SCHOOL VACATIONS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12854, 24 December 1903, Page 2

SCHOOL VACATIONS.

ABTiSUR STREET SOHOOL. Preparatory to tho break-up of the Arthur Street School the. junior, classes •• were issernbled in the new hall about 10 o'clock yesterday morning, and "wept through, sv ac|ion_Eongs under the direction bl the-matron, Miss tiliofrUf. A short address was given by Mr J. Edgar (a member of the : School Committee), who also distributed llie prizes. After tho juniors had been'' dismissed" the standard ' classes 'were' then assemliled in the hall, aud after several addresses liad/been given the prizes in the 'I'irst, Second, and Third Standards were preseiifed by Mr A.' SJigo' (member'of tho committee), and thoso in the Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh. Standards by the Hon. % Fcrgu?. A short musical programme was gone : thiougli by the pupils, under tho directioa of Mr Barrett, first assistant, and the music vms, to judge by- the hearty applause which, followed every item, greatly appreciated by thfi very large number of ladieaand gentlemen present. After tho distribution, oE the prizes Mr J. H. Chapmau, tho. head master, called for three cheers for the. visitors and speakers, and'Mr 1\ 0. Calyert madd a similar call for the sohool etaft", both calls being vociferously responded to by the youngsters. The members of caminittee present were Messrs "VV. Seott (chairman), .3. Edgar, J. Braithwaite, B. Iforeytli, E. Gameron, A. Sligo, and A. Striithere. Apologies for , absence were received irom Messrs 6. Simpfioni K. 1 , . Smith, J. A. Millar, M.H.8., and W. Burnett. The; Chairman (Mr Scott) expressed gratification at their meeting in the new ball, which supplied a long-foil; want. The comin.ittee had , hegit&ted at the idesv of having to taise such a sum aa £300, but at the meeting of lioU3eholder3 those present hod promised- auch support that the committee ■was eneo'uraged to proceed witli tho erection of the hall., Ho thanked those who had contributoil, and also thanked tho ladies who'had had the arranging of t.|ie bazaar in hand.

Alt A. Sligo, in the course of a short address, ma.de feeling reference to the late Mr James Moilison, who had been secretary of tho Sphpp) Committeo, and had given valuablo ■ services during the time lie had teen. on. the committee.

