ACADEMICAL HONOURS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 303, 22 December 1893, Page 3

ACADEMICAL HONOURS.

AUCKLAND COLLEGE AND GRAMMAR SCHOOL PRIZE DA¥.

A large and very inberested assemblage filled bhe Choral Hall yesterday evening, when Sir Geo. Grey presenbed bhe prizes won by tbe scholars of bhe above insbibution in connection wibh tho annual examinations. The ascending seats at the back of the plabform were occupied by bhe boys and girls of the school, while on the platform were Sir Geo. Grey, Sir Maurice O'Rorke (Chairman of the Board of Governors), Col. Haultain (Vice-Chairman), Professor Brown, Mr W. P. Moat, Rev. Nelson and Mr Theo. Cooper, Governors ; Mr Tibbs, Headmaster ; Professor Thomas, Judge Fenton, ex-Governor ; Mr R. Udy, Chairman of the Board of Education, and Mr V. E. Rice, the Secretary ; Dr. Roberton, President of the Old Boys' Association, with several other gentlemen. Proceedings were opened by a very creditable performance by the school orchestra under the able ijopductorship of Mr Trevithick. Sir Maurice O'Rorke then rose, and after expressing his pleasure to see so much interest evinced in educabion, apologised for the absence of the new Mayor, Mr Holland, who wa3 unablo to be presenb. It was unnecessary for him bo say any words to introduce to them the veteran itatesman who had consented to distribute the prizes. He did nob look ab Sir Geo. thab evening in bis polibical capacity, but went back to the day when as Governor of the colony, he had seb aside bhose educational reserves which had led bo the establishment of the Grammar School. (Applause.) Sir Maurice concluded by asking Mr Tibba to read the report. The headmaster, Mr J. W. Tibbs, M.A., read the annual reporb of the school. In his opening remarks he made reference to the •work of hia predecessor, Mr Bourne, who .arly in the year accepted bhe headmaster„hip of Christ's College, ab Christchurch. file said thab bhere was not a member of bhe .baft, nob one of bhe pupils of bhe school, who "did nob appreciabo Mr Bourne's high (character and greab ability. The fact that he left the school standing in the front rank iDf the schools of bhe colony was bhe best iestimony to his success here. The school "had been fortunate in securing for the Latin and English work the services of Mr Ilberb, who came nob only with a high Oxford degree, bub wibh 'ong experience in some of bhe leading English public schools. The science mastership vacated last Christmas by Mr Fraaer had been entrusted to Mr Lippiatb, a former pupil of .he school and a graduate of the University of New Zealand, who was discharging bhe duties mest efficiently. Mr Tibbs proceeded to describe the changes he had considered ib desirable bo make in re-diabribu-ting bhe work of bhe sbaff'and other internal •details of the school. He cordially acknowledged the assistance he had received from all the members of bhe staff. In connection with this subject he said, " I have decided to raise the sbabus of bhe highesb form on isacb side of bho school by sbyling bhem the iSixth Form. These forms are composed i?or the mosb parb of bhose who have acbually obbained, or are about to obbain, ' credit' iin bhe examination of the Junior University Scholarships—who havo, in facb, reached .he highesb sbandard which bhe Universiby of Now Zealand expects from intelligent and industrious pupils attending the secondary schools of the colony, and speaking as 1 do from a fairly wide experience of colonial schools, they are as good aa will be found elsewhere in Australasia. It seemed to me, bherefore, bhab bo retain the name of Fifth Form foe our higheso forms, while ihe style of Sixth Form is now universally .dopted in all English and colonial schools, was to allow our boys and girls to leave .school under a disability for which a sentimental comparison with some of the larger English public schools was nob sufficienb oxcuse." The headmaster wenb on to refer 60 the successes achieved by the pupils of the school in the University, Civil Service, .nnd other public examinations. Ono pupil, Mr P. Drummond, obtained in the examination of December last tho fifth of the twelve New Zealand Universiby scholarships. Oub of bwenby - six who were classed as having " passed wibh .redib," no less than eighb were Auckland Grammar School boys and girls. Ab the public examinabion for senior disbricb ■scholarships given by the .Auckland