School Vacations.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XIX, Issue 6129, 20 December 1894, Page 3

School Vacations.

MIDDLE SCHOOL. At this school vacation ceremony this ) morning, the infant classes were assembled at 10 o'clock in their class-rooms, and the prizes were distributed by the Rev. A. B. Todd. The public attended the ceremony in the larger room when , The Rev. A. B. Todd said thjit during the year three members of the Committee ! had resigned and others had been appointed, and he had been appointed l Chairman. Mr Cunningham, the late : Chairman, had been very efficient and he ; was sorry that he had been compelled to resign. He hoped that on future occa- | sions the school would meet in the Public , Hill to break up. Oamaru could con- . gratulate itself upon the efficiency of its three schools. He did not know which was the best, but he was pleased to testify to the efficiency of the Middle School because he had been connected with it so Inns, and he congratulated Mr Earl and the staff upon the work done. He instanced Duncan Macmillan as an example of perseverance, who rose from a poor lad to be one of the greatest publishers in the world. If the boys emulated him some of them might rise to eminence as he had done. He had looked over the school list and noticed with pleasure that the successful ones had got prizes as well as certificates. One year when they did not get prizes they were disappointed. He urged the children to do their best to attain the highest state of efficiency, and during the holidays they were to make the best of their time to get up health and prepare for another year's work. Mr Sumpter said that he had an unexpected honor thrust upon him in being asked to address a few words. He congratulated all upon the state of efficiency attained. The ladies were likely to occupy a different position to that which they had hitherto held, as instead of the men being the lords of creation, the women were likely to take a leading place in the march of life. He urged the girls, therefore, to do their best to fit themselves to occupy their new position. In Roman history they read of the ladies rewarding the gladiators in the arena by putting up their thumbs if they were pleased or turning them down if the contrary. He hoped the ladies when they held the more prominent position would offer a suitable reward to the other sex to spur them on to perfection. To the boys he said he hoped they would do their best to gain proficiency in their studies. He testified to the good done by Mr Todd in the cause of education during the many years he had been connected with the school. He was sorry that Mr Todd was about to leave the district, but wherever he went he would take their best wishes with him. The Rev. Canon Gould addressed his remarks to the upper standards. He knew that boys thought that when they had passed the sixth standard they had gone far enough. He urged them to do their best to prevail upon their parents to agree that there was a necessity of going further, and not only to pass the seventh standard, but to <lO to the High Schools. It was cheap enough, and he urged upon the parents to do their best to send their children to the High Schools for two or three years, as the education thus obtained would be most beneficial in after life. Mr Sumpter, in proposing a hearty vote of thanks to the Committee, asked Mr Gebbie to give the children all the information he could about the beautiful gardens he kept so well, as it was very necessary that the growing generation should learn also something about horticulture. He hoped Mr Gebbie would take these remarks in a kindly spirit, as he only threw them out as a suggestion. Mr Harwood, in responding on behalf of the Committee, spoke of the difficulty the Committee had in finding money to make necessary improvements to the paths and school. Cheers were then given for the teachers and the donors of prizes, after which the Rev. A. B. Todd distributed the jjrizes. After distributing the prizes he said that the children that did not get prizes could have the consolation of knowing that they had done their best, and if they worked hard they might have prizes next year. He also announced that school would re-assemble on the 2Sth .January, and wished all "A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year." standard VI. General proficiency—Dux girl of school, Maggie M'Kenzie (medal presented by Messrs Fleming and Hodley); dux boy, Bertie Sumpter (meda! presented by Mr Jas S Holme.)) ; Katie Main 3, Frank Vickerman 4, Edith Hiiliker 5 Good attendance M'Kenzie; 2nd class, Edith Hiiliker, James Copeland Sewing—Kate Lindsay 1, Maggie M'Kenzie 2 Knitting—Maggie M'Kenzie Bnitonholes—Maggie M'Kenzie Darning on flannel—Lizzie Hedley Darning on stockings—Edith Hiiliker Best sewing in school—Kate Lindsay STANDARD V. General proficiency—Lonisa Diehl 1, Robt Sellar 2, Arthur Every 3, Phcebe Coatman 4, Janet -Jack 5 Consolation prizes—Bella Irvine, Basil Emslie Attendance—lst class, Basil Emslie; 2nd, Lena Edwards Sewing—Agnes Ireland 1, Phcebe Coatman and Janet Jack (equal) 2 Knitting—Beatrice M'Naught Buttonholes—Louisa Diehl Darning—Lena Edwards Best arithmetic—Robert Sellar STANDARD IV. General proficiency Mary Gunn 1, Llewelyn Da vies 2, Eva Evans 3, Frank Robertson 4, Emily Bolton 5 Attendance—lst class, Cecil Hawkins, William Hawkins, Mary Gledhill. Emily Bolton: 2nd class, Robert Ireland, Effie M'Leod, Edwin Gebbie, Charles de Lambert Sewing—Maggie Clark and Ruby Taylor (equal) 1, Emily Bolton 2 Knitting—Eva Evans Bnttonholes—Maggie Clark Darning—Ruth Every Best buttonholes in school—Ruby Taylor Best-behaved boy in school—Llewelyn Davies STANDARD in. General proficiency—Willie Gledhill 1, Edrie Creagh 2, Thomas Frame 3, Annie Gunn and Jane Doak (equal) 4 Attendance —Ist class, Clara Franklin, Willie Gledhill; 2nd class, Maud Verey, Maud .Maurice, David Lauder, Tom Rodgers, Edgar Taylor Special Arithmetic—Edric Creagh Sewing—Jane '-oak 1, Jessie M'Kenzie 2 Knitting—Jessie M'Kenzie STANDARD 11. General Proficiency—Kate Copeland 1, Marion Doak and Bertha Hesketh (equal) 2, Bertie Buist 4, Teenie Snadden 5 Attendance— Ist class, Lizzie Irvine ; 2nd class, Annie Thompson Sewing—Agnes May and Lizzie Jack (equal) 1, Grace Coatman, 2 Special Arithmetic—Bertie Buist and Kate Copeland General Improvement—Gerald Keddell STANDARD I. General Proficiency May Lindsay 1, Donald M'Kenzie 2, Agnes Maikle 3, Charles Robertson 4, Gertrude de Lambert and Eliza Robinson (equal) 5 Attendance First-class : D M'Kenzie ; Second-class : Maud Verey Sewing—Ada Coatman 1, Mabel Leslie 2 INFANT DEPARTMENT. General Proficiency (order of merit) — Maggie Wilson r W Gray, Alfred Williams, Albert Barsdell, Arnold Hood,.- Jessie Donaldson, Alice Familton, Annie Summerell Attendance First-class W M'Naught; 2nd Ada M'Kenzie, May Maurice General Improvement Clifford Wansbrongh, Bertie Beattie, Emily Booth, Jessie Gibson The following are the donors of special prizes :—His Worship the Mayor, Mrs TYaddell, Messrs Fleming and Hedley,