SCHOOL PRIZE DISTRIBUTIONS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 8353, 15 December 1887, Page 3

SCHOOL PRIZE DISTRIBUTIONS.

NORMAL SCHOOL. The distribution of prizes in the Infant department of the Normal School took place yesterday morning in the presence of a large number of relatives of the pupils. The proceedings were varied by the sieging of several choruses and the reciting or some capital dialogues by the little ones, who acquitted themselves in a manner reflecting very great credit on the head-mistress, Mrs Bullock, and her assistants. Mr A. Saunders delivered an address, deprecating the proposed retrenchment in the Education vote, and exhorting the children to make the most of the opportunities they now enjoy. Mr Weston also, after distributing the prizes, suitably addressed the children. UPPER DIVISIONS. The prizes gained by the scholars of the upper divisions of the Normal School, wore distributed in the afternoon in the School Gymnasium by Mr W. Chrystall, Chairman of the Board of Education. A platform erected for the occasion, bore a table covered with handsomely bound books, the prizes to be presented. The Rev T. Fla veil, Mr H. W. Peryman, and several other visitors were present. The proceedings were opened by the girls singing a couple of pieces very creditably. Before presenting the prizes, Mr Chrystal said that he was very pleased with the very satisfactory state of the school. He was sorry to say, however, that the attendance of the girls had not been so good as that of the boys. The boys’ average attendance for nine consecutive weeks was as high as 01 per cent of the roll number, while that of the girls was 85. He hoped that the boys would maintain their average, that the girls would attend better in future, and that the parents would take care that their children attended regularly. He would like the older children to consider the aim of education. Some years ago the people who governed the country, the State, did not care about the education of the people at all. Now things were very different, and all civilised nations were striving to give the best possible education to their children. Thera were two ends or purposes of education which induced Governments to this. The first was that it was intended that people should know how to behave themselves. It was found that the large majority of these who broke the law were ignorant people, and that the very best way to get people to keep the law was to educate them. Another end or purpose of education was to make people stronger—not only physically, but mentally stronger. Those who had to govern nations had now discovered that education enabled people to do a great many things which they could not do without it. America had gone ahead of almost all other nations in some things—in manufactures, for instance. One reason for this was that America had taken the trouble to give a proper education to her people. There was one thing he would like to say to the hoys. He had heard that a great many boys, especially clever boys, did not like to go to trades, to have to take off their coats to work; that they preferred to do office work. Now it was a great mistake to suppose that a man was any more noble or useful simply because he got his living by working with a pen. He hoped that the boys would not all try to go into offices, but would go into the country, into the fields, the mines, the workshops, for only by work in those could they help to make the country great. A great deal had been said lately about the cost of education. Some people said that we could not afford to go on paying so much for it, and others said that we could not affor d now to stop. He hoped, therefore, that all the children would make the most of their advantages while they had them. Mr Chrystall then presented the prizes to the various winners. After the distribution the head-master informed the scholars that the school would meet again on Monday, Jan. 23. He called for three cheers for Mr Chrystall, which were heartily given. The Rev. T. Flavell afterwards presented prizes in the model school to those children who had attended his classes for religious instruction. The average attendance at these classes during the year has been 82, and 30 prizes were distributed. The following is the prize-list: — DOWER INFANT DEPARTMENT,

Class HI. (below Standard I.). —Adeline M'Conncll, 1; conduct and progress. Ivy Hebden, 2 j general progress, Florence Bishop, 3. Sowing: Edith Meddings. Spelling : Agnes M'Knight. Reading : Violet Moon. Drawing: Lily Hoskins. Boys—Progress, Frank Chidgey, 1; general progress, Willie Dickenson, 2 ; Bertie Elcrig, 3, Conduct : Francis Stout. Writing: George Brunt. Drawing : Ferdinand Thiele.

Class IV. (below Standard I.) —Sewing —Ethel Allen. Conduct and Attendance — Liz/Jo Robertson. General progress—- < Trace Sandman, 1; Katie Taylor, 2; Hilda Batchelor, 3, Writing and Spelling —Annie Pirie. Recitation—Annie Winkworth. Reading—Elsie Cother. Drawing —Clara BPConnell. Writing and Attendance—Eliza M'Cullagh. Boys: Good Conduct—Harry Davis. General ProgressHenry North, 1; Thomas Blood, 2. Reading—Alfred Freeman. Spelling—Charlie Webb. Arithmetic —Harold Bidmeade.

Class V. (below Standard I.) —Charlotte Ward, 1. Boys: Conduct and Progress— Gus Bloore.

