GIRLS' COLLEGE

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 146, 17 December 1937, Page 15

GIRLS' COLLEGE

;. TRIBUTES TO MISS GREIG

Pupils, parents, and members of the staff of the Wellington Girls' College, 'at the" breaking-up ceremony in the -Concert Chamber of the Town Hall ■last night paid farewell to Miss V. M. .Greig, who for many years has been principal of the school.' High tributes to her service and devotion were paid by several speakers.

"It is with a great deal of sorrow that'we ■■'"part" with Miss Greig," said the chairman, Mr. L. McKenzie. "I do say this, on behalf of the parents, the Board of Governors, and everyone interested in the school, that we wish her every happiness in the future, and we trust that she .will not lose touch with the school, but still remain a guiding factor and a help to us all."

•The Minister of Education (Mr. P. Fraser) also spoke in appreciation of Miss Greig's services. "Her general culture, her broad outlook, her great vision, and many interests have enabled her to be one of the best principals ever to preside over a college m this country," said Mr. Fraser. Pupils who had passed through the school during Miss Greig's term of office were fortunate indeed to have been subject to the influences of her supervision and guidance. '"

Miss Greig was greeted with thunderpus applause when she rose to read her last annual report as headmistress of Wellington. Girls' College.

"Our dreams of a new school with all its possibilities have not yet been realised, but we have fully appreciated the many difficulties with which the Honourable Minister of Education [is confronted," said Miss Greig. "We are aware that before a decision so moimejjtOus as the building of an up-to-date /.secondary school in Wellington caiv,.be arrived at, he must consider ifro'nv' .every point of view the ■possibilities of future educational devlbpment in this city, where' the 'population has been and still is rapidly moving out into the suburbs. What Ivision, what ; . foresight must be his. what care-and wisdom must be exeriteised, if the girls are to have that ideal jschool which we visualised in our last •pannual report, and which, I am sure, 'ihe '.Minister, would like to provide. We know that the Minister of Education;' .who.- is ' privileged also to hold the equallyl important position of Minister of-Health, is greatly concerned, as'are..his'colleagues in the Cabinet, about the?physical fitness of this young Dominion^.and,therefore we feel confident that he:- will do his utmost to ensure that our girls shall work in the most congenial, healthy, arid; beautiful surroundings it is possible to find, away froin-.the noise of-the city, where there istiiiniirnited space for playing-fields ■ and physical. exercise ■of every ■ kind, and where -there is plenty of sunshine and pure fresh air" -untainted by the smokes andi the r?grjrne vef-i-a«commercial and, industrial area. DROP IN NUMBERS. "I expect that the reports of most principals of the secondary schools in the Dominion must bear evidence of a drop in numbers for-1937. There may be several reasons for this but the two main causes have been the phenomenal demand for1 the employment of young people and the enforced closing of the schools on account of the epidemic of infantile paralysis which prevailed throughout New Zealand.

"Owing to the abnormal conditions/the Minister of Education has been most considerate and no change la the gr.ade of the school has resulted this year; but if we do not increase our numbers before March 1 next year there ■will -be created for this college a very difficult position .and the necessary readjustment; will overshadow staffing plans and seriously affect the organisation, finance, and work of the school.

"I would therefore make a special appeal to parents to co-operate with us and allow their ,; daughters to .remain longer at school. A full school means more liberal staffing, especially in, .the. higher grades, and better facilities for :all':pupils,- This year far too many., girls have been removed before completing even ■ the: -junior course—l 6 first-year pupils rind. 31 second-year girls. Nearly 60 per cent, of these 47 pupils are already employed In shops or offices and some of them are working all day and attending classes in the evening. This is greatly to be deplored, (particularly from the health point of view, too. great a strain being put on the child at the adolescent period, and this at a time when the need for leisure and for physical fitness 13 being stressed by legislative measures ensuring a forty-hour week for employees.

