SCHOOL VACATIONS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11301, 20 December 1898, Page 3

SCHOOL VACATIONS.

GIRLS' HIGH SCHOOL.

The distribution of prizes and the breakingup of the Girls' High School took place on the 14-th in the hall of the Boys' High School. There was a very numerous assembly ot parents and ■ friends, ground floor and galleries being crowded. Tho pupils of the Girls' School occupied the centre of the hall, and the remaining space 'was not too large for the visitors. Amongst those present were. Messrs B. Hallonstein, ,T. R. Sinclair, G. M. Thomson, A. Sligo, M.H.R., X Holland, D. White D. Brent, M. Cohen, 0. Maeandrew, 0 R. Chapman, T. Brown, M. J. S. Mackenzie, M.H.R., D. Wright, Professor Gilray, A. "Wilson, Hon. J. MaoGregor, Hon. H. J. Miller, and Rev. J. J. Lewis, Dr Burt, and Dr Macdonald. Dr .Brown, chairman1 of the High Schools Board of Governors, having apologised for the absence of a number of gentlemen, called upon Mr.J. H. Hoaking to preside. Mr. Hosking. on taking the chair, delivered. an interesting address, in the' course of which ho referred to tho competition which the High Schools had to meet from tho primary schools. Tho rcrizes were then distributed by the chairman, and as the winners came forward they were greeted with applause, which, in some cases, was very' marked. The report of Misß Marchant (the principal) and prize-list were as follows: —

The Chairman, of the Board o{ Governors. g; r> I have the honour to report that the number of pupils enrolled "during the year was 132, 47 being.new pupils.. The number for the first term was 118, for. the second 115, and ior the third 116. Thirteen boarders, five being day boarders, have been entered.- The health of the boarders has been 'excellent; • Miss Alves took over the management of the boarding-house at the beginning of the third term. Miss N. Maokay has been house'governess for the greater part of thisterm. There were in attendance this year 7 senior scholars of the Education Board, 14 senior free scholars, 5 junior scholars, and 3 junior free scholars. Our pupils were very1 successful at the last examinations. Eight entered for the University scholarship examination, 2 gained scholarships, and of the,others 5 gained honourable positions in the " Credit List" ; 4 entered for the medical preliminary examination, and all passed; 17 entered for the matriculation examination, ond 15 passed. One pupil gained the Walter Scott scholarship of the Otago .University. For the Education Board scholarship examination, 4 entered for the senior scholarship, 3 gained scholarships, and 1 free education: One junior gained a scholarship. One girl passed the senior ciyil service .examination.

I have changed the arrangement , in connection with drawing, so as to' enable the .Lower Sixth to take lesson 3in that subject. This has also enabled the senior girls. to do more advanced-work than in past years. Good work has been'done by tho studio pupils in the life class. For'this class models are engaged to sit twice a woek. The success of Miss Ella Adams and of Miss Maggie M'Leod at the art exhibitions speaks vary highly for Miss Wimperis's teaching. The gymnastic classes'continue to be conducted by Mr Hanna in his^energetic and buccossful manner. The exhibition given on the sports afternoon by 20 seniors and 20 juniors was much admired,, and both teacher and pupils were highly, complimented on the work done. I regret to say that as we were unable to obtain the U3e of the swimming bath, classes could not. this. year bo formed for swimming. I wish a warm water swimming bath could be established in some central position for the use of schools; arrangements might then be made for our pupils to use it on certain days. Swimming baths are a great success in several of tho ■ Christohurch schools, both primary ■ and secondary. ..-.'' ..-.■<

Our second annual sports were held onOO r tobcr 20. The afternoon was unfortunately stormy,'but we were able to have the different competitions in the gymnasium; The entries were more numerous than on the last occasion, and the events .were well contested.,

This year the singing glasses have been conducted "by Mrs Collet Dobson, and good work has been done., It is to bo wished that a lareer

number of 'girls would avail themselvos of thia opportunity of learning singing.'- : ••■:■■ Din-ing tlie winter term Mrs - Miller gave a series of cooking lessons to Forms'V, IV A; IV B, and 111. The sixty pupils were supervised by members of tha staff, and their notes were checked and corrected..- At the.end of the course competitions were held, and Mesdames Bathgate, Boyd, Denniston, and.Gordon Maedonald acted as judges, and reported very highly on the worTs sent ill for competition. A. sale of cakesi sweets, etc., was held,'and the expenses of the course.was'thus covered. Tbe staff and pupils took the opportunity of this gathering to make'a presentation to Mrs Mackay, who was severing her connection with the boarding-house.

