THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18278, 20 December 1922, Page 10

THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL.

WORK OF THE YEAR. HEADMASTER'S OBSERVATIONS. The annual prize-giving ceremony of the Auckland Grammar Schol was held last evening in the Town Hall. Professor A. P. W. Thomas, chairman of the board of governors of the school, presided over a crowded attendance. The form prizes and speciel prizes for school-work were presented bv the Mayor, Mr. J. H. Gunson, while the athletic trophies were presented by Mrs. Gunson. The headmaster. Mr. J. W. Tibbs, presented his 30th and final annual report on the work of the school. He stated that the average enrolment during the year was 843, as against 971 last year. Had the Mount Albert school not been completed in time for the commencement of the year's work it would have been neces-, sary to refuse admission to about 150 boys. The appointment of official heads of departments—a course suggested by him several years ago —had been adopted this year. At the last examination for university entrance scholarships the school secured seven—three of Jhe teu junior university and four university national scholarships. Seven scholarships out of forty was more than the school's share, but stilt they must look at the result a* marking one of their lean years, for the school's average for the past eleven years was 10. Ninety-four passed matriculation and 44 obtained partial passes, but there were too many failures, some of which might be accounted for by boys in their third year taking a sporting chance of squeezing through, or, at any rate, seen*, ing a partial pass. It should be remembered that the examiners were directed to set papers that might reasonably be presented to candidates who had taken a four years' course at ft secondary school. The university had under consideration the abolition of the paitJal pass. It would be a real benefit io all boys who remained at school to be compelled totake the whole of the examination again. When they had to present only one subject at the end of the year they were apt to take only a superficial interest in the rest of the curriculum, and he would again urge the department to require some definite examination test of those who stayed on a year after matriculation to qualify for a bursary. These valuable privileges should not be given away too cheaply. He was speaking of other schools, as well as of his own experience, when he said that the attitude toward the year's work of the Upper Sixth, who had to face a,competitive examination at the end of the year, was verv different from that of the Lower Sixth, who were trusting for their reward to the recommendation of a benevolent principal. Some of the senior boys sent in drawings to exhibitions held recently in Auckland and Palmerston North; all were awarded prizes, mostly first prizes. Boys who were taking a post-matriculation course and thought of entering the engineering or architectural profession were encouraged to specialise in machine and building construction drawing. In the case of those entering the medical or teaching profession a course of drawing to illustrate the study of anatomy and physiology had been, devised, which would be of great value to them in writing up their notes of lectures and in their professional examinations. A sketch club had been organised for the lower school to encouraige the application of school work in spare time. Mr. Tibbs said he had asked Mr. Mahon to prepare a report on the essays writen for the " Eric Hooton " prizes. Mr. Mahon. who joined the staff in 1897, was his senior colleague, and he plaiced on record the debt that the school, including the speaker, owed him. He had organised the English work on a thoroughly sound basis; his own teaching, as tested by the highest examination, had been eminently successful; his guidance of the junior masters had been invaluable. Twice within recent years the school had narrowly escaped losing his services. Mr. Tibbs hoped that for the sake of the school Mr. Mahon would retain the work which he had done so well.