Standard T. (Upper).—Good conduct: Lizzie M’Nichol, 1. Progress: Francis Moss, 1. Good conduct and progress s Harold Compton, 1. Progress: Willie M'Farlane and Nellie Hawkea (equal), 2: John Wood, 3. lleading: Mildred Swindell and Grace Musgrove (equal), 1. General progress: Alec Elder, 1; Willie Moore, 2. Improvement: Willie Fass, 1; Mark Anthony, 2; Arthur Blanchard, 3. Spelling and writing: John Slack, 1. Drawing: Willie Barnet and A. Bowman (equal). 1. Sewing: Amy Lee, 1. Standard I (Lower). —Good conduct : Constance Berry, I’. Progress : Blanche Ackerman and Florence Allen (equal), 1; Edith Ellison and Lizzie Cowper (equal), 2, Progress; Bertie Gamble and Leigh Gambie (equal), 1. General progress: Ernest Burrell, Joseph Seatree, Herbert Collier, Ellen Young, May Swanson, Archie Staunton. Spelling and arithmetic: James Marra. Spelling and good conduct: E mily Thompson. Beading and arithmetic : Gertie Richardson, Mary Selwyn, Garnet Cooke. Beading and spelling: Bertie Hutton. Sewing: Maggie Dury, I; Mabel Garrett, 2. Spelling and arithmetic ; Amy Kissell. Recitation: Henry Bluett, Willie Clarke, Bertie Muir. General progress : Fred Firth, Isaac Allen, Bessie Benneta.

First Class (below Standard I.). —Good conduct and progress, Blanche Worgor 1; recitation and progress, Daisy Armstrong 2 ; progress, Laura Sherlock 3, Amy Baisloy 4; recitation and progress, Claude Cooper 1 ; good conduct and progress, Francis Donithorn 1; progress and recitation, James Malcolm and Percy Bidmeade 2, Thomas Nolan 3, Edith Hamilton, Elsie Tombs, Florence Hadfield, Florence Chiddey, Hannah Collins, Albert Hollow, Samuel Peters, Duncan Gumming. Second Class (below Standard 1.).-—Pro-gress and conduct, Charlie Burrell and Mabel Genet 1, Thomas Abbott and Alice Martin 2 ; progress and writing, Berfcife Somers and Henry Donithorn (equal), 3; progress, Alec Shelton, Birdie Hornsby, Leo Tombs, Eva Judd, Ada Taylor, Albert Allen, Rose Moody, Sydney Tuck; writing and arithmetic, John Marra; attendance and arithmetic, Percy Eeed; regular attendance, Gavin Herriot; spelling, Henry Harris ; recitation, Jeanie Manks and Hamilton Patton; good conduct, Dan M'Farlaue. Standard , I. (Upper).—Lily Crone, 1; Mable Whitfield, 2; Maud Cox, 3. Standard 11. (Lower). —Agnes Moore and Claudia Price (equal), 1 ; Ethel Hadfield, 2; Maggie Sandman, 3. Good conduct; Nellie Dunbar. AIRIS 1 DEPAETMENT. Standard 11. (Lower). —Alice Townsend, 1; Annie -Lummis, 2 ; Marion Bennetts, 3 ; Lizzie Morrison, 4; Kathleen Cummings, 5 ; Clara Davies, 6 ; Lucy Wyatt, 7. Standard 11. (Upper).—Myra Eawson, 1;

Margaret Stout, 2 j Emily Digby, 3; Victoria Burrell, 4 ; Arabella Morrow, 5; Annie Clarke, G; Laura Bolt, 7.

Standard 111. (Lower).—Ethel Sweet, 1; May Thompson, 2; Lily Shrimpton, 3; Thiraa Barford, 4; Annie Camming, 5; Lucy Tremayrie, G. Standard 111. (Upper).—Ellen Swindel, 1; Marion Simpson, 2; Edith Price, 3; Beatrice Lark, 4; Fanny Cross, 5; Annie Talbot, 6. Standard IV.—Ruth Thompson, 1; Lily' Eawson, 2 ; Jane Black, 3; Kate Banks, 4. Standard V. —Alice Thompson, 1; Mabel Lockwood, 2; Maud Price, 3; Emily Duggan, 4; Ethel Cooper, 5. Standard VI. (Lower; Chairman’s prize) —M arion Richardson 1; Jane Williams, 2; Sarah Pirie, 3.

Standard VI. (Upper).—Edith Shrimpton, 1; Flora Samuels, 2; Emily Barford,

Standard IY.—Neat homework, Rosa Corsbie. Standard lll.—Fanny Morrow. Standard ll.—Sewing, Ethel Watkins. Standard 111. (Lower).— Agnes Watkins; (Upper)—Beatrice Lark. Standard IV.— Edith Thompson. Standard V. Mabel Blanchard. Standard Vl.—Harriet Milsom. Recitation. —Ella Webb, 1; Alice Townsend, 2. Certificates for regular attendance. First-class certificate : Ada Manks, Annie Gumming, Alice Bull, and Mary Robertson; second-class certificates ; Beatrice Lark and Sarah Pirie. boys’ department.

