HIGH SCHOOL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIII, Issue 8744, 18 December 1913, Page 6

HIGH SCHOOL.

ANNUAL PRfZE-GIVSMG

A SUCCESSFUL FUNCTION

The annual " breaking-up "_ cercmoijy aiid . presentation of prizes in oonueotiou with the Ashburton Jiign School took place last evening in the !Vssyiabii- Hair at the schooi. The eereuiuHy of unveiling a. commemoration tablet to old pupils of the Ashburtoa Jligii School who served their country in the last Boer War also, took "place during the evening—a speomi report appears in another column. There was a large, attendance, and the chairman of the Board of Governors (Mr Joshua Tucker) occupied > the chair. Other members of the Board present were: Messrs W 8.. Denshire, Hugo 'Friediander/ and W. H. Collins, and Mr J. Davison (olerk). Mrs W. H. Collins (who presented the prizes), the 'Headmaster (Mr W. F: Watters, 8.A.), ■and Mr J.. Stewart, M.A., Mr J. A. Gordon, 1V1.A., Miss F. E. Kershaw, M.A., Miss J. Kennedy, M.A.: (mem- . bers of the teaching staff), and Messrs E. B. Sell, J. B. Christian; and 11. E: Curtis (represe.iting the Old Pupils' 'Association), filrso occupied seats on the platform. --The proceedings;; opened with the singing of the school; song by the presont scholars -and .Tidmbers of the Old Pur-ils^Associntion. The Chairman, in his opening re■'TOarks, s?,irl .■■that at such occasions it was usual-to review the work of.' the -year, but it so happened that the laspectorp' reports had. not yet come,-to liand. There was, therefore,'nothing to revie-v. ' He trusted that when the reports did come nlong they would be as successful and cheering as those of recent 1 years. (Applause.) He was very pleased to see so many, members of the Old Pupils' Association present, and this announcement resulted in cheers being given for the old puoils. on the call of the captain of the school <E. 0. D. Withell), return cheers being given at the instance' of the president of the Old Pupils' Association (Mr R. B. Bell).' Headmaster's Report. . • _ Tho Headmaster (Mr W. F. Watters, ■8.A.) read his annual report, which stated, inter alia, that the total enrolment of pupils was somevhat less than thai of last year, viz., 114 (64 boys and 50 girls), of whom six only paid fees, the reirainder being either Depavtmental or Board of Governors' free pupils. Tho enrolment of new pupils—4l (26 boys and 35 girls)— had also been slightly less than that of , xho previous year. Included in this number fwere four holders of Junior .Scholarships, the total number of scholarship holders in attendance being 10 (three senior and seven junior). The average attendance of the pupils had .'. Lean good, and considerably better than in previous.-years. .-.There had been fovre/withdrav/als during, the year, the ! bulk ,boin t g' due. to •' Civir Service appointments or to removals' from the district. The duration of pupils' school life showed a tendency towards a slight • inci'case, the average stay at present being a. trifle over two years. After dealing with the staff changes during the year and the general conduct of pupils both in and.oiitside tho .school, the report stated that Mr T. H. Gill, secondary schools' inspector. had visited the school in September, but his report had not yet come to hand. Reference was then made to the woodwork and cooking classes at the Technical