SOCIAL AND PERSONAL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 996, 10 December 1910, Page 11

SOCIAL AND PERSONAL.

Presentation of Prizes, The Sydney Street ' Schoolroom was packed last evening upon the occasion of. the presentation of the prizes won by the pupils of the Wellington Girls' College- for their work during the year ■ just ending. The stage had heen'carpeted and furnished, and was occupied by-her Excellency Lady'lslington;. Miss Cotton, Captain Shannon- (aide-de-camp), Miss, M'Lean, the principal of the college and her staff, Miss Rich- , mond, Mrs. Ward, Professors Easter- . field and: Laby, Mr. Field, M.P., and Mr. Ward. Her Excellency was pre- . sented with a. most beautiful bouquet of red and white roses by Miss Eileen Matthews, and Miss M'Lean was presented , 'S" 1 ° n ? of TCr y lovely ■ blue' flowers. . lne girls composing the college choir, , under-the leadership of Mr. Watkins, looked exceedingly fresh and dainty in their white frocks. Some of them nere not altogether aware until tliat evening of many of the prize-winners, judging by the; exclamations of. surprise that .came from,them at times, so that the ceremony, had the element of anticipation.. It was astonishing to hear every now-and again the long string- of subjects following.a girl's name, subjects tor .which, she-was gaining prizes' and Jt was small wonder that Lady Islirifton s face.expressed great surprise when some small damsel ■ would demurely make'her appearance before her to receive the reward of her-prowess..-' Her Jixcellency , was , in- a dress '■■ of- white mnon, opening. over .an,:underdress:'.of white satm,. and wore diamond* orna?r ,lts ; f ,i Miss Cotton was in'black, aiid ■' Miss M'Lean wore : a- pale -blue silk dress. •:■ • •■ " ...■.-;-. .. : ..

;Harassed Professors. ~ .. *. ■'' raising, of the-.'matriculation . standard, as equivalent to' a four years' ..-course;at a secondary schodl,'.lfas re- . . moved;a very serious, dcfecfefro.ni?our :■■: ... . educational.system, said 'MiWM'jJean - ' 3 i?7j ■ report lasfc n 'E ht - Scholarship :-. : holders -. came to us and expected to , ■ enter the university in two--.yea.rs, as r-"■■-.>■■ .their.scholarship then lapsed." They >.:■:; •; scrambled through, perhaps; an'd then ■ . must have had a very uncomfortable time at-the'.university—or 'their' professors had. Or if they. went-at an ordinary pace they had the harrowing .-.-;.. sensation.of being "plucked." Pro- •■ .. fessors, being kind-hearted men, •- in- . yanably, this harrowed them too. So ,-■■ . . it was a bad thing all round. Wβ have ■;■;. been delivered from that; and some of us^ would..like to see the.'secondary schools delivered from the crammin-r of ■- an j entrance- examination ~. ' and; students-admitted on the, "accre- ->- . n■ dited system of several very success--nil American universities.