SELWYN COLLEGIATE SCHOOL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14084, 12 December 1907, Page 11

SELWYN COLLEGIATE SCHOOL.

■ PRESENTATION OF MEDALS AND PHIZES. Tlio annual distribution of awards io pupils jof the Solwyn Collegiate School tool; place in llio College Library yesterday afternoon. Tho Most Rev. tlio Primate (Bishop Nevill) presided, and was supported by the members of the council—namely, Professor Benham, Dr Marshall, Dr Hocken, Mi- F. O." Bridgoman, and Mr O. H. Statham. Apolog'es for absence wore received from Sir James Mills and Lady Mills, Dr Pickorill, (.ml the Kev. W. Ronaldson. The Primate, in o]K?iiinp- the proceedings. B:iid the chapter of the dioceec, observing that tlioro was urgent need for a school, tool; courage to set oil foot Mich a school as it thought would be to the advantage of the wliolo community—a school of a high-el,-uk, in which education should' be 'earned on to such a point aa, they hoped and •believed, would bo to the great benefit of ail who were pupils of the institution. Tho cn.iptcr, when it undertook this also mado up its mind that tlu institution Tvlijch it should found should be as efficient as it was in its power to make it. They first of all, with great courage, prochasod a liouso for tho accommodation of boarders, awl that liouso had now l>een placed under tlio charge of Mr K. K. Lomus, as house-master. Of course, the whole of the institution was under the general direction of the warden of Selwyn College, who w;is tlio head of their educational institutions in connection with their church in tfie city. In addition to tho. ■boarding-house, there had been eroded on this site very commodious schoolrooms, which had been built wil.li every regard to the health and well-being of the students. Croat attention had been paid to tho lighting and the ventilation, and in every way they hoped that tlicso rooms would be found BiiiialJo for their purpose, and that quite a large number of their joiuig Dunedin lads would avail themselves of tho advantages offered to them. Tliey could accommodate about, 90 boys in tlio rooms. In order that this institution might bo carried on with that efficiency he had spoken of tho chapter sought, up and down for capable and worthy men io bo placed at tho head of Ihe school to conduct, tho educational part of it, and they had been successful in securing the services of two highly-qualified gentlemen, who were well fitted in many resnccts for their work; but as their personal characteristics were so well-known, he need not. delay his hearers by saving anything further about thoin. —(Applause.) The chapter considered itself fortunate in having secured the services of the brothers Lomns. All they had seen of them since thoir appointment satisfied him that tlm chapter had made an excellent choice.—(Applause.) Then they looked around, and kept clearly before them what were the characteristics and necessities of tho community in which thev dwelt, and they saw —he thought rightly—that there was a need for a school which should qualify men for entrance upon tlio learned professions, fitting them to m on to the University, where thoir completed conrso might take place. They had, therelore, divided tho school into two departments—commercial and scholastic,—so that they might have not only gentlemen who would perhaps :'n tho future distinguish themselves in tho learned professions, as they hoped would bo the case, but also Bomo who would be qualified to take a high place in that very important department of work in tho city—namely, commercial enterprise.—(Applause.) Provision had also been mado for athletic sports, and suitable amusements. Ho would liko to say that 3fr Ilridgoman hod been largely instrumental in tho building- of the fives courts end the sotting up of the lawn tennis court. (Applause.) Tho chapter locked to the young fellows in tho school—its first eet of Echolai-a,—becauso they knew that every school that attained to famo must bo dependent voiy largely on the subsequent careers of thoso who had been pupils aiid students in that school. Thoy all recognised thijt Eton and Harrow and other well-known schools in England wore so great in tho minds of people because of what, they had been able to producc—that was to say, the careom of those who had passed through thcso schools. As this was only a day of small tilings with the college —only thoir commencement period—thoy could not at present, have attained to that, fame which depended so largely on the rharncler and the ability and the doings of thoso who had had tho advantage of inttructicn in the institution, but they hoped and believed that that would come, and it waa in that confidonoo that the chapter Mid tho advisers of the chapter had not. thrunk from this enterprise in spending; l great, deal of money upon it, and they believed tho future would show tliat their Confidence was not misplaced.—(Applause.)

