CONVENT SCHOOLS, PONSONBY.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXXI, Issue 5671, 16 November 1875, Page 3

CONVENT SCHOOLS, PONSONBY.

Yiviiitrm the annual cxaniin.vtions ,it fclio scliools, under the cue of the Nisteis of Meicy, took plau . 'I'lioie was .1 luge ittciid.iucc of \isitois who appealed highly delighted with the whole piocccdings. The Veiy Kev. II. J. Fynes piesided, and with him woie the Re\. Fathois Waltei McDonahl, J. Paul, of One hunga, and O'Haia, of Otahuhu. The foienoon was devoted to the examination of the childion of the Orphanage, St. Joseph's school, and tho following piogiamme was most cieditably gone through : —Song, "My Maiyland ;"' address, catechism, lecitation ; song, "Footsteps on the Staiis ;" examination of 2nd class in leading, spelling, and explanition; song, "The Floweis of Slay;" lecitation, examination of 1st class in leading, spelling, gi.unmai, and gcogiaphy ; lecitation, cxeicise, and "God Savo tho Queen." Seveial pieces of fancy woik, made hy the oiphnns, wcie exhibited, ami highly commended. ]>cfoic lciMng tins depaitment, the Yeiy Ke\. Katliei Fynes complimented the childien and their teaeheis on the piogioss they had made since the last examination. As time for the exhibition of the St. Maiy's School had not yot amved, the guests weie invited to inspect the \.uious doimitoiies, school-iooms, lavatones, &.c , which have lecently been descubed in these columns. As is invaiiably the case in the Convent, e\erj thing was m peifecl, 01 del, and loud weie the encomiums of the visitoi s is they noticed each successful piovision nude foi the comfoit and health ot the jouth ful inmates, c\ alences, as they wuic, of the lo\ ui^ <- u e 01 their guardians. The inspection done, all weie lPgalcd with light lefieshments, and took . i sti oil about the beautiful grounds. At two o'clock tho examination of the pupils of St. Mary's began, and the following lengthy progiammo was gone thiough without a single ( mil) i It n)/>s The knowledge of the varied subjects evinced by most of the scholars was the tjiemeofgeuoi.il admhation, and tho musical selections, \oo.il and insti umcntal, were loudly applauded. In the Fiench dialogue the couect accent and easy fluency of tho young |ladies weie paiticulaily notewoithy. Pink.k ymmi .--"(Jm.iiy Quadiilles," Misses Joiics, Chavannes, Edwauls, Daiby. Ad^ diebs, Mhs Lynch. "Bntish Gienadieis," Misses L O'Sullivan, JO. Canning, liatjan. Glee, "The Eil King," Misses Kal]>h, Lynch, Byiiie. Chiisti.m doctiine and catechism of pcise\ci nice, "Pio Peccitis," Mibiics Lynch, Bjine, Mmctti. Duet, "St.ulit Dell," Misses, Daiby and Lynch. — Fourth Class. Choi us.. Reading and spoiling. " Meeting of the Watois ' Duet in D, Misses . Tones, Davies, Lynch, Jljinc, Chiistophei. Song, "Childien's Voices, ' Miss Davies. — Thud Class : The hemisphues, and common subjects. " Abd-el-Kadei Ma/iuka, Misses Canning and Minetti. "Dieamlaud Song," Miss Edwauls. Fiench dialogue, " La Yanite Punie," Misses Canning, E. Canning, Byinc, Lynch, F. Da\ies. Solo, "Golden "Waves," Miss Da\ies, Song, " Evangeline," Miss Halstead. Second Class : Botany, niedi cinal uso of ]>lants; sacied geogiaphy, gianimai. Duet, "The Flowci Gathoieis," Misses Edwaids and Uyine. " Yalse de Conceit," Misses O'Sullivan, Canning, Chavannes, Chnstophei, Minetti. — Fiist Class: Mechanics, Fiench histoiy, pieseivation of health, mental authmctic. bolo pianofoite, "Irish Diamonds," Miss Canning. Song, " The Aiabto his steed," Miss Ciaig. Recitation, "England, Iielinil, Scotland, Fiance," Misses Canning, Lynch, McKen/.ie, Coicoian. " Fannei's lJluuder." "Mis. Grammar's Mall." "Oiucis Salus." "Mouse and Cake." "liiids of Passage." Overt me, "The Caliph of Bagdad," Misses Halstead, S. Halstead, Ciaig, Minetti. " God save the Queen." The addi< ss lefeired to in the last progi aniine was beautifully engiossed and illuminated on htitin, and picttily fiamcd in Btiaw, tastefully ornamented with shells .and seaweed. We give it in extenso : — "Dear respected clergy, kind fi lends, and visitoi s,— Time, in its onwaid flight, has hi ought as again to tho closo of ouv scliol istic year, and we see you all assembled to demand fiom us an account, for the past yeai, of the piogiess we have made in virtue and learning. Of the fonnci our lives must be the test ; of the latter our examination and exhibition of the fi nits of our lndustiy will be the ciiteiion. Howevei. we must demand a little indulgence at youi hands as lCgards the l.ittei. Sickness has visited uh us well as otlicis, and caused a do cieasc in oui numbeis foi a gieat p.ufc of the yeai, and the lassitude consequent on it has left us unfit, until almost this term, to do much Hciionn study. You will theio foie beai this kindly in mind. Theie is a vacant chair heie to day, which it is decieed by the Gieat Disposei of our destinies shall never ag-iin be filled, to the legict of all — that of om late loved Bishop, now Ins Ci ire of Caihel. A woid 01 two to his uieiuoiy will not be inappiopiiate fiom the pupils of this school, which had the honour of neinfj designated by him as "his own school" -an honotti which we shall feel pioud to tiansmit to those who shall succeed us. We shall miss the beaming smile which shed sunshine on our effoits, and which wo shall nevei foi get. Miiy he have eveiy success in his undei takings is tho earnest wihh of his childien at tho Antipodes. We must now tendci oui heaitfelt giatitude to one piesent to day whose inteicst in oui welfaie has endeaied him to all, the Rev. AValtei McDonald. We most humbly beg his accept ance of tins tnbute of lespect fiom us. We appreciate to the fullest the kindly mteiest he has bestowed on us. And now t» our woik — encouiaged by the kind look 1 * of fond parents

,m<lljieiid\ and tuistmg we shall icfpiit ouisehos with satisfaction to all. We lemain, deiu cloigv andwsiton, .the pupils of St.M.uy's." Aftei the examination progi.imme had boon completed, the \eiy Re\. Father Fynes .id-dicss'-'d n few highly coinjilnneiit.il j woids to the pupils and their tenchcis and lcfcuing to the Lite Bishop, said he should make it his husinc-s to convey to his Loidship the e\picsfiion of affection and loving remembrance embodied in the address. IJefoie sepaiating, the \kitois spent some time in admiring a large \,nictyof specimens of fancy necdlewoik, for which, considering the amount of attention which must have been given to the other subjects of instiuction, it was difhcult to believe time could have been found. This concluded a most a^ieeably spent day.