The Hon. Thomas Fergus, in addressing thc» present, said his position was rather a difficult one, ae it was over 4Q years since' bo had, been at & scjjqal brcnk-iiPi we! ho might Well be pardoned if ho said that he was Hjinejyliat rusty_ about the forms, Ho had, however, a vivid recollection o{ that broakj-up to which he hod alluded, end considered it as one of the ved-letter days in Ms life. The chairman had referred to the fact that he ivas a, member of the Education Board. That was so; and ho had been a moinbcr of tlje board 20 years ago, besides which he had been a, member of the parliamentary commission eet up in 1882 to inquire into the working of the- Education Act, qijd for a short time, during the absence of ono of his colleagues from Wellington, ha had apted as Minister of Education, «o that ho might my he had taken considerable interest in matters educational. The demonstration which' they had had that day, and the manner in which the pupiis had acquitted themselves, spoke volumes for the founders of our national system of education, and justified to jhe fullest extent the anticipations of those gentlemen. The- men who wore respomiblo: for the system wei'o inainlf the Hon. 0. C. Bowen (still .i member of the Legislative Council) and the late Boii. William Bolleston, anil their oollcasu.es in the" then. Government. I'hero had b?cn amendments inado in the act since that date —some, rig doubt, wise, but others of iv very ordinary and questionable nature, which had not holped hi any degree to improve the act, There was too muuli tendency at tho present time Jα useless amendments and alterations, ■ and our laws ' ditl not get fair play nor an opportunity to matuw and got a fair trial. All thoso who had the cause of education at heart should deprecate in the strongest' manner undue interference with our eystcm. There were directions in which improvements could undoubtedly Iks rnado; but these were certainly not- in tho direction of harassing the , already overburdened teachers. Minister;, education boards, inspectors, and committees would do well to beat , this in mind. As a profession their duties were onerous, and, he was sorry to say, very inadequately remunerated, fnlcss they wero prepared to recognise that they were a branch— and not tho least important—in the civil service, and raise their status very considerably, it would inevitably result in the best men in the profession being lost to tho serjico, and recruits of a desirable nature being very hard to obtain. There was a vory considerable talk just now about the new eyjlahus, and it had been criticised by ii very large-section of the teichero in an uftfavourab'o manner. Tho view that their duties vera being- inordinately increased was generally hold, and without j weighty rttispns, and, i\t least, the approval! of the profession, it would be unwise, ho! thought, to make so very many drastic and iryipg alteration?. Let them turn their attention primarily to putting the- teachers on at leaet a level with spry other branoh of the civil service, and provide- that, after they had. spent their lifetime, or at least tho major and batter portion of it, in the instruction of tho youth of our colony, they might look forward with somo reasonable hope or pro.sTie.Qt to having their declining ywrs provided for. This wiu a matter .which pur educationalists, from Minister to committeoinan, would do wc'l to I look carefully into. Coming now to the; ' epeoial work of the day—Mint mm, the dispersal for tho .holidays of the Arthur Street School,—ho might soy that, as ho had previously remarked, ife'wiw 40 years since he had been at a- school break-up, and ho would confess that ho had missed ft very great deal of pleasure, judging by what he had seen that day. Tho c-xeroi-es of tho pupils showed that the Arthur Street teaching staff thoroughly deserved the credit thoy got of -being second to nono ju any of the schools in the colony, and he thought that the, scholars would loolt with very j cansidora,b-;p prison the school iit _ which j they obtained thoir instruction. This ww j as it should be Ho remembered, very well his QWU old sohobl, and all who camo from it were, proud of it. It was a very anoient school iudeed, having been established in the. year 1233, and ho would tell them a peculiar thing about that. When a reorganisation took place in 1706 the writing master was a, Mr Taylor, who taught for upwards of 60 years, and was .succeeded by Qnothor master, Mr Anderson, who was teaching .at. present, to 'that these, two teachers had been teaching in that school for a period of considerably' over 100 years— a record, ho thought, unique in tho profes-, eion. The old boys of' that school wero very . proud indeed of its records: proud of the cchievembnta of tho pupils, proud of the teachers who taught there, and glad to inow that the status of tho sdiool wns beiug -maintained. He trusted- that the boy<i -3ift was addressing, especially those boy-i who had finished their course at tho Arthur Street School, to go, no doubt, soma to the High School, somo to loarn trades, eomo into offioea, would carry with them the same feeling of respect for their sohool and their teachers; and ho wat! sure that Mr Chapman arid those who had been asso: ciated with him would only be too glad at all times to giro them the very best of advice in th.P future, as they liad given them the bo3t of tuition iu the past. Ono thing'further he- would say: Now that they were leaving the primary school, lot them ' not think for a moment that their education Jiad been completed. They jwt on tho verge of the world, and the}? schoolmaster would be many and discipline severe itv the y«ars that were to come; but ho would say to them, as Mr Chapman would say -to them in their class.o3,- whatever they found to do Avhen they ; 16ft school, and

wont into a trade or profession,, let them do it witli all their might. When they hint put their hand to tho. plough they should not.look back, and when, their ehouiclcr was to the wheel, let theni see that it turned round. This was'■ the only road to success in lifo, ami lo rajso ti»em from ths mere position of-hewers of wood and drawers of water. He again expressed his deep pleasure at being present at the breakup, and hoped ho wou'.d have, on future occasions, tiro privilege of being pi'ossnt. Tho following is the prizi list:— Infant lloom.—Class I: Jr.raes While ami Isabel Williams 1, -Forwstoi:. ■-Kent,- BruceSmith, Hazsl Hoss. and Kgira London (equal) 2. Class II: Leonard Canty snd llita Edgar 1, Dorothy Brown 2.' Class III: Herbert Shoit Hmry JuVCJrcgor, and Alay Clotiiie.-.(equal). 1; writing, Raymond Goodman and Hazel iioss 1; drawing, James White, unci Edith Sniylhe 1; drill, Raymond Goodman and'lsabel Williams 1; recitation, Minnie Pake;-diligence, Douglas Sauadsrs and Florence Simpson 1; attendance, Clara- JeHey. Standard I.—Alice Kent and Hector Janie3 (equal) 1, Agnes Bmdlcy, Nellie Hall, aud William Buthie (equal) 2;' sewing, Alice Kent; drill, Ernest Talboys; drawing, lfrcderick Sinclair; Percy Stringer; reading, Irma Dick. • , Standard ll—Division A: James Conlts and Dorothy Kent 1, John : Moloney, Norman M'Kenzie, Jessie Fuller, E-imhinc Tcmplulon (equal) 2, Raymond Rowloiidson and Louisa Jelloy 3. Division B: Eric , Speddiug and Gordon Payne (equal) I,' Florence finel 2. Drill, Arthur Hill; sewing, Hilda Dryden; diligence, Hazel Davies. Standard Hl.—Francis Janios and Charlotte Rushbrook 1, Ernest ' Kemnite and JnliaJacobs 2, Bohcrt Hill, and Irene Black 3. Writing, Isabella Wsrnodt; arithmetic, Noel Sandes; -reading ard recitation,' 'Dorothea Hall; drill, Robert Kel!ar; sewing, Koth«rine Barton; composition, Doris Marshall and Itcfa Kemnitz. Standard IV.—Reginald Schoen and Eva Logan 1, Stuart Reid snd Eunice Canty 2, Arthur Reid arid Gladys Fuller 3. Arithmetic, Percy Neale; drill, Arthur Reid; sewing. Eva Logan and Eunice Canty • (equal) 1, Vera M'Peal; 2; compoii'.ion, Arthur Michael and Nole Pauliu; writingj drawing, and neat work, Dora Bftyley. Standard V.—Akxanihr Williamson and Daisy M'Leod 1, Lyndon Bastings, Heltn Wilden, nnd Dorothy oimpson 1. Recitation, Charlio M'Pcak; drill. Alfred Howe; sewing. Daisy Rose 1, Helen Wilden and Hilda Elliott 2; darning. Hilda Elliott

