man named John White by an old Maori who had nursed him when he was a young child. When the news was m de known in Auckland, the people flocked by hundreds to the Thames. Houses [ and shops sprang up as if by magic. Mines j were due, and batteries and water-races were made. Wharves, hotels, and public buildings j *er i built, and the whole aspect of the place betokened that the people were intent on making their fortunes. A great many companies were formed for getting the precious metal from the depths of the earth, where it lay hidden, and taking from it the impurities with whioh it is mixed. Now all is changed ; a greut many of the batteries and mines are silent and deserted, and hundreds of people bare left to try their fortune elsewhere. A few of the publio buildings have been shut up, but most of them are still open. The principal street is Pollen-street, which extends from Grahamitown to Sbortland. There is regular steam communication with Auckland by means of the Rotomal\ana and the Enter' prise. There are very nice pleasure gardens at Tararu and Parawai. There are six places of worship belonging to the different denote inations. (2) When a person lives in the country, there is the advantage of having fresh air, which cannot always be had in a towu—better . and fresher vegetables than those which are Bold in a town, and you can be sure of getting milk, «nd not milk and water for your daily use. You make your own bread, and that has not the various ingredients that are used by city bakers in order to save fljur. You are not annoyed by many visitors, who come and interrupt you while you' are engaged. On the other hand, your grocer does not live near you, and perhaps you will have to ride some miles for your weekly supplies. It is the same with your other tradesmen who live in the town. Perhaps the school is a long wey off, and the children have to start .early to reach it in time. When one of the household iB ill it is awkward to send so far for the doctor. These are some of the advantages and disadvantages of a country life. (3) A good colonist ought to be a man who ia a good workman. One who can build a house, till the ground, and do almost any odd job about bis farm. He should be a strong man, and one who has a clear purpose in view, and means to keep to it. A broken down gentleman, or an escaped felon, will never make a good colonist; for they have not the energy and perseverance which is required. The Scotch make Very good colonists, for they have naturally the patience and perseverance whioh brings success. A colonist should endeavour to be economical, for most things are dear in a new country. All intoxicating liquors should bfl avoided, and the colonist should be honest and upright. The colonist should manage his own farm, and teach his children to work upon it. . ■.■■■: -. <; ": ■:;.■•■■■■'.■■. '

Commended:— No. 27— W. H. V. Hall, aged 13 year*, Tararu School.—Composition —(3.) Qualities required in a good colonist. —To be a good colonist, a person must have a great deal of energy and perseverance, tnd a fnirly strong constitution to bear the bard* ships, dangers, and accidents that always attend a rough, colonial life ; for there is certain to be a great icany of these during the first few years of such a life. A person without energy would not get on well even in a position in which there are facilities for doibg so, much less in a colony where the whole of the land is uncultivated and desolate. It needs a good deal of perseverance in a man to work hard day after day, and year after year, clearing thick foiest, and cultivating without getting any signs of reimbursing, himself, or making any money at all, for so long a time.. And it also needs a strong constitutioned man to be able to work bo hard and continuously; be must be a man accustomed to work. But it is plainly seen that, without these qualities, no man can get on in early colonial life. (1) Description of the Thames.—The Thames goldfield lies at the mouth of the Waihou river, and extends along the right bank of the Firth of Thames for about four miles; not going inland far. It is composed of Grahams* town and Sbortland chiefly,- but it has a suburb on both the north and south sides, named Tararu and Farawai respectively. It contains about 4000 inhabitants, the majority of whom are miners. There has been a good deal of gold ][got at the Thames in former years, bat very little is being obtained now j and that is the reason of its having so few inhabitants. Some parts of the Thames soil is cultivated and fertile. In both of the suburbs are public gardens. These are the only great outdoor places of amusement. There is a theatre and an Academy of Mu<dc. There are no very pretty buildings at the Thames. Behind the town, a ridge of very high hillls runs right down the peninsula, to Ooromandel. The harbor is not very fine, but the town authorities are reclaiming part of it: and that part near the end of the Goods Wharf ha* been dredged, but it has not done much good.