School, and to the proposal to start next year a dressmaking, class for the girls, the report going on to stvito that the work of agriculture, both on the school ground and on the section opposite the . school, had been systematically carried on, and that tho "results, as shown by public examination tests, had been very satisfactory, the school candidates having attained a considerably higher average of marks than those of most other schools. The brick room of the old school had ibeen converted into a gymnasium, ;, which had boon well equipped. The Cadet Corps, which was most efficiently commanded by Mr J. Stewart, had had i\ very successful year. In the military tournament at Christchurch the school •squad won second place in the rifle exei'cises out of 44 competing teams, being boaten by only half a point, and in; the squad drill fourth place, out of '.an entry of nearly 50 teams. .In the Schools of the Empire shooting competition, the 'Ashburton School- was uventy-seeon-l, out of 55 teams competing throughout the Empire, and fourth out of thy 11 New Zealand teams competing. The report then referred to the various sports clubs and different societies connected with the school. Tho examination successes of the past i year were enumerated as follows: — *' University Entrance Scholarship Ex-1 nmination: One candidate, S. P. | McCallum (last year's dux and Fooks Memorial prize-winner), gained a Senior' National Scholarship, twentythird on the list, while R. M. S. Jones passed this examination with credit and gained a Gammack Scholarship, .these .two candidates thus repeating the >'success of our" two candidates of 1911. Four other candidates passed matriculation on the same examination, while three candidates in addition passed matriculation. Junior Civil Service Examination: Two candidates passed with credit, 63rd and 167 th respectively, out of over 1200 passes. Thirteen candidates passed the examination. Senior Education Board Scholarship : Of three candidates, two gained i •scholarships, being second and fourth! on the list respectively. This year three candidates for University *En- j trance, 10 for matriculation, five ■'for i Public Service Entrance, 14 for Senior I Board Scholarships, 16 for Senior Free Place, and one for Junior Free Place have been presented. There were thus 60 candidates, or three-fifths of the school, presented for examinations." The report further dealt with ..the achievements of ex-pupils, both in educational matters and in snort, whilst satisfaction was expressed at the decision recently arrived at by the Board of Governors to erect next year a boarding establishment on the school grounds. The report concluded by congratulating the Old Pupils' Association on its increased strength and ■usefulness, and for its'practical interest in the school, by thanking the Board of Governors for its constant care and attention to the ssholars' needs, and with an expression of the Headmaster's personal thanks to the other members of" the teaching staff and to the donors of numerous special prizes. Worm applause greeted the reading of the report. The Prize-List: Tho presentation of prizes was then proceeded with, Mrs W. H. Collins handing the books and trophies to the successful pupils.' The following is the prise-list: — ¥ov\\\ 111. — Lap.gnnges : Eileen Elstoa I, ■ G. Soal 2, U. Watters 8.