. "May.l stress also this point that if parents are able to allow their daughters to enter upon a. course of secondary education, they should not be content with one year only, in which much Is begun and little completed. To derive any substantial benefit from a high school education, a three years' course is advisable and for those wishing to take up professional work a four or five and in.special cases a sis years' course is necessary."

Mr. Fraser, In the course of hl3 remarks, referred to the new school, the difficulty In the way, he said, being the one of finding adequate grounds. He hoped that a solution would soon te found for the problem, for the building of the new school was long overdue. During the evening several school songs were sung by the students. THE PRIZE LIST. The prize list was as follows, prizes being presented by Mrs. \P. Fraser:— Mayer Inter-House Shield.—Won by Lister House. House captain : Mavis Wood. Runnerup : Selwyn House. Anna P. Stout Cup (for best all-round girl).— Durle Maysmor. Mary McLean Cup for Tennis.—Grace Greenough. Mary lzard Prize for New Zealand History.— Helen'Reid. Hilda E. Moorhouse Essay Prize.—Lily LI. Marguerite Turner Memorial Prize for Modern History.—Carol Ayers. Marjorie Nicholls Memorial Prize for ProDared Speech.—Patricia Hills. Mrs A. C. Mitphell Memorial Trophy for Dramatic Endeavour.—Won by Group 11. Leader, Helen Reid. Inter-Form Choir Contest Cup.—Form VR. Ena Dawson Memorial Scholarship.—E. Gwendoline Brown, Form IVCF. Mary McLean Scholarship.—Joyce Cook. r<R?porle C rr'Competlti o n.-l. Literary: Original proVe, Caroline Abraham. Original verse. Alexis Entrlcan, 1; Clemency King, 2. 2. Art: Original illustration and general excellence in drawing, Sheila Bruce. Mary McLean Scripture Knowledge Pmes:--Form VI: Jocelyn Wilson, 1; Patricia Ralph. 2 Forms V : Ruth Edwards, 1; Patricia Harness 2 Forms lA: Jean Macdonald, 1; Margaret Melllsh, 2. Forms III: Patricia Burn6Handwork Prizes, (a) Cookery. Intermediate Beryl 'Edmonds. Rosetta Lawrence, 1, equal. Junior: Edith Haycock (b) Needlework Forms V. Dressmaking: Shirley McGlll. Beryl Radeliffe. 1. equal. Forms IV: Josephine MrCher Forms III: Shirley McGee Drawing and art appreciation- Senior art: Diana £ ng. Art appreciation. Forms. \ : Dorothy Johns. Crafts: Beryl Radcliffe. .Drawing, Forms H: Lorna Hirst. Drawing and crafts: Nancy Nicholson. Art appreciation, Form-IV: Doreen Grigs;. Forms lII.' drawing: Xita Hawken. Art appreciation: Valeric Read. Home Nursing.—lntermediate: Jean Ashworth. Junior hygiene and first-aid: Hazel Qulnnell. SPECIAL PRIZES. Writing (prize presented by Mrs. Birch). — Ella McEwan. VAI English (prize presented by Miss Batham). —Margaret Anderson. Fifth Form Mathematics (prize presented by Miss Miriam liiley).—Kathleen Barnes. VIB Languages (prize presented by Miss Ethel Williams) —Sylvia Stone.

VIB Mathematics (prize presented by Miss Kershaw).—Helen Harrison.

Fifth Form Botany (prize presented by MUs Isaacs).—Beryl Shepherd.

