PARENTS' DAY.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20729, 14 December 1932, Page 14

PARENTS' DAY.

WEST CHRISTCHCRCH SCHOOL. SPOBTS PRIZES PRESENTED. Parents' Day at the Christchnrch West District High School yesterday afternoon was a* great success, judging by the number of parents who attended. There' was much to intorest them in the display of work done by the pupils during the year and in. the entertainment which was given by the children, including items by the various school musical societies and folk dancing by the girls. The displays of work in the classrooms were full of interest. They included needlework made by the girls, and drawings and examples of commercial work —typewriting and bookkeeping —by both boys and girls. There -was a fine model of the Atlantic Ocean showing the currents and shipping lines. as well as a model volcano that smoked realistically. In the history section there was a model of the battle of Trafalgar. During the afternoon the school orchestra, under Mr H. G. Glaysher, played several items, and choirs "under Messrs Parry, Tyndall, and Tilly sang. A short play, "The Bishop's Candlesticks," was performed by senior pupils, the production having been arranged bv Mr G. \V. Parkyn. Both the senior and the junior girls took part in the folk dancing, the senior girls being gaily and brightly dressed. Miss Kennedy was in charge of the senior girls and Miss Bindon of the juniors. The final event of the afternoon was the presentation of the prizes won at the recent sports meeting, the list of which has already been published in The Press. Before the presentation, Mr L. F. de Berry, headmaster of the school, thanked the parents for their attendance. He hoped they had seen enough of the work of the pupils to get a good idea of what the school was trying to teach their children. Mr de Berry reminded parents that next year the school would be reorganised as a high school. Greater opportunity would then be given for judging the capabilities of the boys and girls, so that those who were not academically inclined would receive special treatment, while those who were would do the work most suited to them. It was impossible to do this in any other type of school but a high school. "We shall be the largest co-educa-tional school of this type in New Zealand," concluded Mr de Berry, "and we think then that all who come here will receive what all girls and boys deserve to-day—the best." The sports prizes were then presented by Mrs de Berry. , Debate and Dance. In the evening a debate was held between present pupils and old pupils, after which the old pupils entertained the present pupils at a dance in the Canterbury Automobile Association building, Worcester street. •The subject of the debate was "That education should bo tchnical rather than cultural." The old pupils were represented by Miss Kathleen Lee and Messrs L. G. Arnold and A. Danks, and the school by Irene Hamilton, J. Robertson, and A. Mahoney. The judge, Mr P. I). Waller, commented favourably on the standard of speaking and said that two of the school team's speakers had 1 made good, thoughtful speeches. He gave the decision to the school team by a few points. A vote of thanks was carried fey acclamation to Mr Waller for judging the debate. Mr L. F. de Berry was in the chair.