BLUE SPUR.

Bruce Herald, Volume VI, Issue 399, 27 December 1871, Page 5

BLUE SPUR.

(From, oar own correspondent.) My pen certainly owes yon an apology for its long silence, from the cause of general depression, and the absence of sensational material, and from a stato of quiescence into which we have been drifting, I have not been able to send you anything which would even shade the luminous pages of the ' Herald.' We hare been attacked, however, in our high places by a succession of gales for a week or ten days. . We have been expecting almost every day that our township, would be driven from its moorings. It is blowing a terrific gale while lam writing. On Friday night or early this morning, the large fluming of the " Rip and Tare," and Otago Company, which was put iip only a few montlis^ago ah a oust over L3OO, and which caused a great amorint of litigation and loss of time to those companies, have been blown down, during the night, not a stick left standing. It is feared other damage will be done ere the ! force of the gale is spent. That m*n must be a genius who could bnild a city on the back of a pocket knife, and such, has been the genius of the man who planned this township, save that the scale is slightly enlarged. The fellow is entitled to a leather niedal the next city. that he founds upon a similar projection. The fifth annual examination of this school took' place on. Friday last with more than wanted eclat, whether from the -agitation which has of late set in against our excellent schodl systeni or from other causes I know hot, but -from- whatever cause, it is a pleasing sign of the times, and universally acknowledged, both at home and in tbe coloiliesj that education 13 of the first inVportance, and it was with gre&t ; ple=isure- 1 noticed ; a very respectable and influential turn Out on the occasion: referred to. The examination took place in presence of the RjVi Henry Bull-, Messrs Grieve, J. F. Morris* J- '&*i\t M- Drew, and T. Hinde, members of the School Committee,. a large number of the, parents of the children, especially I noticed a large number of mothers, the fatUer? in most instaTices b^ing oinavoidably absent, being busy "Yashins «p forChristinas." There were upwards of sixty children present. Mr Grieve, chairman: of the School Committee,. presided ; and distributed the prizes. .The^^examination./waslconducted by the teacherj Assisted by the Rev. H. Bull, Hfessrs fergetts, Morris aii 4 Carey. 1-he young Were frequehtly applauded, as they showed evident Bighs of '■■'.-•.'■ ;.'.•• !.■'.■■:■.;-.'■•'■«■'■.•.'. '.-'■'.-.'. '■■":'. : -' ■-■'".-•■■

" vitality. At tho clone of the examination a hearty vote ;of thanks -was -accorded to the teacher, proposQd by Mr Armstrong, a visitor from Switzers. anii seconded by Mr T. P. Morris, clerk to the School Committee, and supported by Mr Carey ; those gentlemen were pleased to say that the^examination was a decided success The teacher, in replying, regretted that all the children in their several divisions had not the same aptitude for learning, but he believed that this was a common Complaint. Parents cannot tell the reason why their children cannot get on at that school, it cannot be the fault of my girl or # boy as the case may be, it must, of necessity be the fault of the teacher. He said, that from his observation of men and thing 3, extending over a period of half a century, and from his experience as a teacher, that you may as well attempt to raise turnipa of a uniform size and soundness as to attempt to build up the mental structure in all cases with the same material. He thanked the ladies, the strangers and the public for their countenance and support. The thanks Of the committee and the teacher are due to the following ladies for a a supply of milk and cake, and for several bouquets of very fine flowers .-— -Mesdames Cousins, Margetts, A. G-. Thomson, F Nicoll, .J. Cormack, M'Laren, "Redman, Ross Spiers, ©rew, T. Er Williams, M'Hattie, Kirby, Taylor, Trerise, John Smith; T. F. Morris, Mr "jPhomas Hinde and Mr It. Grieve. ■ ■■ ■ The following: are the prize. takers :— lst. class—^James Morri#lst ; M. Drew, 2nd ; John Carey, 3rd. 2^d Class— James Kelly, lsfcj'F. A. Ross. 2nd ; E. 0 Leary, 3rd. 3rd Class— Jessie Nicoll, Ist ; Fred. Margetts •2nd ; J. Redman, 3rd. 4th Class — Vincent Morris, Isb ; E. Evans, 2nd; Maurice Margetts 3rd sth Class — Francis ' ■JSicnl], Ist; Johanna Drew, 2nd ; M. A. Clarke, 3rd. 6th Class— James Ross/ Ist ; Sarah Evans; 2nd ; Victoria Morris, 3rd. 7th Glass— Jas . M'Hattie, Ist ; Catherine Spiers, 2nd ; Ellen Clarke, 3rd. Special prize, given by Mr Grieve-to the best reader 'of the boys, John Spiers. Special piMZe i»iven by Htl'S Grieve for the best reader in the girls ; Miss Morris Special prize given by- Mr Frank Pollock, wood conduct, (boys) James Lioss. Special prize' by Mrs JS\ Pollock goo&Bonduct (girls), Miss Ross. First prizejj^ sewing, .Miss Morris „ 2nd; Victoria Morris. The singing highly commended. No prizes.