Board of Education, and ope»- to those under 16 years, the Grammar School had carried off all the scholarships. Referring to the extra subjects taught in connection with the school, he commended the success which had been obtained in the gymnasium under Professor Carrollo. Tbe lawn tennis eourb had supplied a much-needed wanb on bhe girls' side, and he thoughb bhab wibh the assistance of Professor Carrollo he would bo able to arrive aba minimum of drilling exercises which will be expected from all girls withoub excepbion, leaving the more violenb gymnastics to those who have a special turn for bhem. The school .rchestra, under Mr Trevithick, number 17 (members ; and albhough bhe workshop had »ob been quibe so well abtended during the 'last year, the action of tbe Board in abolishing the fee for instruction in this department and throwing tbe whole of the achool curriculum open withoub any extra lee whabever, would, he hoped, lead bo bhe workshop being filled bo ibs übmosb japaciby. Mr Tibbs wenb on to speak of the success thab had abbended bhe school -ports, the drawine on the girls' side and the mechanical drawing, and 3babed bhat next year shorbhand would be made parb of ihe school curriculum On bhe modern side. With regard bo bhe general scope of bhe leaching of bhe school and the parb which St was fulfilling among bhe educational -n-titufcions of the colony, the headmaster proceeded to say : — " Tho members on the roll for the three terms of bhis year have been 262, 259, 263 -e.pecbively. The falling off during bhe middle term of the year was due to the epidemieof measles, which greatly interfered with our work, and accounts for the extensive absence from examination which is -his year recorded in the school list. The school could easily accommodate a hundred tmpils more, and a greab increase in the bwo lowest forra3 on both sides ia much bo be ilesiied. I am convinced thab one reason which may fully accounb for bhe small lumbers in our lowesb forms is bhe erroneous impression which has gone abroad • hi reference to the entrance examination. Instead of being a sorb of mabriculabion examination which all must pass before gain hig admission, its use i 8 moroly to enable us to start new pupils in thoir proper placo in tho school. I am anxious that the greabesb. care should be devoted to the work of our youngesb children so thab the school shall contain within itself its own preparatory school. Wo are ready to receive children oi nine veara of age, who can read and wribe and who have some facility with the four simple -rules of arithmetic ; so bhab from bhe first, ohildren may bako advantage of bhe education offered bhem here. One ot the most promising boys in our presenb second form ontered bho abhool ab eighb and a-half. another wrong impression aboub bhe school prevails, and is, I bhink, due to our «uc_esses in recent years. Ib is bhab we devote our time and trouble to the brighber children, who are likely bo bring us credib In the public examinations, to the neglect sf others. 1 need hardly say thab there is absolutely no foundation for this charge, which is a very serious one. In some forms the work prescribed for a particular examination is taken up because it falls in with our own course of study, and bhe pupils of Mieso forms are encouraged to work with Mio intention of presenting themselves Jot examination, the form master gladly ivailiug himself of this spur as a means w getting the foesb possible work from his f.ul*-_la* bub thero is absolutely no 'cram-'

ming done here,, nor, excepb in very exceptional cases, ia any beaching done oub of school hours. With us, success in the public examinations depends entirely on bhe extent to which pupils have grasped bhe ordinary work of the school during the ordinary school hours. Another phase of the same objection arises from bhe facb thab a fairly large proportion of our scholars are holders of scholarships and obher distinctions, and many parents prefer to send their children where the competition for rewards and prizes is less severe than with us. I believe thab bhis objection bo bhe school is a very common one, and one from which we Shall continue bo Buffer bill people will learn bhab the presence of such pupils in a school raises the standard nob only of competition, but of proficiency, and bhab, bhough their own children bring home no rewards after a year's hard and careful work, still they are