Standard Vl.—William. Ackioyd a«d Vera l'anlin and Gladys Shaw (equal) 1,. Frederick Howell, Xorraaii Bel! (equal), and Jvy. Duke 2. Sewing, Vera Paulin and Dorothy' Martin (equal); darning, Violet V/ilson: drill, Archie , Walker; writing and drawing,-James Thompson ; shooting, William M'Keehnie. Standard Vll.-Scwing, Harriett Hodge. The prize presented by the Athcmcum Committee wo 3 awarded to 'Clarke Hall for reiinbi'.Hy, industry, and good conduct. A second prize lor the sum? w awarded to Annie Long.

Tho hwul master desires to express his sincoro tlianla to tho -following donors to tho prize fund:—Mesdamcs 3. AV. tiibbs, George Mondy, Pone, J. 0. Ross, V,'. T. Talboys, J. E. Wilson, M. Wilson, Messrs. A, S. Adams, Robert Brown, Alexander Burt, George Cummingi. E. Cameron, James Edgar, A. 15. Gaeooigno.. A. C Hanlon, 'Philip Isaac?, W. J. Love, J. Ki>mnitz, J. Mendelsohn; .7. i Moloney, Henry N»ll, C. D, ft. Rich?.nb'on."JJ.pith Banray, A. J. Shaw, A. Slruthcrs, Alexander Shgo, and Gcorgo Simpson. .

KENSINGTON.

Tho breaking-up ccrc-mo'iiy in connection with tho Er-n-jington Sdiool took place at 11 o'clock yesterday morning in tho procoiico of a fairly large number of parents ami friends of {-ho sriiote. M. Bridgman (chairman of the School Committee-) presidad, and a few other members of the committee wero also present.

Tho rtport, which wns read by tho Head j Master (Mr W. J. Moore), stated thai the j date of tho break-up had been arranged this year so that it would be nearer to the J general holidays, and allow tho cchncl vaea-1 tion' to extend further into I'cL'ruary, when | the. weather was generally mwo favourable-, j Ho had not favoured the giving- of took j prizes for many yeari, hut ho found that j parents placed considerable value upon j them, and (hey seemed to l«m toward? i those schco's where tho nmeiicc prevailed. I This year a silver medal h?.il been prwented | to Arllmr SjTnomls for regular attendance : for eight year.? and sotcii nionlhs, during j which period he had bec-n in continuous j attendance at (ho school, ilura emulating a brct'her, who a few years n;;o had a similar record. In iho football fioid their boys had won the schools' championship for 1803-04-, and in addition la holding thfr haiukcmo challenge cup, each member of (ho loarn had received a silver modal, nicely inscribed. Moro than a passing word was due i to tho Association I'octball Committee for j its kindness to the schoolboy:?, whom they had encouraged in every possible way. Jfur- j ing tho year they had established a strong cadet company, numbering 56, and about a month ago Lteutonanticokmel Lovoilay :n----speetc-d the company for some hours, and expressed hint-self well pleased with the progress made under the management of (Japtain Rutherford, who took considorablo interest in tho oampany. To the parents and other friends they fc-lt exceedingly thankful for their handsome contribution of nearly £10 towards tho purohasn of uniforms. Since the introduction of regular military dr-iH a marked improvement in (htt general bearing of tho boys had taken place. The girls, too, had not teen nrglccted in the matter of physical drill, thanks to thoir lady teachers, who took them : through a regular and systematic course of. breathing and physical training. It was tho intention to add early next year.lndian dubs to the wand and dumb-bell apparatus now in use. In the absence) of a nail they had found space in their largo rooms for thfso exercises. Tho kindergarten work of the school had been carried on as sucewsfully as in previous yeara, ami now included brick and etick-laying, paper-folding, cutting, and mounting, and brushwork. For years. they had waited for tho coming of a 'syllabus of reduced requirements, but had been sadly disappointed with that to hand, and ho was , afraid that, as .things were Mttely. to be, somo of tliobra-uches now undertaken would have to go by tho hoard. Various epidemics' during the year had materially interfered ' with the attendance at tho school. Twentyfour first-olaso and 17 secoml-clsos certificatcii had been given during tho year. Sample.? of the work executed by the kindergarten pupils wero displayed iu two of the rooms, and were most favourably commented on by all who saw them. The brushwork, whieh was done from Nature, was remarkably good, and would have done credit to children a great deal older than ! those who executed it. Oiilwr samples of the children's ability, in the shape of papoidesigning, paper-folding, brick-laying, sticklaying, and freoarm drawing, were also displayed, these being no less clever in their way than the. brushwork. Miss Hooper, whb has undertaken the-tuition of tho children, all of whom wero in the infant room for the greater part of the year, has been signally successful in her efforts, and .she has every reason to ffiol proud of the results achieved. The infants gave some very good action songs yesterday, the principal boinfr representative of hay-rnnking and farm life, and of a " granny " going to and returning, from a fair. The rnotheds adopted by Miss Hooper in (his direction are well worthy of commendation, as thoy have the effect of developing the children's powers of observation as well as imparting instruction. Songs also wero rendered by tho standard pupils under "Mfes Johnson, and in addition military exorcises wore gone tlirough by tho cadets, ami wand and dumbbell exercises were performed by tho girl?. Mr ~&. B. Courtis favoured tha infants With some selections on the graphophone, «11 of which were highly appreciated. -Be-foro the proceedings concluded Mr Bridgman presented tho school with a hantUome painting by Mr R. Caton Wood-