The sewing ..time was during the winter broken into by the cooking lessons; much excellent work was, however, done, and it will be on view on. the occasion 1 of the breaking-up. One class has been taught, the cutting-out, the putting-together, and the making of a blouse. During the winter, term. I urged upon the board the advisability of admitting' pupils for morning classes only. I felt that a large number of girls do not need to take the full course prescribed by the university for its'matricxilation and scholarship standards. It has always been a difficult matter to know how to fit such pupils into the school work. They cannot <lo all the work, and yet they are not old enough to bo left to study by themselves. I propose to teach them the ordinary English subjects, with arithmetic, French, and science, but no .Latin, Euclid, or Algebra. This course will commend itself in the' case of delicate girls and of those wishing to specialise in drawing, singing, etc. This plan will leave the afternoons free for' any such studies. I sco no reason why the important part of our whole ;school work couUVnot bo over by 1 o'clock, provided that we began school at 9 o'clock. The ■afternoons, could then be devoted to drawing, singing, gymnastics, sewing, etc., and the .pupils would havo somo afternoons quite free for music and recreation.

During the year-a report was drawn up for .the Board of Governors setting forth the honours gained by the junior pupila who qualified for free education at the High Schools. In tabulating theae rcsulto it was found that, in the case of the girls, in 10 years only two girls gained university scholarships, and.five of them gained senior ' board scholarships. While one cannot judge these pupils' work merely by the honours they gained, it seems plain that this privilege granted by the board has not resulted in much advantage to the schools or to the University. The poorness of the result points to the conclusion.that the standard is too low. On i)r Shand's motion the Board of Governors decided to raise the standard to 60 per cent. I : believe it wouid.be better to increase the number of senior scholarships, and decrease the 'number of. junior ones.

. One point that I wish to bring before the parents and the board is that I do not approve of long home exercises. I am quite Bure that the girls, especially young ones, spend half or even three-quarters of an hour over a French, Latin, or' English exercise which could be written in' school at the teacher's dictation, or read aloud by the pupils, in 10 or 15 minutes. This oral process is now the practice in most large schools, especially in tho teaching of modern languages. "1 shall bo glad if the parents will-tell mo of any case in which their 'daughters seem .to take too long a time over their home lessons. ■

Tho requirements of tho university junior scholarships .dominate the work of our two highest forms,. and 1 have long felt that this work, in the case of girls, demands too much of their time and of their strength. A girl doing this work has to study five hours in school and in many cases five hours in preparation out of the school. Ten hours' brain work is too great a strain upon a growing girl's health, and only the physically robust can safely attempt such'a task. As the examination is competitive, tho only way of easing the burden that I can suggest is to limit the number of subjects taken at the examination to four groups, instead of five, as at present. Tho work required for tho junior scholarship is in most cases nearly as much as that required for tho 8.A., so that our girls are at 17 or 18 years of age doing ■' the same amount of work as students of 20 years and upwards. The scholarship standard—an ever increasing one, bpcauso of increasing number of competitors—is too high. . There is a. difference of two years' hard work between the standard. required for matriculation and that ,for the scholarship, and this disparity is neither requisite, nor advantageous. The matriculation, pass ia, in fact, too low and means little or nothing scholastically, while the scholarship standard, exceeds, what, in my opinion, should be expected from young girls. But it is easy to theorise. The difficulty is to carry out one's ideals, and at the same time to keep pace with the demands of this examination craze which now dominates all stages of our educational work. Until our whole system of education is under a central government, or until the unfortunate overlapping and competition . are put an end to, our three systems—primary, secondary, and universitywill never harmoniously work into one another, and loss of time and of effort will certainly follow. r ■■ :. ■ ■. ■' : 1 wish to thank those who kindly acted as judges of the different school competition*—• Mesdames Batbgate, Boyd, G. Macdonald, and Denmston, who judged the cooking; Dr Scott who awarded thq j Art Society's medal for drawing; Mesdames.,;* Howitson and Lusk, who ■judged the sewing; and the committee of the ■bhakesp'eare'. Club,, who decided the readme ■prize. ~.,■'.'■""..'' JVdesire 'ia express.our gratitude to the following for, their, kindness in providing prizes: Messrs Brown, Ewing,. and Co. (silver medal), the Otago.Art Society (silver medal), the Otago Institute, the Shakespeare Club, the Dux -As- : station -Mrs, J ft. Sinclair, Mrs J. M. Ritchie, MraK. B. Miller, Mrs Hewitson, Mrs Lusk Ur 'Brown, Mr A. Wilson,', and Mr J.P. M rraser.

