The Nelson Evening Mail. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1867. NELSON PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 307, 28 December 1867, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1867. NELSON PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

. The annual distribution of the prizes awarded to the successful pupils in each of the City Schools took place yesterday afternoon, at 3 o'clock, at the Provincialhall, in the presence of a large assemblage, consisting of the. parents and friends of the pUpilS. .:/.'. His Honor the Superintendent, in opening the proceedings; addressed a few words to the. children expressive of the pleasure he felt in being present to hand to the successful competitors for prizes the rewards of their industry and perseverance. He. said he remembered his own schooldays, well enough to know that, in large schools at all events, prizes were not to be won without hard ■work, and he might venture to say that tie had himself- both at school and 'at college worked as Hard as any boy he saw before him, and not without success, in the' competition for prizes. After a word of encouragement to the pupils who were not upon the prize-list, his Honor impressed upon the parents present the importance of supporting the existing system of education, from which their children derived so much advantage, pointing out the superior position which this province holds above almost every other part of the colony as regards public education. He was aware that many estimable persons preferred what is known as the Denominational or Congregational system; but, apart from that system being inapplicable to a young colony, he looked upon it that by confining the pupils of each school to members of a particular religious denomination, narrow views ■were engendered, and the children taught to atta ,h too much importance to points of doctrine aud to forms of church government, to the injury of true religion. He reminded his hearers of the difficulties under which the present system came into operation and the opposition it had to encounter, and congratulated them on its present successful and satisfactory working. He was a member of the first committee under the Act, and had always " taken great interest in its operation, and he was glad he had been instrumental, since he had held his present position, in remedying what he considered to be its only defect: the Roman Catholics had now brought their schools under the system, and- every religious denomination was therefore equally interested in upholding it. His Honor having distributed the prizes to the meritorious pupils, a proceeding ■which occupied a considerable time, Capt. Rough, following his annual custom, distributed several special prizes for good conduct, and iu a neat and appropriate speech, expressed his gratification, as an examiner, at the proficiency displayed during the examination by the pupils generally, aud by the report given by the teachers of the general good conduct of the pupils, which rendered it a task of great difficulty to point out anyone especially worthy of the prizes which he had to . award. * V Mr James Hooper, Chairman and Secretary of the Local Committee, having also addressed the meeting, loud cheers were given for. .the Superintendent, Captaili Rough, and others; and the proceedings were thus brought to a conclusion.