BUSINESS AND SCHOOL

Evening Post, Volume LXXVI, Issue 144, 17 December 1908, Page 2

BUSINESS AND SCHOOL

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PRIZF.S. The Minister for Education (Hon. G. Fowlds) yesterday distributed the. prizes won by Wellington schoolchildren, and presented by the Chamber of Commerce, i'or pioficiency in writing, ; arithmetic, and composition. The chamber was well filled by members of the Education Board, and of the Chamber, also teachers and successful scholars. Mr. J, Q# Harkness, president of the chamber, was in the chair, ami in opening the proceedings referred to the question j already raised by some members as to the wisdom of continuing to give thesa prizes, some members doubting whether they were getting back the money that was being paid away every year. It was very difficult to say, although the prizes had been given for the past throa years, whether the papers wero or were not a distinct advance on those of previous jjears. If any good at all wan being Bone, then the chamber would probably have to continue for another year or two, and after that they would know if it were wise to continue. Mr. B. Leo, as chairman of the Education Board, und an old school inspector, said the board very much appreciated the gift of the Chamber of Commerce. He had been practically the examiner, and he would like to say that there had been no competition whatever as between school and sohool. Each school sent its best boy or girl in writing, arithmetic, and composition, and excellent, work had' been done, and the three subjects taken were virtually the best tests that tho board ' could devise. ' He regretted to hear what the president had said with reference to the proposal to discontinue tho gift ■of £35 for the prizes. It seemed to him not so much a question as to whether value was gob for "the money spent, as whether or not these examinations were creating emulation in each school in special subjects. If these piizes induced extra emulation then he did not see how it could bo bet; ter spent. (Hear, hear.) Mr. H. C. Tewsley : Quite right. Mr. Lee went on to describe the nature of the tests given, and dealt with the work done in detail. Eight of the schools had obtained ' less than 75 per cent, of the marks. One boy of 13 answered correctly nineteen of tho arithmetic questions out of the twenty set, and the mistake in the twentieth wa« due to a simple oversight. Mr. Lee. suggested a reading lost, if it could ha arranged. Hon. G. Fowlds, while fully understanding the views of masters upon the question of prize-giving, warmly commended the chamber for its good work" in stimulating study in such, important subjects as those for which it gave tha prizes. Good work was being dons in a (similar way, he said subsequently, by the agricultural societies in different parts of the Dominion. Addressing the crjldren, Mr. Fowlds urged them to patiently keep plodding on at the humdrum tasks of daily life. If they failed to learn that lesson then .their success in taking the prizes \>ould not warrant their success in life. In faithfully playing the part assigned to them in human society, they would ba helped in helping on the progress «i humanity. The hon. gentleman then distributed the prizes (the names of tha winners of which have been already published). At the conclusion he was heartily cheered by the children, and a vote of thanks was accorded him, a similar compliment being paid to the president of the chamber. The prize for arithmetic awarded to Island Bay School was won by Mona Oliver. '