Mathematics: Eileen Elston 1, M McCallum 2, li. Saunders and O. Stevenson (equal) 3. Botany: Eileen Elston 1, B. Corbett 2. Agriculture: 11 Matters 1, J. Tucker 2 (Mr W. p' Collins s special). Shorthand : Eileen Elston 1, H. Percy 2, D. Gunn 3. '-j Form IV.—Languages: R. Stone and' May Iverr (equal) 1, W. Corbett 2 Mathematics: A. Bayliss 1. K. Shrimp- 1 ton 2, E. Fitzgerald 3. Botany: May • Korr and Ruby Crooks (equal) 1 • Glenice Undrill 2 (Mrs Collins's • special). Agriculture: 11; Stone 1, A. 1 Bayliss 2.. Bookkeeping: E. Fitzgerald 1 1, G. Murdoch 2. • ° • Form V.—Languages:'Hetty Porter ■ 1, Nelly Gunn 2, Herbert Smart 3. Mathematics: Hetty Porter 1, M. Watters 2, Mary Pennell'3. Botany: ■ Hetty Porter 1, Pearl Humphreys' 2. 1 Chemistry: H. Smart 1, L. Aitken 2. Agriculture: D. McCallum 1. Form V.I. (Lower). —Languages:" Hilly McClure 1, Grace Tyrrell-Baxter 2. Mathematics: Dulcie Jnine 1, Lily Schneider 2. Botany. Venie Humphreys l^Mary Gunn 2." Form VI. (Upper).—Languages and mathematics- -Kathleen McKeage .1. Science (botany and heat): Kathleen McKeage 1. English literature: E. C. D. Withell (Mr Stewart's special). Troxime accessit: Doris McClurg (Old Pupils' Association's pr : ■ Dux of .school (Board of Governors' gold medal): E. C. D. Withell. Winner of Fooks Memorial prize: E. C. D. Withell. Special Prizes. —Botanical collections (Miss Kennedy's special): Form V., Pearl Humphreys; Form IV., Thelma Cowan. Music (Mr L. Owen's special): Upper Division, May Willers; Lower Division,;- Mary Pennell, Eileen Elston, and May McCallum (equal), 1. Progress and improvement (Mrs Tucker's specials): Form HI., Ethel Allen and Horace Scott; Form IV., Zell Bonnington and Murray Graham. Ashburton Shakespeare Club's prises for Shakespeare recitations: Girls, Milly McCluro, boys, ,K. G. Shrimpton. Musical and Literary Club special: V. Humphreys. Best speech (prepared): L. Aitken; do., junior, K. G. Shrimpton. xithletics.^ —Senior Challenge Cup and trophy: D. S. Smith; runners-up, L. (Kelly and D. McCallum. Junior Challenge Cup and trophy: C. Bonnington; runners-up, V. McPliail and R. Bonjnington. Weight-putting: L. Aitken. Bicycle race: H. A. -Lloyd. Half-mile walk: E. Withell. Fives. —Challenge Cup and trophy: G. Bonnington; runner-up, E. Withell. Singles handicap: E. Withell. Doubles handicap: C. Bonnington and H. Wilkinson. Third Form tournament: D. C. Cowan. ' Shooting.—Senior Challenge Cup and trophy: Colour-Sergeant E. Withell; runner-up (shield), Sergeant L. Aitken. Half-company competition: Sergeant D. McCallum (right half-company). Junior Challenge Cup and trophy: | Private H: J. Christian. ', ' Swimming.—Twenty-five yards handicap (Mr De Beer's medal), R. Bonnington ; 50 yards handicap (Mr Hup,o Friedlander's medal), D. McCa)lum; 25 /'yards . clothes race (Mr Undi'fll's , trophy), El Fitzgerald'; 25 yards back race, J. Tucker; springboard. dive, H. Christian ; plunge, S. Christie ; learners' race, R. Turner; junior cham- ; pionship, D. Cowan 1, J. Tucker 2; .! life-saving competition (Mr Allen's ; | trophy), M. Watters and M. Graham. '■ | Football. —Schools' junior competition: R. Bonningtpn (captain). j Tennis. —Singles championship : Boys ; (Miss Kershaw's medal), E. Hood; | _ runner-up. E. C. Withell. Doubles championship: Boys (ex-pupils' prizo); L. Eiliott and H. Christian. Singles championship: Girls (challenge roseI bowl and Mr De: Beer's trophy), Lily I Schneider; runner-up find winnor of Form VI. tournament (Miss Kershaw's special), Doris McClurg. Form V. trophy: Hetty Porter. Form IV. trophy (Miss Kennedy's special): May Iverr. Beginner's trophies (Mrs Den- | shire's trophies): M. Spanw 1, I. i Oakley 2. Doubles chaniDioiiship: Girls (ex-pupils' prizes), May Kerr and Thelavx Cown.i). Hockey.—Miss Steven's trophy for most improvement: Mildred' Sparrow. All the nrize-winnern' were liberally apDlauded by tlieir comrades and many old piujils. and the dux (E. C. D. Wijthell) wiio very warmly received, and cheered. Conclusion. The captain of the school (E. C. D. Withell) propo&ed a, vote of thanks to the Boaz-d, and Lindsay Aitken proposed a vote of thanks to the speakers and, Mrs Collins for. distributing the prizes. Both motions were, carried by acclamation. A vote of thanks to the teaching .staff was similarly carried, on the call of the chairman" The vote was acknowledged by the Headmaster. 'J he following programme was gone through in the course of the evening: Shakespearean recitation (from "The Taming of the Shrew"), Milly McClure; song, the' girls; Shakespearean recitation (from "Henry VIII."), Kenneth Shrimpton ;' Shakespearean dialogue (from "Pericles"), Grace Tyrrell-Baxter and May McLean. Mr Llewelyn Owen presided at the piano. After a verse of the National Anthem had been sung, supper was handed round; by the lady members of the teaching staff and the girls of the school, and the gathering subsequently dispex'sed. , ■<