ANNUAL PRIZE-GIVING

Northern Advocate, 19 December 1928, Page 4

ANNUAL PRIZE-GIVING

WHANGAREI SCHOOL.

FUNCTION AT TOWN HADE.

The annual prize-giving of the Whangarei Primary School was held in the Town Hall last night. There was a good attendance of parents and an excellent concert programme was staged by pupils of the school. Mr A. H. Curtis, chairman of the School Committee, stated that the past school year had been an exceptionally quiet one, there being no alteration to the school buildings and everything had worked smoothly. The staff was to be congratulated upon the splendid results attained and he thought that Whangarei might congratulate* itself upon having one of the most efficient staffs in New Zealand. The report on the school by the Education. Depart' mont’s inspectors could not be beaten, and it was very gratifying to the committee to know that such a good tone and standard of work prevailed. Parents would find the school right up to date. Certainly the year had been quiet, but good, and the children had been able to learn a great deal without distractions. Next year, however, it would be accessary to. look for new rooms. - The roll stood at 540, while there was only accommodation for some 500 .children. The average attendance was well over 500 and the school should have another room. Recently the .High (School Board had been making ‘a move to have new technical buildings erected in the High School grounds, and to offer the old buildings for sale. In this connection he suggested that steps be taken to obtain the old buildings and convert them into a class room and assembly hall. If that was done the Whangarei School would be difficult to beat in the matter of up-to-datedness, for it already possessed fine grounds and surroundings. The suggestion was greeted with applause.

Continuing, Mr Curtis expressed the hope that the children would do as well next year as in the year just closed. The children of today were the men of tomorrow, and as knowledge was power, he advised them to learn while, they had the opportunity; the way to do that was to ibe regular in attendance. He would like to seO everyone obtain a certificate or good attendance. In conclusion, he wished the children a Merry Christmas -and a Happy New Year.

His Worship the Mayor, Mr L. J. Brake, remarked that it gave him a lot of pleasure to be present and take part in the breaking-up ceremony of the Whangarei School. He had had the privilege of taking part in the welcome to the Prime Minister of New Zealand, but he could honestly- say he would far rather be associated with' all the healthy boys and girls present for the break-up. It spoke (well for. the care that the fathers and mothers were taking of their children. Speak-, ing to the he hoped that all had done well in their school- work and had done their best, for no one could do more than their best. He advised the children that the best way to spend a happy Christmas was to see whether they could help other people to Ibe happy. If that was carried out then they would be quite sure to have a happy time.

Mr A. J. Murdoch, M.P'. for Marsdon, congratulated the children upon the splendid, entertainment they were producing. He had been told that the past year had been a very good one, and it reflected great credit upon the teaching staff; but good results depended upon a good scholar. The aim of every child .should be to have his name inscribed on the Roll of Honour and the way to get that done was to do their best.

The headmaster of the school, Mr C. F. Collins, stated' that the attendance during the past year had been splendid, and he thanked the parents for sending their children to school with such regularity. During the past three months the average had been over 90 per cent, and, at times, it had reached 95 per cent. As stated before, it had been a good year, except in the early part, when there had been several staff changes. . The work had been good and the inspector, in his report, had appeared, to be very pleased with the school. One remark especially struck him—that in relation to the tone of the school. The inspector had stated that the tone of the school was excellent. (Applause.) He urged all .children to come back next year on opening day, mot several days after, and make a good start. Some people were not in accord with the awarding of prizes, but he was, though he aimed at giving- more progress prizes than (hose for merit.