Fifth Form Histnry (prize presented by Mr. Anketell).—Marie McCrae (VA), 1; Carlien Cox (vrl). ■;

Fourth Form English (E. M. Rainforth Bequest).—Kathleen Fuller, Monica Burnett, Margaret Mellish, 1 equal. Prefects' Badges.—Durie Maysmor (head), Carol Ayers, Helen Eeid, Sheila Bruce, Maida^ lyn Birch, Yolande Bitossl, Caroline Abra-

Pro-rrefects' Badges.—Jocelyn Wilson, Lily Li, Mavis Wood, Jean Isaacs, Dawn Croxton, Sylvia Stone, Moira Wicks, Ngara Mackay, Ella MoEwan, Diana King, Patricia Ralph. I Special Prefects' Prizes (presented by headmistress) —Durle Maysmor. Carol Ayers, Helen P.eld. Sheila Bruce, Maldalyn Birch, Volande Bitossi. Caroline Abraham. Jocelyn Wilson, Lily Li, Mavis Wood, Jean Isaacs, Dawn Croxton, Sylvia Stone, Moira Wicks, Ngara Mackay, Ella McEwan, Diana King, Patricia Ralph. Grace Halle? Memorial Cup for Physical Drill.—Senior champion: Helen Harrison. Runner-up: Sheila Bruce. Hailiday Memorial Cup for Drill.—Junior champion: Ruahi Carroll. Runner-up: Jean Weir. Inter-Form Drill Shield.—Form VH. Athletic Championship.—Senior : Barbara Sherwood. Runner-up: Margaret John. Junior: Doris Hunter. Runner-up: Norma "Henderson. Swimming Championship.—Senior: Margaret Oilier. Itunner-up: Diana Stewart. Junior: Jean Macdonald. Runner-up: Josephine Klrcher. Diving Trophy.—Rose Bowl (presented by Old Girls' Association) : Margaret Oilier, Minnie Carroll. 1 (equal). Hon. F M. B. Fisher Tennis Championship.— Senior : Jean Wilson. Runner-up : June Burch. Junior: Gladys Mathleson. Runner-up : Doris Earley Blundell Cup for First-aid.—The Wellington Girls' College Team: Captain, Mavis Wood, Diana King. Helen Harrison, Moira Wicks, Olive Wright, Joyce Knightdn. FORM PRIZES. Form lllC—First aggregate: Noreen Culllnane. Second aggregate: Xgaire Sutton. Good work: Vurla Barras. ■ . Form lllCF.—First aggregate: Phyllis White. Second aggregate: Doreen Cowie. Good work: Lindsay Kay.

Form lllß.—First aggregate: Pamela Strouts. Second aggregate: Joyce Fuller. Good work: Betty Brake. .

Form 111 A.—First aggregate: Joan Finnigan. Second aggregate: Ina Brown. Good work: Margaret Gunn.

Form lIIAL.—-First aggregate: Hazel Quinnell. Second aggregate: Audrey Ronayne. Good work: Marie McCabe.

Form IVC—First aggregate: Ruahi Carroll. Second equal aggregate: Margaret Fothergill, Oliver- Turner.

Form' IVCF. —First aggregate:. Lois Thompson. Second requal aggregate: Lyndsay Cox, Mona Stove. Good work:' Mary Wood.

Form IVB. —First aggregate : Patricia Marsden. Second aggregate: Rosetta Lawrence.

Form IVA.—First aggregate: Margaret Mel[ish. Second aggregate: Jean Macdonald.

Form IVAL.—First aggregate: Marion Har •Ison. Second aggregate: Joan Bilton.

Form V Modern.—First aggregate: Commercial division, Mynah Thompson; home and general division. Joyce Pope.

Form VR.—First aggregate: Dorothy Johns, Second aggregate: Gwen Newton.

Form VRL. —First aggregate: Alexis . Entrlcan. Second aggregrate: Adrienne Eckhoff. Form VA2.—First aggregate : Susan Newlands. Second aggregate: Muriel Taylor. Form VAl.—First aggregate : Margaret Easther. Second aggregate.: Joan Glen. Good work: Ngara Mackay, Joyce Swiney. Form Vlß.—First aggregate : Caroline Abraham. Second, aggregate: Helen Harrison. Form VlA.—Duxes of school and. gold medallists : Carol Ayers and Durie' Maysmor, equal.