yillo showing a group of New Zealonders in action in South Atrioa. Mr Moore acknowledged tho gift on behalf oftlie piipih, who gave three ringing cheers for tho donor. 1 Tho following is the prize-list;— Standard Vi (in order of merit).—Gi'.but Oow, Ulrica Lemon, Mary Adair, Wm, Cornier, Jessie Mitchell,- Lip/Aa Huglie3, Win. J. Mumi, James Johnston.

Standard V tin order of merit).—William Oimeron, Mary W. Connor, Clara Mcy'White, C'laudinc Oaten, Sidney ii'Dougsll, li'lossic Gonlon, Wynne, Gaodsir, Jessie Lemon, Isabella A. Johnston, Ina Kiddis. Standard IV—Boys: John Henderson 1, Hetbort Oaten 2. Girls: Loah Fleming and Muriel Scott (equal) 1, Jeliery Tudor 2. Merit Liat: BoyE—Jirnest Nottlctprd,. Paul Ashby, and G forgo Martin (cqnal), Andrew Wigg, John iierwiok, David Athfield, John Mmrhoad; girls—Ella Henderson, Ella Puddy,. Annie Cameron, May Davis, Lily Deans. Standard ill (in order of merit).—Ptarl Annison, Mary Brown, Magnus White, lloubpn Krause, Hugh Williams, Fred Schmidt, Willie Harris, Ituby Johnson, Arthur Collie.

Standard II—Boys: Bobsrt Henderson 1, Horaco Jenkins 2. Girls: Flora White 1, Lizzie Lindsay 2. Merit List: Boys—Errol Davis, John Edgar, Willie Scoullar, Reuben Mattheiss, Thomas Wills, Fred Highloy; girls —Barbara White, Emma Hilliker, Julia Athfield, Mary Maclcie, Mary Fleming, Lizzie Woodhcad.

Standard L—Boys: Thomas Harris 1, Thomas Ellis 2. Girls: Rebecca Hodgo-1, Violet Cameron, 2. Merit List: Boys— Karie White, Vai Halligan, Vivian Courtis, Sydney Lcgget, Norman M'Leod, Arthur Hunt; girls— Joaniiie Strain, Buby Deans, Effie MTarlane, Gladys Logan, Lottie Wright, Ruby Jacol>3. Best behaviour, Slora White. .

Infants.-Clr.ss 8: Girls—Jessie Athfield 1, Vera M'Dougall 2; boys—Leslie Scouilar 1, Ambrose Word 2, Class 5: Campbell 1, Jessie Henderson 2; boys—Archie Edgar 1, Gordon Torrance 2. Class 4: GirlsLena M'Bcath 1, Margaret Mncltie 2; boys— Jlelvillc M'Taggarfc 1, Thomas Mockfovd 2. C!a«s3; Girls—Sarah M'Donald; toys—Walter Kcrr.

Specin! Prizes.—Eva Matthews, arithmetic; Emily Frith, good conduct.