The concert programme, which was of a very high order, •was then presented. Both choruses and solo items showed exceptional ability and reflected great credit upon the staff w 7 ho had trained them. The items were:— “Bod Save the King”; “God Defend Now Zealand 1 ’; recitation, “Your Best,” Sheila Stewart; dance, Fling, Flora Forsyth; solo, “When Song is Sweet,” Namur Telfer; chorus, “Farewell”; recitation, “The Selfish Goblin,” Joan Hope; duet, “Beautiful May,” His Smyth and Hilda Fischer; dance, Sword Dance, Inez Feed; recitation, “Banger, a Newfoundland Dog,” Joan Barro.wman; piano solo, Gladys La wide; chorus, “My Blue Heaven”; Dutch Dance, Joyce Everett; solo chorus, “Xmas Boxes,” Euth Parkes; recitation and dance, “The Summer Song of the Strawberry Girl,” Ailcen Maxwell; song, * ‘The Boss of the House,” Jimmie Calder, encore ( ‘ The' Message Boy. ’ * '

The prize-list wais as follows: — . Std. I. B. —Merit Prizes: Boys,. Marcel Horeji Girls, Peggy Bent., Progress Prizes:’ Boys, Cliff Stanley Mortimore, Reggie Nicholls, 1 Ivan Alderton; Girls, Joan Butterworth. Sewing Prizes, Ray Tebutt, Alma Morton. Primer IV.-—-Merit Prizes; Boys, Graham Budding (abse'nt), Girls, Pauline Jackman/ Progress Prizes, Robert Coote, Hugh' Bristowe. Writing (special), Cliff Preston, Flbrrie Hutton. y Std. I. A.—Merit Prizes, Boys, David Osbourne 1, Stuart Blanshard 2; Girls, Wilmot Smith 1, Violet Hobbs 2. Progress Prizes, June MacKinlay,, Shirley Lochore, Lindsay James, Jack Tasker, Sewing Prizes, Muriel Gash, Winifred Wilson. St. 11. B, —Merit Prizes, Girls, Flora Thomas 1, Gwen Schofield 2; Boys, Brian Wilson 1, Jimmy Rice 2, Progress Prizes, Phyllis Reed, Nancy

Weston, Jack Maddren, Trank Lindquist. Sewing Prizes, Doreen Durham, Greta Hedditeh. Special Writing Prizes, Doreen Durham, Hugh Robertson, Montey Parkes. St. 11. A. —Merit Prizes., Boys, Harold Day; Girls, Dulcie Stringer. Progress Prizes, Neville Hamblyn, Harvey Sykes, Estelle Thompson. Std. 111. C. —Merit Prizes, Boys, Gordon Campbell; Girls, Bessie Organ. Progress Prizes, Colin Forsyth, Douglas Haigh, Ailsa- Mackay, Linda Gurr, Clivena Young. ,

Std. 111. B.—Merit Prizes, Girls, Marjorie Smith 1, Sheila. Stewart 2; Boys, Pat Wilson 1, Carrel,Ferguson 2. Progress Prizes, Ailsa Fairley, -Joyce Manson, Joan Wilson, Douglas Hughes, Gordon Nordstrand. -Sewing Prizes, Dorothy Smith, Joyce Walker. Special Writing, Marjorie Smith. Std. IY. Lower.-—Merit Prizes, Girls. Joyce Clarke; Boys, Dux Medal, Archie Jeff. Progress Prizes, Bernico Doel, Ray Smith, Nellie Preston, Aileen Menzies, Len Frazer, Samuel Calkin. Sewing Prizes, Alma Megson. Garden Prizes, Derek Ward, Len Sands, Neil Miles. Std. IV. A. —Girls, Jean Barrowman and Aileen Maxwell (equal) 1, Lor< rainc Litchfield 3; Boys, Victor Dick-

inson and Duncan Shanklaud (equal)' 1, Jimmie Calder 3. Progress Prizes, Douglas Mackay I, Bruce Given 2, Joyce McMullen 3, Lawrence Thompson 4. Special Prizes, Mrs Lovatt’s sewing prize; Audrey Seccombe. Writing Competition: Euth Parkes .1, Aileen Maxtvell 2, Eonald Ace 3. Solomon Prize: Hugh Fidler. Special prizes w ere donated by Dn Campbell (dux medal), Mr H. C. Eighworth (dux medal), Mrs Lovatt and Messrs H. Mcuzies, K. Kelly and -C., S*. Solomon.