THE SCHOOL VACATIONS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2026, 22 December 1892, Page 33

THE SCHOOL VACATIONS.

BOYS' HIGH SCHOOL.

The annual distribution of prizes in connection with the Boys' High School took place on Thursday in the presence of a large number of ladies and gentlemen. Among those in attendance were the Hons. W. D. Stewart, S. E. Shrimski, J. Macgregor, and R. Oliver, Messrs W. Hutchison, M.H.R., J. Allen, M.H.R., and D. Pinkerton, M.H.R., Professor Gilray, Bishop Nevill, Revs. Dr Dunlop, Dr Stuart, A. P. Davidson, J. P. Fallowes, G. Barclay, and A. R. Fitchett, Messrs G. L. Denniston, Colin Macandrew, G. Fenwick, F. Wilkinson, W. H. Pearson, F. Stilling, J. White, J. R. Sinclair, Collin Allan, C. Haynes, J. J. Ramsay, A. Wilson, and A. Herdman.

The Rev. Dr Stuart Baid he had received apologies from a number of gentlemen expressing regret at their inability to attend— some through illness. The rector of tho school, for example, was unable to attend owing to a very sharp attack of influenza. Sir Robert Stout, a friend of the Bchool, was getting better, but was notfsufficiently well to risk a relapse. The following gentlemen were also unable to attend :— The Hon. W. H. Reynolds, Mr G. M. Thomson, Archdeacon Edwards, Mr Chapman (the mayor), Mr Fraer (the chairman of the Education Board), the Rev. William Ross (from Glasgow), the Rev. Bryan M. King (of Oaversham), the Hon. Thomas Dick, the Rev. J. Gibb, Dr Colquboun, and Mr Keith Ramsay (jhairman of the Chamber of Commerce), who was not able to bo present owing to influenza. Mr G. Fenwick, however, was there, and he would presently address them and present tho prizes given by the Chamber of Commerce. He regretted very much that the old friends of the school ho had mentioned should not be able to be with them that day. The speaker then, addressing those present, said : Rector and masters,— Allow me to congratulate you on the a Ivent of prize day and the close of our school y;ar with this record — good order and solid w>rk.— (Applause.) I like to recall that our school has been an object of earnest interest to our people from its foundation, and though, like institutions of its order, it has enjoyed 8 jmetimes more and sometimes less prosperity, I have no hesitation in saying that it has vindicated its existence and recouped tho community that has maintained it with a wise liberality. But good as has been its work as | n.n educator, governors and masters look and | 1 rag for "oven more and better work. It was my intention as chairman of tho board to have visited the school form by form at its ordinary work; but I regret to Bay that a rush o? engagements hindered me. It is however, my settled purpose to see our school in harness during the coming year; I have much pleasure in announcing that the Hon. W. D. Sbewart, at the request of tho governors, agreed t> preside on this occasion. During his long residence in Dunedin he has not only taken a strong personal interest in our educational institutions— primary aad secondary — but also i a our Sunday schools, which, in their place, aro as important as onr other Bchools, and scarcely a whit less influential. I need not tell the people of Dunedin that his voice and vote <nn always be relied