45

E.—6

The results of the public and other examinations at the close of the year were not quite on a par with those of the previous year; one boy obtained a Senior National Scholarship and four were in the credit list. Five obtained Senior Board of Education Scholarships, and three obtained Junior ones. Of those who but lately have gone to the University one obtained a double first, two obtained second-class honours, one obtained a Senior University Scholarship, and another a Research Scholarship. These, with the successes of old boys that have been given in the past prove that a very sound basis is laid during school life to enable the student thoroughly to profit by higher education. An important step in connection with the school was taken at the beginning of this year namely, the establishment of a hostel or boardinghouse. For a long time it has been felt that some official boardinghouse ought to be established, so that boys living away from home might be under supervision after school hours. Now and again a boy of considerable promise had failed to keep up to the mark in consequence of a want of this supervision and help. To try and remedy this the hostel has been established tentatively for two years, when it is hoped that it will have become so well known that the Board will be encouraged to make it a permanent department of the school. As is natural, the present war has appealed to the past pupils of the school, and as in England thousands of public-school men have flocked to support the nation, so in New Zealand each school is sending its quota. Of the Christchurch Boys' High Sohool old pupils an incomplete list gives 1,70 at the front, of whom four have given their lives. In the firing for the Imperial Challenge Shield the Cadet Corps was first in Now Zealand, and twenty-second of the six hundred teams who compared from among the secondary schools Of the Empire. Girls' School. Last year it was thought that the attendance at the Girls' High School was quite high enough, but the influx of new scholars this year has rendered necessary the appointment of additional teachers. Personally,- I hope that the attendance will not go beyond the present numbers, for a time comes when it is impossible for the headmistress of a large school to have the individual personal knowledge of each pupil, and thus one of the advantages of the school is lost. This cannot happen with our present numbers, which quite fill the school, but if the question of increased accommodation conies forward in a few years time it will be then the time for the Board to decide whether the advantage of numbers outweighs the advantage of personal knowledge. In the public examination three pupils were placed in the credit list, and though the Gammack Scholarship was offered in order of merit to each only one was found, to accept, the reason being that the candidates were young enough to sit again next year for Junior University Scholarships. During the last few years comparatively few have been qualified to sit for the Junior University Scholarships, owing to the fact that as soon as girls at this school have passed for Matriculation they are taken as pupil-teachers at the primary schools. Thus comparatively few pupils are to be found in the highest form, Upper VI, from which form the best candidates would be chosen for the scholarship examinations. In the other examinations sixteen matriculated, seven won Education Board Senior Scholarships, two won Junior Nationals, and three Education Board Junior Scholarships. The necessities of the times have impressed on the girls the need of working for the nation. They have been working hard for the various funds that need help for the sick and wounded, and have voluntarily abandoned their usual terminal entertainment in order that more time and funds may .* be available for the schemes in hand. I have referred elsewhere to the passing of the Bill that enabled the salaries of the staff to be raised to something near the amount proportionate to the duties entailed. It was necessary, however, so to arrange the increases that it will take some time before the maximum is reached. I am sorry to have to record that Miss Crosby, who had been on the staff for ten years, was obliged, owing to ill health, to resign her position, a position that she had filled with ability and earnestness. 2. Report of the Headmaster of the Boys' School. The roll number for the third term was 198, including twelve, in the Preparatory class. The number of senior free-place holders was 59, of junior free-place holders 93, and of paying pupils 56. There were in the third term 15 boys holding Senior Board Scholarships, 6 holding Junior Board Scholarships, and 2 holding Junior National Scholarships. 142 boys took the full course including Latin ; 44 boys omitted Latiu. The classes have been renamed, those in their second year being in the Fourths—viz., IVa, IVb, IVc ; all the first-year boys are in TIIa, lIIb, and lIIc. The highest classes are Upper VI (junior University Scholarship standard), Lower VI (slightly above Matriculation Standard), and V. There is an option of woodwork and book-keeping in place of Latin, and of either history or drawing in place of French. No Greek has been taught this year ;it is usually alternative with science. Mr. J. R. Montgomery, late headmaster of Geraldine School, and formerly assistant master at Otago Boys' High School, has been appointed to the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mr. B. K. S. Lawrence. The new buildings have been a great aid to the more effective teaching of practical science and the better working of the school. Mr. D. B. Macleod has been appointed science demonstrator, and Mr. L. J. Darwin (both of Canterbury College) has taken this year the Middle VI, mathematics, and a class in heat. In December last two boys won Senior National Scholarships, four were placed on the Credit List, and four qualified in the Junior Scholarship Examination for Matriculation. Ten boys passed