1 In conclusion, I beg to express my appreciation of the hearty way in which the members of the staff have carried on their duties, and of the zeal and earnestness shown by the majority of the pupils.—l have, etc., • M. E. A. Marciiant. Duxes of the School.—lß7l, Flora Muir; 1872 Isabella Shand; 1873, Gcorgina Tewsley- 1874,' Wilkelmma J. Mackay; 1875, Isabella ,T His^ lop and Annie M Burn (equal); 1876, Isabella L. Gillies; 1877, Mary Montgomery; 1876, Margaret Alves; 1879, Flora Allan; 1880, Marion bteel; 1881, Annie Forbes; 1882, Isabella C. J hu TTi, 1S??! T Mi\"°n Angus Ferguson; 1884, Isabella M'Landress; 1885, Catherine Moss; 1886, Sylvia Esther Gifford; 1887, Barbara Mary Watt; 1888, Edith H. Pearce; 1889 Jimma M. Rain forth; 1890, Margaret N. Gellatly; 1891, Christina M. Cruickshank and Margaret B. Cruickshank (equal); 1892, Edith A Barclay; 1893, Catherine Cameron; 1894, Annie Bauchopr 1595, Violet M. Greig; 1896, Flora 1891-A Td°a CIB G. S;prr's O Sn USanMll °" C"