on for the defence and efficiency of education, or that he has nobly exemplified life in earnest as a citizen and settler oi the lines commended by St. Paul: "In b isiness not slothful, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord." Boys, join me in asking Mr Stewart to take tho chair on our speech day, and in giving him a hearty welcome on this occasion. — (Loud applause.) The Hon. W. Downie Stewart, on takirg fie chair, said : Ladies and gentlemen, I than* the Board of Governors for the honour they have done me by asking me to preside on this occasion. I shall make a few remarks presently, but in the meantime, according to the programme, the prizes are to be distributed. Mr Brent, in the absence of the rector — whose absence we all much regret, — will call out the names, and the prizes will be presented. The prizes were then distributed, the prize list being as follows :—: — Annual Prizes, 1892. Dux of School— Thomas Dunn, gold medal. Dux of Lower School— John Nevill Ritchie, B'lver medal. UPPER SCHOOLMathematics (I)— W. Newlands, school prize. Mathematics (2)— J. O'Shea, Otago Institute's prize. Arithmetic— H. E. Stephens, Chamber of Commerce's prize. Chemistry— H. F. Skey, Otagc Institute's prize. English— W. Newlands, Chamber of Commerce's prize. English Essay— F. W. Dunlop, rector's prize. Latin— A. G. C Miller, Campbell Trust prize. Latin Translations— A. G. C. Miller, rector's prize. French (I)— A. G. C. Miller, school prize. French (2)— D. V. Allen, school prize. German— J. O'Shea, Hon. W. D. Stewart's, M.L.C., prize. Drawing (freehand, &c.)— G. G. Sale, the staff prize. Drawing from the cast, &c. (this award carries with it the Art Society's medal)— H. Black, school prize. Writing— F. W. Dunlop, Mr John White's prize. Gymnastics— J..G. Macdonald, Messrs Sargood's prize. " < Challenge Cup (cadets)— Sergeant Montgomery, ' Mr G. M. Thomson's prize. Challenge Cup (fives)— G. H. Thomson, Hawthorne Trust's prize. LOWER SCHOOL. ] English— O. G. Adams, Chamber of Commerce's prize. Arithmetic— Wilkinson, Chamber of Comhigi*cg*s tjWzg French— G.'F. W. Belcher. Mr J. R. Sinclair's prize ; G. G. Russell, the staffs prize. Writing— G. F. W. Belcher, Rev. Dr Stuart's prize. Gymnastics— G. F. W. Belcher, Messrs Sargood's prize. Fives— F. Edwards, Hawthorne Trust s prize. Class Prizes, first half. General Literature— Vl, Miller : Upper V, Skey ; Lower V, Buchanan ; aIV, P. Haggitt ; bIV, S. Moore ; remove, C. S. Black ; Lower 111, D. Russell. Science— Vl, Dunn ; Upper V, Skey ; Lower V, Barclay; aIV, Winchester; bIV, Howes ; remove, Glendinning ; Upper 111, Dey ; Lower 111, M'Kenzie. SECOND HALF. General Literature— Upper- V, Hutton ; Lower V, Fenwick ; aI V, Young ; uIV, Bett ; remove, S B. Smith; Lower 111, Statham. ScienceUpper V, Stephens ; Lower V, Hercus ; aIV, Kingston; bIV, Inder ; remove, Wong Tape; Lower 111, Hazlett. Certificates of Merit. Latin— L. Williams, W. Pateraon, J. Haggitt, Tlueston, M'Kerrow, J. Anderson. French— G. Fxlconer, Hotop, Shore, Tomhnson, Howes. German— A. J. Ferguson. English- J. B. Macdonald, Palmer, Tennant, W. Maitland. Mathe-matics-Johnston, G. E. Thompson, Benjamin, Bartholomew. Arithmetic— W. Maitland. Kucbd — S. B. Smith, Bett;. Writing— Hotop, Lusk. Drawing— Hotop.

