TRAINING- COLLEGE PRIZE DISTRIBUTION.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 674, 30 January 1885, Page 8

TRAINING- COLLEGE PRIZE DISTRIBUTION.

The annual distribution of prizes in connection with the Wellington Training College took place ou Friday, Jan. 23, in the presence of a number of ladies and gentlemen. A more than usual interest attached to the proceedings, inasmuch as the majority of the students finished their two years’ course of studies. The Rev W. J. Habeas, Inspector-General of Schools, wa* present, and distributed the prizes to the successful competitors. Before doing so, however, Mr Habeas addressed a few words to the students. He congratulated them on the close of their year’s labors and on the very cordial which existed between the students aud Principal, of which he had personal experience. He congratulated them ou the fact that their young minds had been brought into contact with the mind of their Principal, and was convinced they would feel the benefit of that in after life. He could speak with some authority as to the regard in which he was held—he had been furnished with a substantial proof of their esteem and love, for he had been requested by them to hand to Mr Howard a very handsome gold ring. He would like to give the students a word or two of advice. They were leaving the college, but they must not consider they had completed their education. If they

wished to be successful they could only be ss bv continued study. Their profession was the noblest of all professions. They had to deal with mind, and just as much as mind was superior to matter, by so much was their profession nobler than those which related to material subjects. But to make it noble, they must enter upon it in a noble spirit a spirit of unselfishness. They must resolve to de genuine educative work ; not to be too anxious about popularity or success, for that would most assuredly come in due time if they faithfully performed their duties. The all* important qualification for a teacher of youth was sympathy. Teachers must endeavor to rralise and sympathise with the difficulties under which children labor. In conclusion, he might tell them they were on the eve of changes in the educational system, some of which he might consider desirable, some of which might possibly not commend themselves to him. The changes likely to be made in the near futurerelated to drawing (especially freehand and geometrical, which would have to be more thoroughly taught than at present), and technical instruction —instruction in those principles of elementary science which underlay all scientific pursuits. Mr Habeas then distributed the prices as follows : Prize List. Mr Holmes’ Drawing Prizes —Geometry, Miss Searle ; freehand, Miss Palmer ; perspective, Miss Corbin. French and Latin, Miss Searle ; special progress, Miss Jacobren; junior class management, Miss Cook ; senior class management, Miss E. M. Browne ; theory of education —1, Miss Dowdeswell ; 2, Miss J. R. Browne ; special mathematics, Mias Morgan ; special arithmetic and general proficiency, Mr Saywell ; InspectorGeneral’s prize for English, Miss Reeves ; highest classification. Miss Corbin. General proficiency—Junior Division, Mias Wallace ; Senior Division, 1, Miss Searle ; 2, Miss Watson. Worthiness, by vote of her fellows, and for the second time, Miss Elkin ; Dux of College, Miss Morgan ; music prize, Miss T. WatsoD. Mr C. C. Howard, the Principal, then addressed a few patting words to the students, but first of all he thanked the InspectorGeneral of Schools for officiating at the distribution of prizes. He, too, urged the students to continued study. Their training was not finished on leaving the college^—they were entering upon the great college of life, where incessant study was They were developers of humanity, child cultivators, kindergarteners in the highest and truest sense of the word. As the natural plant required light and warmth and studied attention, so

the child plant required the sunlight of cheerfulness, the warmth of loving sympathy, and careful culture. Teachers should be cheerful and sympathetic, and never forget that they themselves were children. He could not let his children for he looked upon his pupils a 3 his children —go forth without the*e few words of advice. Ha had striven carefully to ground them in principles, and it rested with them now to put those principles into practice. They must carry to their work a strong sense of duty and a spirit of self-sacrifice ; they must ever be students of child-nature, and take Stow and Arnold as their models in their dealings with their pupils. Mr Howard thanked them warmly for their expression of esteem in the present made him that day, although he needed no proof of their lore. He would now take a farewell of them, confident that they, like their predecessors, would do their utmost to win renown for their college and cheer the heart of their Principal. Mr Habens thanked the Principal and students for giving him the opportunity ol being present at such a pleasant gathering. The proceedings then cloted.