Prize List job IS9B. CERTIFICATES. Form 111. English, G. Statham; French, Isabella Begg Joan S. Raine; Arithmetic, V. Dobbie; Drawmg, I. Munro; Science, Jessie Scrimgeour Form IV (B). English, • Winifred Ivey; Science, W. Ivev French, Lily "Wilson ; Latin, B. Youn°- • Drawm- G- Hpby and W. Ivey; Arithmetic, laliarme DOyly; Euclid, Winifred Ivey, Algebra,.Minnie Jeffery; History, D Bull: Geography, D. Bull. . . ' ' :.- .Form IV (A). English, Margaret Burnside; French, Mary Commin; Science, Minnie Paterson; Euclid, Maud Low; _Algebra, Margaret Burnside; Arithmetic,. Minnie. 'Jeffery;- Drawing, M. Jeffery and E. Low.' Form V. English Annie Cox; Latin (C), Aimee M. Angus; Latin (D), Rebecca Rowiandson; French, Christina Wilkinson; Science, Mary Webb; Arithmetic, Mary Webb, Rebecca Rowlandson; Euclid and Algebra, M. WebbHistory, Annie Cox; Drawing, Mnbcl Fieldwick; Geography,1 Clarice Walker. . Form VI (B). English, Elsie, Goyen; French, Florence Angus; Latin, Margaret A. Aitken, Mary A L. Hartley;. Mathematics, Phcebe J. JonesScience, Kathleen Graham. . ' , Form VI (A). English, Alice M. Budd; French, Elizabeth X. Hay, Mary Webb; Latin, Elizabeth K. Hay Elsie Roberts; Mathematics, Alice M. BuddScience, E. K. Hay. ' SPECIAL PHIZES. Shakespeare Club Reading Prize—Minnie Macdonald. Otago Art Society's Silver Medal for Drawing—Minnie Macdonald. Music Prizes—Miss Longford's pupil, Jessie Scrimgeour; Mr- Taylor's pupil, Frances Raine. Sewing Prizes—Mrs Hewitson's prize, J. Scrimgeour; Mrs.Lusk's prize, I. Begg. ATHLETICS. Race (open to girls 12 and 13 years of age)— K. Goyen. Race (open to girls of 14 and 15)— S. Baker. Fives Doubles—if. Webb and E. Wadie. Fives Singles—J. White. Tennis Doubles—M. Howell and E^ Roberts. Tennis Singles—C. Barr. ■ Bicycle Tortoise Race—W. Paterson. Bicycle. Steering—S. Baker. ' . Dumb-bell- Race—M. Neill and E. Raine. 'Needle Threading—A. Gilray and V. Moody. Walking Race—W. Thomson. . Egg and Spoon Race—J. Scrimgeour and J. Raine. ■ Shoe Race—V. Wright. COOKING. . . Sweets—V. Wright 1,-B. Munro 2. ' Rcones—Ella Wa-dio I,'D. Barron 2. Pound Cake—L. and I. Wilson (equal). Variety of Cakes—R. Throp. Orange Cake—Ella Wadie. Sponge Onke—L. Wilson 1, M.. Wright 2. ■ Neatest Recipe- Book—Form IV (A), M. Low; Form IV (B), L. Wilson; Form S, G. Statham. GYMNASTICS. : Form 111, K. Goyen;Lo w er IV, Ruth Throp; Upper IV, Wilhelinina Scoullar; Form V, Ethel J. Wndie, Winifred S. Thomson; Form VI, Violet J. Wilson. CLASS MTZES. Form 111. English, J^ Raine; French, Gladys Statham; Arithmetic, I. Begg; Writing, J. Scrimgeour; Drawing, L. M'Caw; Science, I. Begg; Sev;>ng, Isabella Munro. Junior Division: English, M. Ford. Dux of lower school, Anna White. , Form IV (81. English, Dora Bull; French, Elizabeth Cowie; . Latin,. E. Cowie; Arithmetic, Dora Bull;'. Euclid, Veda Mercer; Algebra,. Minnie Paterson; Science, Dora Bull; Drawing, L. Wilson; Sewing, Lilianno D'Oyly. 1 Form Upper IV. j English, Jean Lusk; French, Francis Rhine, 2nd Division^ Clarice Walker;1 Latin,