Former Duxes op School, jjoys who have held the position oj' dux of the school since its foundation. lSb'3— Noel Lee Buchauan 1864-68— Henry Bell, 31.A. 1869-Charles Peter Begg 1870— Alexander Thomas Stuart 1871— Saul Solomon, B.A. Ernest Herbert Wdmot IS72— Andrew John Park

1873 -Charles Low, M.8., CM. 1874— Frank Stilling 1875-William Deans Milne, M.A., LL.B. 1876-Herbert Halliwell 1877— Alexander Bruce Todd, B.A. 1878-79— Peter A. Lindsay, 8.A., M.8., CM. 1880-Arthur Brownlie Drabble 1881— William Alexander Fleming, M.8., CM. 1882-Charles Thomas Little, M. A. John Somerville, M.8., CM. 1883— John Rogerson Montgomery, M.A. 1884— Adam Bcgg, M.A. 1885— Joseph Moss, M.A. 18S6-John Bell Thomson, M.8., CM. 1887— John Askew Scott, B.A. 1888— Thomas D. Pearce, M.A. 1889— Franz V. Siedeberg, B.A. 1890— William Marshall Macdonald 1891— John Gibson 1892— Alex. D. Wilkinson ' 1893— ThomasDunn. In presenting the prize to the dux of the school, Thomas Dunn, the Chairman (the Hon. W. D. Stewart) said : I have very much pleasure in presenting this prize to you, which I have no doubt you richly deserve. The prize reflects the highest credit on you, on your ability, and on your industry. I hope it may be taken as a token of your future success in life, for I hope that you will continue to get the benefit of tho tuition which you have received at this school. ANNUAL fIEPORT. The annual report of the rector was as follow :— ATTENDANCE. - ■ Since the'date of my last report (December 1891), 83 boys have joined the school, which in 1892 has numbered 234. The entry is 11 in excess of that of last year, but there has been no corresponding increase in the attendance. My experience in England goes to show that, with an annual entry of 80 boys, a school of 400 should easily be maintained. In this school, with a satisfactory entry, we have a difficulty in keeping tho school much above 200. What is the cause of this fact ? The answer may be found 1. From the following statements, which, haying been compiled from our school register and from other documents, may be taken as a general account of the school for the last few years :— Per cent, of the whole school. In 1882 the Lower School was in numbers fiß m 1884 t, ii .1 51 m 1885 ii " ii 47 ii 1886 ii n » 40 ii 1887 .i i' •< 43 • „ 1888 -i ii ii 43 „ 1890 .» ii n 39 •i 1891 ii . ii H 33 2. The current academical state at entry is presented in the following. Taking the first 100 boys entering school frsm February 11, 1891, onwards, wo have : Boys from standards below fifth ... 1 Boys passed ftfth ti Boys pas'ed sixth 13 In seventh (various periods) from four months to three yeans 65 From other high schools 11 From private schools 4 Total 100 3. The duration of attendance is shown by the following figures. In 1890 and 1891 "there' were enrolled (not counting re-entries— that is, boys who resumed attendance after some months absence) 155. Of theseThere left within 3 months from entry ... 10 n ii ii 6 months n v ... 9 it it ii 9 months it » ... 5 it ti ii 12 months it v ... 19 it it ii 18 months n n ... 12 it ii ii 24 months v ti ... 15 Hence, as the average entry for the two years was 775, it is clear that in recent years the average schoo.l life of a boy is a little over two years, the average leaving age being 164 years. To maintain a school of 210 boys the average entry would be, on this.scale, 110 each year. 4. The age at which boys have been- recently entering the High School is to,o high for the benefits ,to themselves or to the school to be adequate to the labour and capital expended. On 1 this point Dr Macdonald, addressing the board in 188(), used these words : "The report of the Royal Commission on university and higher education recommends Standard 111. of the primary school in reading,- writing, and arithmetic as a suitable test for admission to the secondary school. The adoption of such a standard would, in my opinion, adequately protect the interests of secondary education, and also recognise, to use the words of the commissioners, 'that the proper subjects of the secondary school course should be begun early.' " Writing 12 years ago a rector urged upon his board and the public a view of secondary education which seems to have been generally acceptable, because the character of the entry of these years is clearly indicative that the school was largely recruited from boys of the Fourth Standard stage. Your present rector calls attention to the fact that 10 years later the school was | chiefly recruited from Seventh Standard boys. i In view of these facts it has been decided by the board to reduce fees to all boys entering the school and classed below the Upper .HI. Form, while to boys who get half-marks in the junior provincial scholarship competition the gift of free education at the High School is offered. I trust that this generous strainiug of the resources of the school may be met in a like spirit. RESULTS OF 1891. [ The results of tho session 1891, published in January and February 1892, were up to the mark of previous years. Two boys gained junior university scholarship', 1 an open scholarship at the Otago University, 4 won senior provincial scholarships, 17 passed entrance examinations of the university. Full details ot these matters are given further on in this report. MINOR INCIDENTS OK THE YEAR. In general matters tho year has lieen uneventful. The annual school sports took place at the Carisbrook ground in March. The assistance of many kind friends made it possible to do away with gate money. The various accessories to our school life continue quietly their useful efforts ; while the cadets have been successful in winning the tenure of the Challenge Shield for the current year. THE KJJCTOIIY. Mr Thomson reports :—: — The total number of boarders in the rectory during tho past session was 21, with an average attendance for each quarter of 18. The action of the Education Board in reducing the value of their scholarships to all boys residing within a specified distance of a district high school has told seriously against the numbers attending this establishment. > The studies of the boarders have been regularly superintended either by myself or by Mr (Jhailes Collins, who has been resident tutor throughout the year, except during part of the university session, when Mr J. Johnston, M.A , LL.D. (Glasgow), assisted me. 'The rectory has not been as well represented in school work as in former years, but has again been to the fore in the cadet corps, on the football field, and at other athletic exercises. One of our last year's boarders, who is still with us, Colin C. Hutton, came out second in the list of candidates for the Education Board's senior scholarship. This year only one candidate from the house is enteied for these scholarships. The health of the boys has been very good on the whole. I may add that while the majority of the boarders are from Otago and Southland, some come from Canterbury, Wellington, and Napier.