Mr McCullongh said that the object in giving essays was to enable the boys to learn the art of expressing their ideas in good English. He expressed a hope that those who had been unsuccessful this year would come to the fore next.

The prizes were then presented by the Mayoress (Mrs Wilkinson). HISTORY, DB4WIN&, AND ▲BITHHETIC. <•. Ist Prize—Peter Steele. 2nd Prize—W. 11. V. Hall. 3rd Prize—H. W. Watkin. 4th Prize—E. Akers.

Honorable mention was also accorded to Joseph Whitaker, of the Waio-Karaka School, and to Charlotte Murrish, of the Kauaeranga Girls' School, in this competition.

DRAWING. Charlotte Murrish. COMPOSITION.

Ist Prize—H. W. Watkin.

2nd Prize—W. H. T. Hall.

Peter Steele and W. H. V. Hall being successful competitors from the Tararu School, Mr W. 0. 8. Gray was entitled to the silver medal of,the Committee, which was presented amid some applause. Watkin was a pupil of the Kaueranga, C. Murrish, of the Kauaeranga Girls', and E. Akers attended the Waio-Karaka. The prizes had the names of the successful candidates neatly written in German text by Mr Poulgrain, and the writing bears testimony to the taste and care observed iv its execution.

The following is the remainder of the programme of musio given during the evening by the united tonic sol-fa class :■— " If a body 4ind a lesson," " Now pray we for our country," " Come let us make our voices ring," " The old black cat," and "My own New Zealand Home" (the latter accompanied by Miss Airey) ; song Miss Kate McGregor, " Buy my flowers," (accompanied by Miss Watkin), "Now pray we for our county," was accompanied by Jdiss Alice Balcke piano; Master Haydon Grigg, violin ; Master Thomas Bee, .piccolo^ A recitation "My dead doll," was given by a little girl named Mary McQuade, and was much admired. The National Anthem terminated the proceed, ings. ■ ' , '"n . >

List of pupils in the public schools, ■Thames, who passed the examination in music for the " Junior School Certificates," of the Tonic Solf-fa College Dec, 1880:—Kauaeranga Girls': Kate BraiUford, Mary Blackely, Eliza Daykin, Fanny Fisher, Emily Fleming, Mary Joll, Ellen Lad tier, Annie McLachlan, Cliarlotte Murrish, Mary and Lucy Onion, Mary Woolner. Kauaeranga Boys': Helwyn Asliby, Alice Balcke, Helen M. Carpenter, Lillian Farrell, Clara Gerring, William E. Grigg, Harold Koeford, Annie Leydon, ! Louisa May, Amy Phillips, Alice Watkin. : WaioKaraua: Elizabeth and Margaret i Akers, Thomas Cahiil, Sibyl Day, Susan ! Ellis, Edward Fricker, Stephen Harris, j Kate Mcgregor, William Maroney, Mary L. Phillips, Abel JELowe. Tararu: Janet Cornea, Tbeophilis Hollis, Mary MeWaters, Frances Robinson, Susan Eea, Elizabeth Steele, Susan Irwin. Parawai: Walter Cropp, Elizabeth Hanson, Emily Lambert, Kate Snaith, Elizabeth Savage. Waiotahi Creek: Jane and Maggie Coutts, Kate and Eliza Hill, Jessie Mclntyre. The children who contributed the vocal selections are to be complimented on the efficient manner in which they rendered them, both time and tune being closely studied.

We think that it is a mistake to allow boys free entrance, as a number of unruly spirits invariably congregate and considerably mar the effect of the entertainment by their disgraceful behaviour. The Committee should see that in future the assembly is not annoyed in the manner they were last night, and take steps to prevent the further occurrence of larrikinism patent to all present, at last evening's entertainment.