...Jean Lusk; Arithmetic, Ethel Jbnngj'Eui did, .Violet, Wright; Algebra, Alice Kingston; Science, Jean;tusk, Drawing, Maud ; Low; . Sowing.Fanny Allan; .Cutting-out, Ethel Low. • . . ' ' ■. . Form.V. .. ■'.':.' . English, Annie: Cox, French; -.Winifred Thomson; Latin (C),, Mary Webb;. Arithmetic; Ethel'Wadie; Euclid and Algebra, Annie Cox; Science; Annie Cox; Drawing, Rebie Rowlandson; History, Florence Angus; Geography; Anne Cox. ' ' ■"■••' '■ " Lower VI. ■'.'"• '■•■ • English,1 Kathleen M. F.-Graham; French' (A),. Kathleen M; F. Graham; French (B), Phoebe; J. ' Jones; Latini - Phoebe- J. Jones; Mathematics, Winnie Patersoii; Science^ Mary Hartley. . • - ,:.■■''■■■ , Upper VI. English, 1, Ada.G. Paterson;; 2, Elsa Roberts. French, 1,. Ada' G. Paterson; 2, Elsie Roberts. Latin, 1, Ada G. Paterson; 2, Alice M. Budd. Mathematics, Elsie Roberts. Science, l,.Ada G. Paterson; 2, Alice M.Budd.' Dux, Ada G. Paterson.. The following is the list of honours gained this year by.the pupils of the school: — Junior Scholarship.—S. C. C. M'Knight, I. A. Allan. . . . '~'■. Passed "with Credit."—A. G. Paterson, A. L. W Gruar, M. Howell, E. Roberts, a. H. J. Adams. . Passed Medical Preliminary.—l. A. Allan, A. H. J. Adams, G. Gunny A. "Paterson. Passed Matriculation. — A. Watt, M. C. M'Caw, K. M. T. Graham, A. A. Stewart, A. D. Hnncock, D. Wilson,,C. M. Johnson, J.B. Reid; M. A. J. Paterson, J. C. Strachan, M. A: S. Hartley, M. S. Loan, V. J. Wilson, J. Brown, O. Dare. . Education Board Senior Scholarship.—l. Z. Pope, A. Cox, M. Webb. ' Senior Free Scholar.—F. White. ■ 1 Junior Scholarship—E. Young. Walter Scott Scholarship—J. Reid. Concerning tho dux of the school (Ada G. Pateraon), tho Principal (Miss Marchant) said: Ada has had a very noted career. She came to the Girls' High School with a junior scholarship from the Education Board, and. then gained a senior'scholarship. Now she v carrying off the highest honours of our school, and I hope she will earn further honour's for herself at the university.—(Gheers and applause.) Votes of thanks to tho teaching staff, the Board of Governors, and the chairman were carried, and then a short concert programme was gone through most creditably. BOYS' HIGH SCHOOL. Tha annual ceremony in connection with the distribution of medals and other prizes ;to pupils of the Boys' High School took place on tho 15th . inst. There was a large gathering of friends in the gallery. Dr Brown (chairman of the • Board of Governors) prosided at the commencement of the proceedings, and among othors present were:—Mr Justice Pennefathor, Mr A. Wilson, M.A. (rector of tho school), Dr Burt, Dr W. M. Macdonald, Dr. Salmond, Professor Gilray Revs. I. K. M'lntyro, P. B. Frasor W Hewitson, J. J. Lewis, Mr Scobie Mackenzie, M.H.R., Mr J. Allen, M.H.R., Messrs G. L. Denniston, P. Goyen, F. J. Stilling, W. D. Milne, D. Whito, J. Mitchell, J. Sim, J. R. Sinclair. J. Moloney, A. Burt, O. R. D. Richardson, J. F. M. Fraser, and C. R. Chapman. Apologieß "lor unavoidable absence were received from the Hon. D. Pinkcrton, M.L.C., the Rev. M. G. Edwards; the Rev. D. Borne, the Rev. O.S. Bowden, Dr Shand, Dr Colquhoun, Dr Stenhouso, Mr G. G. Russell, and Mr J. M. Gallaway. Dr Brown, chairman of the Board of Governors, addressed those present and tho boys, and then requested.. Mr Justice Pennefather to take the chair. His Honor dolivcred a brief, but very happy, address, and concluded amidst loud and continued applause. The following are the material parts of the report of the Rector (Mr A. Wilson, M.A.): — For the year now closing the total number of pupils enrolled is 220. Of these, 78 joined the school during the current year. The numbers for the three terms have been respectively 205, 185, and 177. For purposes of comparison I give the total enrolment and number of free pupils for each of the five years immediately previous: —

For a good ninny years previous to 1896 the numbers for the respective terms do not appear to have been stated in tho rector's annual reports, nor are they ascertainablo from any records in my possession. I cannot, therefore, tabulate the average attendance over a aeries of years. The annual revenue from fees, however, may be considered a sufficiently couclusive indication of the general attendance for the various years. The rector's report for 1890 contains the statement that the. average daily attendance of boys on the school'roll,for that year was tho highest up to that.time, recorded. Tho revenue from Sees far 1890 may have .been affected by the large number of pupils receiving free education (10) that year, by a reduction of foes for the lower forms, and by other causes unknown to 'me.'' But the fact remains that in tho series of years from 1890 to 1897 inclu•sive the largest revenue from fees in any one year was that of last year (1897).' It exceeds that of 1890 by £G7, and exceeds by £298 the' revenue ■of ISD4, the -year in which tiie average attendance appears :to have been lowest.' From 1894 to 1597 inclusive there was a steady rise in'the fee-paying attendance: — : "