bhe abler boys and girls from bhe very facb that they have worked with and struggled with the brighesb young inbellecbs bhe province produces. Bub in my opinion the chief reason why the school is nob full to overflowing is'partly the want of enthusiasm of Auckland people in educabion, and chiefly bhe ignorance thab prevails as to the advantages which bhe school offers. The school would be classed in England as a modem school, inasmuch as only one of the two classical languages ia taught here, and bhis is as ib should be, for in a young country where most of bhe work of fettling and developing has still bo be done, bhe bime has nob yeb arrived to sib down and enjoy bho luxuries of classical literature. For some generations bhe attention of the colonial youth musb be burned to the land, to the mines, and to the other resources of the colony. A reasonable question to ask, therefore, ia this: "Does the Grammar School fit a boy to take up his position by-and-bye as a useful citizen of this new country ?" I venture bo bhink bhab it does. A boy who leaves bhe school from our highesb form should be a fair Latin scholar, should be able bo express himself intelligibly in his mobher tongue, and should have some acquaintance wibh ab leasb one modern language. I bhink bhab such a boy will burn, oub by-and-byo, say, a very useful member of a Road Board, or a School Board, and may even laber on in life win distinction for himself ab Wellingbon. Bub further he should have acquired a very fair knowledge of elementary mathematics, . should be able to keep his own or another's accounts, should have acquired in our wellfurnished laboratory sufficienb bheorebical and practical knowledge of chemisbry and electricity to be able to work up for himself any of the hundred subjects which have to be studied in mosb occupations in these scientific days. And if he is bo be a couubry sobtler, I hope he won't leave us till he has learned bo plan, and even to lend a hand in ' building his own house. Any one who will take the trouble to read through the course of instruction seb forbh in our year book, will see that I have nob over-abated the case. The school does nob acbually offer whab is bermed technical education, bub our course leads up to it, almoßt into ib. The Buccess of one of our old boys during bhe presenb year bears oub whab lam saying. Mr Cecil Leys is nob bhe firab old pupil who has distinguished himself ab bhe Agriculbural College ab Lincoln, in Canterbury, nor do I inbond to place to our own credit whab he has done by his own indusbry and ability, bub when an old boy comes oub ab thab best of technical education first in seven of the ten subjects in which bhe studenbs were examined, I may reasonably claim bhab bho educabion he received here did nob unfib him for studies of a practical character. I have only to say, sir, in conclusion, thab I have greab hopes for bhe fubure ot the school. Ib occupies the happy position of being bhe harmonic mean between primary and universiby education ; and so long as these three greab sysbems b.3,ib in bune—in other words, co long as bhey work together for the public good (as I believe they are doing ab the present time), all three musb prosper." When Mr Tibbs had finished, amid applause, bhe Chairman called on Sir George to distribute bbc prizes. This was the signal for a fresh outburst of cheering, which conbinued so long bhab Sir George had bo stand some minutes after he came forward to the table before he could be heard. Sir George Grey said he had been told thab ho was expected to make a few general remarks, and he was glad of an opoortunity of doing so. He was very anxious thab the pupils should know what waa expecbed of bhem in afber life, and what efforts had been made to lay bhe foundations which would include them • among the forerunners of civilisation in bhis parb of bhe world. He then wenb on bo poinb oub bhe remobe position of New Zealand, a counbry wibh scenery unsurpassed which; by appealing bo every inhabitant, could not fail to foster a taste for beauty, and influence the character of the nation. It stood, as it were, aloae in the Pacific, cub off from civilisation except in so far as regarded bhe neighbouring colonies. To the south Etretched bhe Pacific wibh no civilisation, and to the north the Pacific again, covered wibh innumerable islands, for whose barbarian inhabibants civilisabion bad, as yeb, done very