HIGH SCHOOLS.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7928, 17 December 1887, Page 3

HIGH SCHOOLS.

The annual distribution of prizes at Hie High Schools took place yesterday. In the Boys' School Mr H. S. Tiffen presided. No report was presented by the Head master Mr Heath, the only business being the distribution of prizes by Mr Tiffen, as follows : — Gold medal, A. Camoron ; silver medal, H. Burden, Form V, A.— Enghub aubjoots (aggregate), Ist W, Inglia, and A. Forguason. B —English auWeots (aggregate), Ist T. C. Hardie, 2nd B. Ellis. Lat&i, Ist A, Cameron, 2nd Fred. Williams. Arithmetic and trig., Ist Burden, 2nd R. Holt. Euclid and algebra (aggregato), Ist G. Taylor, 2nd Fred. Williams. Form IV, A.— Euclid and Algebra, lsl A. Fergusson, 2nd H. Burden. B.— Mathematics and science, Ist H. Knight, 2nd G. Hardie. Arithmetic nnd trig., Ist B Gillies. 2nd G. Taylor. Latin, Ist H. Burden, 2nd W. Inglis. French, Ist A. Cameron, 2nd J. Hardie. English subjects, Ist A. Carey, 2nd D. Ryan. ForniUL-Latin, Ist D. Ryan 2nd E. Newman. A.— French, Ist H. Burden, 2nd C. E. Ellis. B.— French, Ist C. Bennet, 2nd J. D. Ormond. A.— Arithmetic, Ist H. White, 2nd A. Forater, B. — Arithmetic, Ist JS, Fryor, 2nd W. Owen. English subjects, Ist D. Bamford, 2nd R. Burke, Mathematics and sciences, Ist A. Williams, 2nd H. White. Form II — Latin, Ist P. Parsons, 2nd H. White. French, Ist H, White, 2nd D. Ryan. A.— Arithmetic, Ist A. Williams, 2nd F. Williams. B.— Arithmetic, Ist It. Burke, 2nd D. Bamford. English snbjects.lst H. Pritchard, 2nd It. R. Heath. Form I.— Arithmetic, Ist H. Pritchard, 2nd B. Speedy. Upper School Drawing.— lst C. Taylor, 2nd E. C. Ellis. Lower Sohool Drawing, -lsl S. Brandon, 2nd D. Bamford. Upper School Singing.— lst H. Burden, 2nd A. Foster. Lower School Singing.— lst W. Wood, 2nd E. Caro. In connection with the High School Cadets Bilver medals have been awarded to tho following for good shooting ;— Cadet Crisp, best shot; Sergeant Taylor, 2nd best; and C. Bennett 3rd. In class firing Crisp would have taken the madal again, but ho having already received ono mednl for best shot the medal was presented to Cadet Gillios. OIRS SCHOOL. At the Girls' School Mr Tiffen was in the chair, but the prizes were distributed by Mrs Ormond. The lady principal, Miss Hewett, presented the following report : — Gontlcmon,— l have the pleasure of nreBenting to you tho report oC your Girls' High School for tho year 1887. Tho school opened on Tuesday, February Bth. Tho numbers were, for the autumn term, 70; wintor term, 70 ; spring term, Gl, Tho decreaso in numbers during the lost term has been duo to sovornl of tho younger children being absont with whooping cough and other ailmonta. Tho attendance has been, in the morning, on tho whole regular and punctual ; but excuses for non attendance in tho afternoon, or requests for leavo of absence for tho whole or a part of tho afternoon, have been moro frecraont in some cases than is compatible with steady work and progress. The school course has included English subjects, French, German, and Latin, mathematics, algebra, and geometry ; sciences ; chemistry, astronomy, Botany, and physics ; class singing, frochand drawing, and calisthenics. During this year wo have had our highest division, form V., attending only 3 days a week. Tho oxporimont has answered fairly well, the elder girls in thut form confining their attention to fewer subjects, and having moro leisure for private study, and moro time at home than those in tho lower forms. We propose to continue tho Biuno mothod next year, and liavo reason to oxpect thnt Bonio of the present llfth form will remain another year studying special subjects, while a fair contingent froni the fourth form will recruit it. \vc hope in courso of timo it will bo recognized as most desirable that girls shall not leave the school till llioy have been at least a year in tho highest form. Many circumstances combino to niako parents eager to let their girls loavo sohool as soon as possible, and here tho habit is for them to leave earlier than is customary oisewhere, l(i being tho avcrago ago. This wo deplore, because wp soo the girls leave just when they are getting out of tho drudgory o? olementary work, which they aro glad to bo freed from, whilo they h,avo not gpno far enough to havo a sufficiently lively intorost in their studios to pursuo them alono. ConsoSuontly they very soon lose much or what lioy havo gained at school, whereas a littlo later, having during their last yoar been free to devoto moro tfrno to tho fow subjects towards which, they aro specially Inclined, they will generally havo doveloped such an intcrost in one or two that tho habit of study, reading, and thought, so Important for tho preservation of a clear, practical, and useful head, will not bo lost. Aa a tcachef I naturally feel strongly on the subjoct of my girls leaving insufficiently equipped for tliolr work in life, so you will excuse mo if I press the point on your attention and that of the parents of my pupils . Tho school was inspected on July 28th and 29th by tho Inspector-General. His report is as follows:—" Tho order, the mothod, nnd tho tone of this school aro always admirable ; there is no fallacious display of advanced work, but what is dono is thoroughly done. .... I should like to soo somo girls stay long enough to do higher work in classics and mathematics,"