1895— £83 (over revenue of 1594) 1891) —£107 (over revenue of 1805) 1'897-- ; £lo2'(over revenue of. 1896),

For the present year, whilst the total attendance is not much short of that for 1596 or 1897, the average attendance is considerably less. This means that greater numbers have left during the currency of tho session than was the case during tho years 1896 and 1897. Estimated, however, by revenue from fees, the average number this.year is equal to that of 1893 and greater than that of 1894. Further, in comparing the attendance of. late years with that of former years, .ono is struck .with tho fact that a few years ago the school received pupils at a much earlier ago than is now the case. Thus in 1890 the average age^ of the youngest form at the time "of enrolment was nine years nine months.; the average age of the youngest form now in school was at the time of enrolment (that is, m February of this year) 13 years six months. This means that tho age of admission has risen nearly four years in the last nine years. ■

The attendance during tho first term, and still more during the second, was seriously affected by an epidemic of measles. During.the third term the general health of the school was good. . . Nine junior and 23 senior scholars of the Education Board have been in attendance during the year; and the Board of Governors has given 28 scholarships entitling the holders to free education at the school. One pupil holds a scholarship from the Wanganui Education Board.

The school has maintained its place in the public examinations. - Twenty boys matriculated at the end of the year (including three who took tho medical preliminary examination). Of these, three boys took University jtinior scholarships', and two obtained a placo in the credit list. Seventeen boys who attended the school during the year, or part of the year, passed the Civil Service examination. Four boys won Education Board senior scholarships, and four obtained Governors' scholarships. Further details of the success of former pupils now at the University will be found in tho appendix. Seventeen boys attended Mr Sherrift's class for mechanical drawing. Some specimens of the work done are exhibited on the school walls. Mr Shorriff reports favourably on tho diligence and aptitude of the toys. Mr Hanna's work has been done with the usual a'Oility and1 enthusiasm. Every boy in the school takes gymnastics unless for reasons of health he is forbidden to do so.

• The interest in outdoor games has been tolerably lively this season. Cricket has been vigorously taken up by both seniors and juniors, and Mr Campbell continues to direct this part of the school life with his wonted enthusiasm. The boys are, I believe, very sensible of tho debt they owe to Mr Campbell for the a-ctivo assistance ho gives them in their games. Cadet work, under Cantain Broad, has gone on as in former years. The. total number of cadets enrolled is 65. An arrangement has been made by which the whole, school is now subject to drill—cadejs on Monday and non-cadots on Wednesday afternoons,—an arrangement that must' contribute largely to the efficiency of the cadet corps. Through tho liberality of the Hon. A. Lee. Smith, ■M.L.C., two prizes, in memory of the late Frank-Lee Smith, formerly a pupil of tho school, are offered this year. They will be awarded to pupils who, having failed to take any other school prize, distinguished themselves by an all-round attention to school duties. These " Lee Smith " prizes will be awarded in subsequent years on the same conditions. This year one prize is given to the Upper Fourth, the form with which the late Frank Lee Smith was more especially identified, and one to the Lower Fourth, tht> largest form in the school. The thanks of the school are due to donors who have generously, contributed to tho prize fund—tho Chamber of Commerce (two gold medals), Otago Institute, Messrs Sargood. Son, and Ewen, the Dux Association. Dr Brown, Hon. A. Lee Smith, M.L.C., and Messrs K. Ramsay, J. R. Sinclair, and Thomas Mill (a gold medal). . i - It given me pleasure also to acknowledge the interr-st shown in the .cricket of the school by Mr C. H. Osmond, who has promised a bat to be awarded for proficiency in the game.

1893 1694 1895 189G 1897 Total Free Enrolment. Pupils. .. .. 225 . 29 ,. 235 40 .. .. 232 37 .. 222 , 34 .. 229 . 31