PRESENTATION OF PRIZES.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXI, Issue 295, 18 December 1895, Page 2

PRESENTATION OF PRIZES.

♦— In presenting the prizes at the School concert last evening, Mr Buick said that he had been asked by the School Committee to present the prizes, and he thanked the Committee for the honor conferred upon him. The prizes were not given m recognition of any remarkable scholarship ; they were awards for good attendance afc school, and certificates for proficiency m drawing, presented by the School of Art m Wellington. Perhaps all parents aid not believe m the aims and actions of Sir Robert Stout, but the people of the Colony owed him a good deal m the matter of drawing. Prior to his advent as Minister of Education drawing was not taught m the public schools, but he made it a pass subject. Mr Buick said he did not think that after the children had mastered the three r's their attention could be turned to a better subject than drawing. In all mechanical professions it was found necessary to draw sketches or plans of some kind, and, naturally those possessing a knowledge of the art would excel m their work. In civil engineering, architecture, and surveying a knowledge of drawing was absolutely necessary, and a proficient draughtsman must know how to use his pencil. If a good foundation was laid m early life at school, the higher branches of the art would be acquired with ease. Some people found it extremely difficult to describe anything by drawing, and after covering the paper with all kinds of marks would m the end not be able to tell which was the north and which the south of their delineation. The art was also a valuable means of recreation. It was refining and elevating, and its pursuit gave results which could be treasured, and appreciated m future years. The awards presented for drawing were the first full certificates ever won m Marlborough for freehand, geometry, scale, and model drawing. The school deserved congratulation for the success of their studies, and the Committee were right m making the presentation of prizes a public occasion. Speaking of school attendance Mr Buick said he knew of nothing so discouraging to a good teacher as the irregular attendance of the scholars, and there was nothing which served as a better shelter for a bad teacher. It always seemed to him one of the greatest anomalies of State education that one of the finest education systems in 'the world, one of whicbno country need be ashamed, was not taken proper advantage of by parents, a great proportion of whom neglected to send their children to school (applause.) He remembered when he was a member of the Blenheim School some years aso frequently visiting the schools, and receiving as excuses for empty desks m the boys' department such explanations as, " Oh it is potato-piokine time," or m the girls' department "Oh it is washing day" (laughter.) That was all very well, but he did

Hot think that parents should oonaider their own immediate benefit, they should think of the future welfare of their children. He did not pretend to be a prophet but he had no hesitation m saying that the young people would require all the education that could be obtained m early years, and that the persons who were the most ignorant would fare very badly m the struggle of life. He asked the parents to remember this and send their children to sohool regularly. Irregular attendance Was the bugbear of the education system, so muoh, so m fact, that the legislature had stepped m and made stringent regulations m the matter. He fancied that some parents m Blenheim were not altogether inacquainted with the provisions of thislegislation — (laughter). The local fines imposed under the Act, had been devoted to the purchase of prizes for good attendance, so that after all " it was an ill-wind which blew nobody any good. " (Laughter). Mr Buick then presented the prizes, and at the conclusion of the ceremony expressed his pleasure at being present at the concert, whioh, he said had never been surpassed by anything of its kind m Blenheim, and he hoped that the entertainment would not be the last given by the school. The following is the list of prize winners : — Infant School : Nora Bowman, Fred Marks, "Frances Hutcheson, Fred Snow, Arthur MoKegney, Irene Gosling v Etty Ball, Frances Anstice. Standard I— Cyril Croker. StanII — Arthur Batty, Arthur Marks, Kenneth Tait, A. Rayner. Standard III — Eric Croker, Leo Attwood, lina Silvius. Standard IV —Roy Simson, Araot Leslie, Olive Litchfield. Standard V— Charles Btuart, Mary Brian. Standard VI — Charles Millington, Annie Rayner. Standard Vll— William Girling, Arthur Rayner, Alice LitcMeld, Annie Healy. The following boys received the . full drawing certificates gained at thej examination held by the Wellington Education Board: Frank T. Robinson, Kenneth Moore, Wallis Douglas, Edward Mead, Arthur Rayner.