CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC SCHOOL.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1917, 18 October 1884, Page 2

CAMBRIDGE PUBLIC SCHOOL.

At the meeting of the Cambridge School Committee, held on Monday evening last, Mr Or. F. Hosking submitted the following report :— Cambridge, 13th October, 1884.

To thk Chairman and Members of the Cambridge Disnucr High School COMMUTEE. Gentlemen, —l have the honour it accordance with your request, to repoit on the standard examination of the Cambridge East School for the year 1884, as compared with the lcsultb of previous standard examinations. On the face of the inspector's report, it is shown by the percentage of passes in the standard of those presented, that the school has not maintained its previous efficiency in any standard except 111., which is above last year's result. The school is weakest in the VI. and Y. standards, which passed this year respectively, 3G'3 per cent, and 40 per cent, of those examined, against 88*8 and 90 per cent, of passes of those examined in these standards last year. This may in some way be accounted for, when the c mimi'tee considers we have had three headmastcis, four assistant masters, and seven pupil teachers, and probationers appointed or left during the peiiod of tuition, of which the above is the result. But to single out the weakest points d< c. not give a f.ur idea of the true position of the school. Nor would it be fair to the actual progress made to say that the passes this year of those examined was only GO.l per cent, against 809 per cent of last year. Truth it may be, but it is mainly duo to there having been presented 536 per cent of the whole school for examination, being B'i) per cent of the whole school in excess of the presentations in 1882, and 21 per cent in excess of those piesented inJlBB3. Reducing these to the same per percentage of presentations as in 1882 and the result of passes will be 72"7 per cent. It may be that when a portion only of the school is examined, and tho result of the examination of that portion only made known, that the idea conveyed to a casual enquirer is erroneous, and may be justly soj if ho does not make himself fully acquainted with all the facts. And if the system be such that a weak portion or a strong portion be examined at will, it becomos necessary to deal with the school as a whole at each examination in order to make a comparison. This can be bestdonoby ob->ci ving that in 1882 the roll number at the time of examination was 219, out of which 34"2 per cent passed some standard. In 1883 the roll number at the time of examination was 230, out of which 36*9 per cent passed some standard, and in 1883 the roll number at the time of examination was 248, out of which 322 per cent passed in some standards. The actual mrnber passed in the first three standard? m 1882 was 53, in 1883 was 58, and in 1884 G5 passed, showing marked progress in the three years in these standards. Of tho w hole school in all standards in 1882, 75 passed, in 1883 83 passed, and in 1884 80 passed, being 5 passed less than that of 1883, and five passed more than that of 1881. As the weakness, as shown, is in the higher standards, it opens up a field for anticipating extra good results at the next standard examination. I am, gentleman, your obed'ent servent, G. F. Hosking, A member of the Cambridge District School Committee. A unanimous vote of thanks was .accorded Mr Hosking for his able and iuteieating report.

The venerable Bishop of Melbourne, one of the most popular ecclesiastics in the Colonies, has shocked the tea tables of that giddy capital by falling in love with a young lady of 17 and proposing to marry her, his own age being 70. The young lady is the daughter of "poor, but honest parents ;" and has hitherto been employed in a boot factory. She went up for confirmation before the Bishop, and proved too much for him, altogether he was supposed to be a conflrmed old bachelor. She must have been very perfect in her catechism. It is difficult to believe that a venerable bishop, four times her own age, could have been overcome by merely physical charms, or that he could have gazed on that fresh young, innocent face as the old cardinal gazed on the Spanish dancing girl in the " Question of Propriety" painting. No, he must have been carried away by her spiritual excellence — he r saintly devotion. The chroniclers do not tell us that the girl is particularly beautiful, or even that she is more beautiful than other girls employed in boot factories. Whatever beauty she may have, it can only mean, in the prelate's eyes, an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace. But why marry her ? That is an unpardonable indiscretion in a bishop. If he had been a poor curate it would not have been wonderful. But a bishop must know too well that no mother of a family in his diocese could ever forgive him for marrying into a boot-shop. He should follow the example of the old gentleman who wanted to marry the beautiful Miss Linley — afterwards Mrs Richard Brinsley Sheridau. When he found that she did not wish to marry him, he nobly retired from the field and settled £3000 upon her. Then nhe married the young man of her choice, and they lived very happily-.on the old man's money. A bankruptcy notice by the deputy assignee, Mr J. S. Edgecumbe, appears in another column. Mr J. S. Ruckland •sytll hold an important clearance sale of furniture, &c, at his horse bazaar, Cambridge, on the 29th inst. Saturday return tickets will be issued on Friday and Saturday, 24th and 25th, arailable for return up to and including the 27th, fot the convenience of those desirous of attending the Pakuranga Hunt Club's Steeplechase Meeting to bo held at the EUerslio racecourse.