The school is unfortunate in losing this year the servicos of a teacher who has for throe years worked steadily and carefully for the progress of the pupils. Teachors and scholars alike wish Miss Mason good speed, and hoDe she will be happy and successful in the now work sho takes up. It only remains for mo to add that tho arrangements made for next year secure that the staff of your school shall ho stronger than heretofore, tho qualifications of the teachers recently appointed being those we were most anxious to obtain ; so that we may reasonably hope that, opening next year with good numbers, we may progress to tho more advanced studies the Inspector-General would like to see us pursuing. The prize-takers were as follows : — Dux, M. Magill, gold medal, presented by Mr H. S. Tiffen. Jform V. — English prize, G. Davidson. Mathematical, A. Ormond. Form IV. — English prize, J. M'Hardy. Mathematical, sa. Msvgill. Form IIIa. — English prize, E. Fryer. Mathematical, A. Large. Form lllß.—English prize, E. Spencer. Science, E. Spencer, Forms n. and I.— English prizes, M. Guy, K. Hadyn. Writing, K. Dinwiddie. Scripture, R. Bryson. French Prizes.— Division 11. S. Gmchy, 111. J. M 'Hardy, IV. G. King, VI. A. Williams, VII. A. Cornford. T „r .„ Arithmetic Prizes.— Division I. M. llagill, n. F. Sullon, lll. V. Smith, V.'X. Speedy, IV. M. Newman, VI. M. Wood. Special Prizes.— Needlework, Ist C. lung, presented by Mrs Ormond ; 2nd F. M Kinnon, presented by Mrs Ormond; 3rd A. Macfariane presented by Mrs Ormond. French, Ist G. Davidson, presented by Mrs Carlile. Chemistry, F. Sullon, presented by Mr Crerar. Astronomy, K. Fry or, presentod by Mrs Crerar. Botany and object lessons, lower school, M. Guy, presented by Mr Crerar. Drawing, upper school, W. Bennett ; lower school. J. M'Kinnon. Composition, Ist G. Davidson presented by head mistress ; 2nd A. Large. Attendance, M. Magill. Al the conclusion of the proceeding Mr Tiffen proposed a vote of thanks to Mrs Ormonu, Miss llewetfc, ami her assistants. On the motion of the Key. D. Sidey a similar compliment was paid to Mr Tiffen for his annual gifts of medals,