ST. ANDREW’S PRIZEGIVING.

Waipukurau Press, Issue 296, 15 August 1908, Page 5

ST. ANDREW’S PRIZEGIVING.

o There was a large gathering of parents and friends last night at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Sunday School for the annual presentation of prizes. The proceedings were opened with the singing of the “ Old Hundredth ” and a prayer,-followed by an anthem by the Sunday School teachers. A programme of songs and recitations was then given, the majority of the items being contributed by the scholars. The following participated :—Recitations, Mr Hopkirk, Masters Eric Knight, Gordon Cook, B. Grosvenor, and Miss D. Hopkirk ; songs, Mr C. J. Cooke, Master A. McCormick, Miss Lily Jones ; cornet solo, Mr Young; dialogue, Masters Pionkirk and Logan.

Before the last items on the programme were given, the chairman, the Rev. J. Pattison, addressed the audience. Mr. Pattison said the Sunday School work was the greatest being done in the town. The Sunday School stood for the spiritual education and development of the child. ’Though the day school teaching was ever so efficient, it did not deal with the moral side of the child. The teaching of right and wrong was the best the child could receive. The work of the Church and Sunday School was to instil that moral knowledge, and the chance of life was there, for in a few years the boys and girls would be gone for good. Now was the chance to make a great and deep impression for good, fit was one of the finest sights in the world to see the children being brought to the Church and Sunday School, but upon the parents depended what the boys and girls should be. Home influence first and Sunday School next were the two vital things. The parents must lay.the foundation first. He appealed to the parents to send their children up for the annual examinations, and referred to the teachers training class which had been started with the object of rendering the teachers more efficient. The ’time was past now when anybody could teach the scholars, and the work required a special course of training. Mr Pattison appealed also to parents to send their children at least once a day to church and Sunday School. The speaker was heartily applauded.

The chairman then introduced Mrs Gow, the superintendent of the Sunday School. Mrs Gow expressed her pleasure at seeing so large a gathering present and bade them welcome. She also spoke of the progress of the school, and said there were now about a hundred children on the roll. The prizes were then distributed. The following is a list of the prize-winners '•— Late Mr Merrylees’ class —Janie Smith 1, Maude Jamieson 2, May Thomas 3, Ruby Scott 4. Mr Hopkirk’s class —B. Hopkirk 1, J. Lindsay 2, Percy McConnell 3, Forsaith Logan 4. Mr Jones’s class — Gretchen Enting 1, M. Tasker 2, Annie Chambers 3, V. Staines 4, Mary Gore 5. Mrs Gow’slclass —Janie Gay 1, Olive Scott 2, Lily Jones 3, H. Hopkinson 4, Alex. McCormick 5, Netta Main 6, Annie Bolster 7, Montague Enting 8. Mrs Young’s class —Gracie Smith 1, Sheila Annand 2, Muriel Smith 3. Miss Jamieson’s class —John Jamieson 1, R. Jamieson 2. Miss Cooke’s class B. Chambers 1, D. Hopkirk 2. Mrs Nicholson’s class —Sidney Enting 1, V. Hopkinson 2. Besides these thirty-one prizes were distributed to the infants’ classes. Supper was then handed round, and the singing of the National Anthem brought the entertainment to a close, and the fortunate prize-winners bore their trophies home in triumph.