libble. Here lay the greab opening for us. He doubted whether many there bhab evening knew the objeebs which were held in view when bhe school waa esbablished. Thab objecb which was seb forbh on bhe bible deeds had almosb been losb sighb of. When bhe school was firsb founded greab progress was being made in the education .of tbe races of the Pacific. In Auckland there were assembled ab that time the sons of the chief men of mosb of the islands, of New Guinea, of New Caledonia, of the Loyalty Islands, and the New Hebrides. These people were informed thab their promising young men would be taken care of, and ooenings found for them in bhe>r own islands. They agreed for bhe mosb part to pluce them under British control, and were willing thab they should conducb bhehyjwn affairs, under bhe direction of officers from Greab Britain, This state of things lasted for some aime, when, strange bo say, Greab Bribain became alarmed aba prospecb which it considered full of difficulty, and wished all efforts to ceaae She was unwilling to extend her empire, and disapproved of any attempts to influence the inhabitants of those islands who had come into contact with us or to spread bhe English language amoug them. So the efforts of the colonials had to stop, bub several schools had, in the meantime, boen established, and among them the Grammar School. Ib indeed was looked on as a leader in this mabter. In the deed ib said bhab " persons of all classes and all races who may be inhabitants of this colony are to be in all respects equally admitted to this college or school." The idea was that there would be a greab commerce bebween these islands of the Pacific, and from Auckland would go forth the bankers and heads of firms, and if they had the power of selecting boys and sending them to this school the English language would insensibly spread, and the greatest hopes might be formed of ultimabe prosperity in the Pacific. Sir George bhen urged on bhe boys to do thoir beab ab school, aud spoke of the historical paab of bhe colony and of the. future which lay before it in glowing terms. Referring bo bhe armed state of Europe ab bhe present, he said tbab we here should keep ourselves free from difficulties of bhat kind. Having concluded with a further word of exhortation to the pupils to carry out bhe work of bheir forefabhers, Sir George presenbed bhe prizes, a lisb of which has already been published, to each pupil in succession, accompanying oach award yrith a few suitable words. After the orchestra had amused and delighted the audience with a capital rendering of the "Romburg Toy Symphony,' Judgo Fenton 'presented the certificates gained by bhe Bbudenbs of bhe Auckland

I Music School in connection with Triniby : College, London. Mr Fenton prefaced bhe presenbation wibh a speech complimenting Auckland On the high success her children had obtained. Ninety-five oub of a possible hundred marks in one caso, and sevenbyfive in several, was a record to be proud of, he said. The following is bhe lisb of the successful candidates: — Senior division, pass section : Alice Grace Jacobsen, pupil of Miss Swainson, 76. Intermediate division, honours section: Jessie Eleanor Bridgewater. pupil of Miss Uolegrove, 75 ;, Ethel C. Wilson, pupil of MissColegrove, 67; Marie Kathleen O'Brien, pupil of Mr Thomas Wood, 63; Eliob Rypinskie Davie, pupil of Mr S. Jackson, 63. Intermediate division, pass section : Lily ThomDSon, Sb. Mary's Convenb, 80; May Lynch, Sb. Mary's Convent, 60; Susan Lynch, St Mary's Convent, 60. Junior division, pass section : Constance de Bourbel, Sb. Mary's Convent, 98 ; Agnes Ruthven, Sb. Mary's Convent, 95 ; Mary Garvey, Convenb of Mercy, 76; Mary Rice, St. Mary's Convent, 73; Amy Parker, Sb. Mary's Convent, 70 ; Margaret McDonald, Convenb of Mercy, 69 ; Sarah Palmer, Convenb of Mercy, 63. The prizes for bhe athletic sports were distributed by Mr R. Udy, and the School Cup was presented by Dr. Roberbon to Mr Hosking amid vigorous applause. The Onslow Medals (presented by the Countess Onslow) were awarded to Miss Frances E. M. Harper (won in 1892), Miss Reeve and Miss Lorrigan (won in 1893). The two lasb named received bheir medals lasb nighb ab the hands of the Chairman of the University College Council (Sir Maurice O'Rorke), and Miss Harper, whose name was accidentally omitbed from tho prize lisb, received her medal bhis morning at the College offices from the Chairman.