Standard I. (Upper) —Alick Dunbar and Ernest Barber (equal), Ij Willie Purdie, 2; Bertie Cocks. 3. Standard I. (Lower) —Martin Blueland, 1; George Ward, 2 ; Harold Vivian, 3; Hugh Harriot, 4 (conduct). Standard 11. (Lower) —Charlton Rowell, John Rodmell, Fred Faulkner. Standard 11. (Upper)—William Marra, Peter Hydnman, William Binett, Herbert Hebden, Arthur Ashman, Richard Steward, Henry Lane, Sidney Carl, Arthur Mardon, Herbert Hunt, Robert Baxter, Sidney Kerr, Edgar Shelton, Ernest Chappie, Charles Pratt, Herbert Strong, George Pirie, Austin Corrick, Valentine Braasington; Horace Beatty, arithmetic special. Standard lll.—Charles Chapman, Malcolm Roxburgh, Charles Clarke, George Butler, William Duggan, James Lester, Claude Harrison, Charles Tunes, Arthur Millar, Harry Keig, George Lane, Edward Clarke, Charles Barlow, Thomas Couzine, Edward Dyer, Ernest Caro, Robert Critchley, John Hyland, William Banks, Carlton Brook, Reuben Cooke, Charles M'Cree, Alexander Mathieson, William Brett, Charles Townsend, Frederick Swindel, Herbert Cooke, George Hart. Standard IV.—Frank Collier, Wilfred Chaplin, Albert Cooper, Arthur Cooper, Arthur, Hore, James Bull, George Forrest, Richard Hollow, George Thompson, James Herriott, Arthur Lockwood, Roland Boot, Arthur Butler, Gilbert Nathan, Alfred Sandford, Harry Keig, Charles Edmonds, John Pavitt, Thomas Dupuis, Frank Old, Arthur Thompson,Cecil Cooke; Fred Peters and William Grand, missed no attendance; James Bull and Wilfred Chaplin, composition j Harry Price, progress. Standard VI. Arthur Wright, 1; Charles Le Mercier, 2 ; Sydney Cookson, 3. Standard V.—Leonard Hutton, 1; Charles Turner, 2; Fred Butterfield, 8. Special prize for arithmetic, given by Mr A. Cooper—Sydney Wood. A prize was given to every child who gained an attendance certificate and passed in every subject. MODEL DEPARTMENT. Girls : Standard IV.—Kate Lambert, 1 ; Gertrude Garrett, 2. Standard Hl. Good attendance, Violet Cunningham. Standard ll.—Annie Abbott, 1; Lizzie Herriot, 2 ; Amy Selwyn, 3. Standard I.—Emily Hall, 1; Hilda Cunningham, 2. Boys : Standard V.—Alfred Simpson, 1. Standard IV.—Special prize by Mr Malcolm, George Cotton. Standard 111. William Restieaux, 1. Standard 11. Henry Garland, 1; John Horn, 2. Sbanard I.—Charles Gray, 1 j Samuel Hawkins, 2; Douglas Burnside, 3. ST ALBANS SIDE SCHOOL. The presentation of prizes in connection with the St Albans side or infant school took place at 7.30 last evening, when the following members of the Committee were present: Messrs Thomas Gordon, F. Smith, and W. Moor. There was a large attendance of the scholars and their parents and friends,, besides the headmaster and teachers of the main school, and half a dozen of their pupils, who assisted in the readings, recitations, and songs given by the children during the evening. The Chairman, in addressing the meeting, commented in very strong terms on the irregular attendance shown by some of the scholars, and pointed out that irregular attendance, by losing a child a pass in a standard might be said to lose that child a year of its life. He read the following report, and further complimented Miss Sarah E. Smith, mistress of the school, the assistant mistress (Miss Helen V. Williams), and Bliss Newell, the pupil-teacher, on the result of the efforts in teaching their young scholars. The report said taught. A very fair proportion of the infants are ready to enter upon the work of Standard I. The two Standard classes have been very carefully prepared in all the requirements. The reading, spelling, and arithmetic, of Standard 11. are very good indeed, and the discipline is good. L, B. Wood, Inspector.” The Chairman stated that since the school had been established on Feb. 2, it had been opened 384 times, and one scholar, Kate Mills, had attended every time. During the prize-giving some capital recitations and songs were rendered by the children.

The following is the prize-list:— Standard I.—Margaret Banks, Edward Brett, Arthur Bowbyes, George Bolt, William Bushell, Bushell Dodd, Lydia Fisher, Lucy Flavel, Nellie Grogan, Frank Goode, John Gunter, Silvester Harvey, William Hill, Fred Kibblewhite, Emily Kemp, Lincoln King, Frank King, Edgar King, Andrew Mason, Francis Mason, Jane M'Coll, Mary Sorensen, Mary Wheal, Benjamin Wylie. Standard ll.—George. Bushell, Fred Cooper, Joseph Goode, Ethelwjn Green, Hannah Gunter, Frederick Green, Willie Horneman, Grace Ives, James M'Coll, Christina Mills, Gertrude Robertson. The following children gained attendance prizes, the maximum score being 384: —Kate Mills, 384; Hannah Gunter, 380; John Gunter, 377; George Perratt, 374; Alex Harvey, 374; Louisa Hutchinson, 3G2.