ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 303, 23 December 1898, Page 3

ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE.

The annual distribution of prizes at j St. John's College took place yester-1 day afternoon, in the presence of a j large number of visitors. The Most Rev. the Primate (Bishoj) Cowie) occupied the chair. The Headmaster, the Rev. P. S. Smallfield, read the annual report, from which the following are ex- j tracts: —At the end of last year we S presented five boys for the Civil Ser-.i vice junior examination, four of whom ! passed, namely, Charles Herrojf, Harry Chalmers, Wilson May. and John Thompson. Two boys, Norman Harris and John Thompson, passed the pupil teachers' entrance examin- ■ ation of the Board of Education sue-! cessfully about the middle of the; year. This Christmas we have, I thanks to the hard work of Mr Lan- j caster and Mr Craddock, a fair num- i ber, considering tbe size of tbe school, j of candidates for the public examina- j tions. Seven boys, just a little more j than a week ago, attempted the examination for matriculation. We hope they acquitted themselves creditably. Six more are to attempt the Civil Service junior examination in the middle ; of January next. There are now GO | boys on the school roll, 41 of whom j are boarders. During the last eight J

Ie ! years the number of boarders has id steadily increased, and there are more if boarders at the school this term than *- at any time before. The school exam's ination has just been concluded, and I ie may say that lam quite satisfied with •c the result. The assistant masters, Mr n Lancaster, Mr Craddock, and Mr Hickd son, and the visiting masters, Mr )l Hunt and Mr Trevithick, have one and t- all worked most enrgetieally and t- ably. At a firing match held last c Tuesday afternoon one of our cadets, i- Edward Bierce, was successful in win- ;- ning Mr Major's challenge belt. At r another firing match, held last Mon- '- clay, Wallace was successful in winu ning a medal presented yearly by Mr f R. ,T. Stevenson, an old boy; at the g same match Pierce won a challenge :1 cup that is competed for annually by - the cadet corps. f The Primate expressed his iJeasure I. at being present at this breaking-up a ceremony each year, and went on to s refer to the great advance made in cd.l ueational matters even since the days - when he was an undergraduate at 1 Cambridge. He was glad that the c College Avas keeping up with the - times. He was pleased with his int spection of the new science-room, and s would remind the boys that the study t of science was a most important mat- • ; tcr in education. He was very glad v| to know that the Cadet Corps was . | heartily supported amongst the boys. s; If we wanted to preserve peace, we ? must be prepared for war. It afford- •| ed him much gratification to observe :, the good effects of this martial train--3 ing in the carriage of the boys, who - , held themselves up -.veil, while square t; shoulders were the rule, instead of i j the exception, as formerly. He was • I very glad to see that Pierce distinguished himself by winning a prize in - competition with another school. In I conclusion, be wished the boys might -; spend their holidays pleasantly dur- • ! ing the coming vacation. i j The.sprizes were then presented by • i His Lordship, as follows:—Special , | prize, presented by Mr Lancaster: • Chalmers,. Form YT„ geography; May, E i Form Vl'., mathematics. Special ' ! prizes, presented by Mr Craddock: ! Harman Smith, Form VI.. Greek; t Morrison, lower fifth. English. Special prize, presented by Mr F. A. TreII vithick: Brookfield, modern form, mer chanieal drawing. Special prize, pre- ■ seated by Mr R. Leslie Hunt: Arthur ri'Walker. John Hanna. G. R. Hunt, up- ! per fourth, geometrical drawing. Spe--1 i cial prize, presnted by Mrs Basley: J. Calder, lower fourth, reading and • writing. Headmaster's prizes: For 1 ; divinity—Modern form, Wallace; lower i fourth, S. Smith; upper third, G. ; Croll: lower school. Brown. For gen- ; eral information—Herrold, Form VI. ; For .English—Form VI., Chalmers; ■ lower fourth, Hanna: upper third. G. . ! Webb; lower school, H. M. Smith. \ For mathematics —Upper third, H. G. Hunt; lower third. Basley: lower school. Wright. For Latin—Form VI., ; Chalmers; Form IV., Hanna; lower third, Harrison. For French—Form j V. Green. For science—Modern form. Walker: lower third. R. P. Hunt. For history and geography—Lower third, R. P.' Hunt. "For history and geo- ; graphy—Form VI., Chalmers: Form IV., Hanna; lower school. Wright. For book-keeping and shorthand— Modern form. Tighe. For. reading and writing—Lower school, Scott. Captain C. T. Major, of the College Rifles, presented to Pierce the school challenge cup and the challenge belt ■ given by himself to be competed for by the King's College aud St! John's . Cadet Corps. He also presented Mr R. j J. Stevenson's medal to Wallace, the • | winner. The athletic prizes were then ; i presentecbby Mrs Herrold. after which the guests adjourned to afternoon tea J jat the invitation of the headmaster. I