LEVIN DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 18 December 1926, Page 6

LEVIN DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL.

EREAKING-UP CEREMONY. PRESENTATION OF PRIZES. An event to which the all schools look forward with traditional enthusiasm is the annual ■ breaking-up for the Christmas and New Year holidays. The function, as was evidenced at the ceremony held at the Levin District High School yesterday morning, has in these times evolved orderly characteristics which were not generally known to the fathers and grandfather--of the present generation. This is one of the features of the many-suled development of modern education, which has much more of social value than the svstem that is past. " The pupils of the main school and the secondary department were drawn up in the quadrangle, and scats were provided for members of the committee, the chairman (Rev. J. D. McArthur') presiding over the gathering and superintending the prize-giving. A number of parents were also present. The head master (Mr R. J. Foss) extended a hearty welcome to the committee and other* visitors and asked the chairman of the committee to preside. Revr Mr McArthur thanked the headmaster for the gracious manner in which he had welcomed them. They wen; specially favoured - by the weather on this occasion. He apologised for the absence of the Mayor (Mr IV Hobson), who regretted that he could not be pres ent and wished to state that he appreciated the invitation very highly. His Worship said it was the first time tha. lie had been invited to a function of this kind as Mayor. The chairman referred to several matters relating to the school grounds and buildings, a report of which appears in another column. PRESENTATION OP CERTIFICATES The chairman then presented the attendance certificates and the proficiency and competency certificates to those mentioned when the year’s pass list was published. The higher leaving certificates were then presented by the headmaster, who stated that they had been won by two of the sfcnior girls —Nellie Lander and Reina Lemmon, It was a rare occurrence for higher leaving certificates to be earned, inasmuch as the minimum qualification was one year at least of a high standard beyond matriculation. Those parents who had children who had struggled for matriculation would knew the sacrifice involved, including isolation from the common pleasures in which boys and girls indulged. The privilege which belonged to the higher leaving certificate was that it was the senior qualification for entry to many professions. It also gave a free place in the University for many courses. He congratulated the winners on earning the certificates and the schcol on being able to produce two such good scholars. SPORTS MEDALS. . The medals won by the championo an i ;mw- P the school sports were presented by the chairman, Messrs C. uay nr aml F. G. Roe. Mr R<remarked that the school had just held its first athletic meeting, for which the weather was not very good. S : ,jn> Very fine records were put up, comparing favourably with those of any choM in New Zealand. He hoped that the staff would keep all the local recordin the future. DUX MEDALS. The girls ’ dux medal, awarded by Mrs Plimmer, was presented by her father, Mr W. C. Nation, to Margaret McArthur. In asking him to perform this office, the Rev, McArthur mentioned that Mr Nation was within 13 years of his century; and the speaker congratulated him on his splendid physical appearance. Mr Nation said it gave him great pleasure to welcome Miss McArthur on such an occasion and to congratulate her on the position she had attained. When he'looked back on his boyhood days he could not remember anything like this. He hoped the dux would wear Die medal for many a long day; her father also had been dux when he wa.-, at school (applause) and the speaker was very glad to see that she was following in her father’s rooisfceps. “I pray the prayer - that the Easterners do,” said Mr Nation: “ ‘May the peace of Allah abide with yon Whereever you stay, wherever you go, may the beautiful trees of Allah grow.'’ ‘‘l want to say a word to the boys: Many years ago there v. js a lau luiiu.h Colin Miller. He went away on a training ship;; got a good nautical education; became third, second and first mate on different vessels. He came to eae me about six months ago. He attended the Levin school when he was a 1-ad. and now he is captain of a steamer in the China seas. You don’t know what lies in you. I have had to fill IMII j _L VN lib it <- school. I played the wag once for a fortnight, and I learnt more in that fortnight about shipping than I have learnt in my life since. There I was, down ©n the wharf, watching everything; but when I went back to school I got it —I had to wear the dunce’s •ap. You have not got that now. About A) years ago Mr Foss, your present schoolmaster, won a scholarship. I nope that more scholarships will be von, and that you kill keep on climbing • v r"\ 9 9 Upi

Mr Nation said he was reminded of the days when he served on the committees of schools which these children did not know; he wa. chairman of the Levin committee when the late Sir James Carroll opened this school. He was pleased to see such a large gathering now.

In regard to the medal for senior primary boys, the headmaster stated that there was difficulty in separating two of them, so it was decided to award two medals, which were given respectively by Mr W. Davie and the Levin Chamber of Commerce. These were presented to Murray Fletcher and Jack Higgie by the Rev. Mr McArthur and Mr T. F. Gibson (president of tlu Chamber). Mr Gibson said he hoped that there were boys now present who would be in the Chamber of Commerce someday. In whatever town or country the boys found themselves, he hoped they would be prepared to accept responsibility. He wished all the pupils good luck in their coming holidays, and hoped they woul • build up their bodies and rest their minds, and so come back lull of vigour, r'••M ; > ‘W there was much to be undertaken in the coming year. “i envy you your holidays,* said M>

Gibson, in conclusion, “but I don’t envey you the competitive spirit that has come among us. It behoves us t * preserve our bodies and make our mi'id near as we can possible make them HEADMASTER’S SPEECH. Mr Foss expressed his pleasure and that of all the staff at the fact that so many children attended school so regularly. The number of attendance certificates was a very large one indeed- This, together with the record number of proficiencies, speke well for the children and the teachers. Mr Fosj described the three kinds of passes in the secondary ’school—proficiency, endorsed competency, and competency. The proficiency pass entitled the holder to free education in any secondary school in the Dominion, An endorsed competency certificate showed weakness in one subject. It entitled the holder to three years free in a secondary school. The competency certificate entitled the holder to entry into a high school on payment. The competency passes did not represent failures; in some cases they embodied not only a pass in Standard 6, but also in Standard 5. Speaking in reference to the sports, Mr Foss stated that the staff held a meeting and decided that it was time that the school had an athletic record as well as a literary and general efficiency record. They had evolved a scheme by which it was hoped tc have an honours boai d, Avith three divisions, for senior, intermediate and junior scholars. They Avere indebted to Mr Stewart Parker for donation towards the board. The headmaster expressed his thanks to the people Avho had attended the sports. He also thanked Messrs C. Gayne, Procter, ,and F. G. Roe for donating three of the medals. Through. .he co-operation of the people, of the she town it had been possible to bring fonvard one more project that the school ■faff had had in mind for a number of years. Mr Foss added that the sports medals Avere made of bronze and stamped by the school’s oavh die. The medal had the school ba'dge on it, and asked the winners to remember the motto —“Great is truth and it Avill pre vail.” With regard to the coming year, Mr Foss appealed tc the parents not to allow the secondary department to starve, in the competition of the Avorld in years to come, those pupils avlio only had the primary education Avould gc under. He did not want them to think that a high schcol education implied that those avlio took it up were bound to enter a profession. Every boy Avho intended going into a trade should have the best education he could got There Avas never a public man in this town who regretted that he had had an education; but there were many who Avished they had had more. Ho Avished to thank Mr Park and Mr DaA'ie for their help te him, and Mr Aldwinckle. for a dux medal Avhich Avas to be presented in the future; also Mrs Plimmer and the Chamber of Commerce for their donations of medals; and Mr Stewart Mackenzie and Dr. Bryson for help at the swimming sports. He hoped that the pupils would all have a happy holiday, and that they would all return in February, and that there Avould be neAV pupils for the infant classes. Three hearty cheers were giA r en for the donors of the medals. The ceremony then coilcluded with the singing of the National Anthem.