Canon Woodthorpo, -Jf.A., roctor, read his report, os follows:—

Tho past year has been one of great importance in the history of the school, and lias l>c€)i marked by stoady progress. The school has been carefully classified, and our new masters—Mr J. S. I/oiuas, 8.A., and i&[r E. K. Lomas, M.A.—have worked with great carueatnesa and mucb enthusiasm. The work of thq school, aa tested by the recent term examinations, is decidedly encouraging. There is clcar evidc-noo of earnest work and })alient endeavour. I congratulate both masters and scholars on the resultß. Tho [prize list is not as large as last year. as wo are averse to giving prizes except for faithful and solid work, aud we believe that the smaller tho number the moro they are valued. Wo hope, as the school grows in numbers, fro steadily enlarge our curriculum. At tho present we aim at giving a secondary school education complete in itself for the purpose of goneral education, and I am thankful to find that our curriculum distinctly fulfils wljat has been laid down by the English Board of Education as cssontial. We offer in our school, in addition to the ordinary English, mathematical, and science subjects, the choice of four languages, of which Latin is compulsory. I have been sometimes agketj to relax Latin in the case of certain boys declined for a commercial career; but 3 have invariably hesitated to do so, bocnusc it is contrary to the praotice of the best schools in the colonies, and is a groat injustice to a boy. It is generally held by the best educationists that the study of Latin i 9 an essential part of a complete modern education. A knowledge of the structure of tho Latin language is the most valuable belp to understanding the general principles of the European languages, and its regular and formal syntax is a valuable corrective to tho loose phrasing which easily arises irom the syntactical freedom of modern English. It is a very striking fact that tho English Board of Education, by its recout circular, hag declined to recognise any nonclassical. school as a secondary school which omits Latin from its curriculum. In the secondary «choo!e of England, France, Germany, America, and the colonies, it is generally tigrocd thai the study of Latin is the finest educational instrument they possess. Whilst we desire to keep the c£f<mtial basis of a secondary school, we hope, with tho increase of our numbers, to allow froys to specialise more and more for professional or commercial requirements.

During tho yoar we Jiavo been n.ble, by (he generous gift of Professor llenham, F.H.S., und with the assistauoe of Dr Marshall, both valued members of our council, 1o oblain suitable apparatus far the science teaching, and 1 am sure that, under tho caje of llr K. K. Lamas, our l»ys will get a> good grounding in chemistry and physics. The new class-rooms, whii'h were formally opvued by tho Jlost l!ov. the Primate at 4he beginning of the second term, have been fi great advnntago to ur. Tho provision for Jight and vontilation is cKwllcnt, uad tlie splendid health of tho boys, especially of the lioardera. is due, I belio'o, partly to "the new class-rooms and partly to the careful organisation of the games. When wo rcmemboT 2iow much nisny of the schools throughout the Dominion liavo suffered from mfluonza and othor troubles, we can only thankfully rccord tho fact that so far wo have- not 3ia<l u single case of sicknoss in our boardjug establishment. Tho careful attention to diet, the early rising, regular habits, and lienlthv games, I am convinced, liavo contributed largely to this exccllont result. Today we ask your lordship to formally open our tenuis court and the two fives eourU. v.-hicli, through tho enterprise of the council n::d tho, assistance of friends, have been provided iov tho benefit of our boys. We have ■to thank Jlr Homeinann, Mr F. Townloy 3/Htle, Mr C. 11. Stnthim, the rector, and masters for their gifts of prizes, ( and tho Albion Cricket Club for the use of its {(rounds, tho Otago Lawn Tennis Association lor gilt of' material, and tho Caledonian Society for the use of the Caledonian Ground lor our rcc'iiil sports meeting.

Mr C. H. Siathain at'knd for a more widespread interest in the school, so that the number of pupils jmght be increased. If thero irero only 10 more lioys, the results financially would ha very satisfactory. Why sKonld parents send thoir boys to Wangunui or elsewhere when there was a church school in their midst, at which education cculd ho given of the character that was given at this school?—(Applause.) Tho Rector's report was adopted, 'The prizes were then presented by tho Primate, as follows:— Upper Sciroor,. Form Upper Y—Stewart Peters (Dux medal). Form Lower Y—Clivc H. F. Statham (Hcinemann medal). Form Upper IV—Esmond De Beer. Form Lower IV—James P. H. Simon. Languages—Stewart Peters (Itr Townley Little's prize) 1, Esmond Do Beer 2. Mathematics—Clive H. F. Statham 1, Guy Bridgcman (Mr C H. Statham's prize) 2, Rtwa Throp 3, Dudley E. 0. Price 4. Lower School. Form lll—John W. Nicolls 1, Jack Jl'Gowan 2. Form ll—John W. Pincloiey. Form I—Terence Bridgeman. French—Xeill IJiiilray. Drawing—Henry Warwick Braithwaite, Sports. Senior—Alick R. G. I)onal<]son (medal, 17 points) 1, Hector N. Baldrv (9 points) 2. Junior—John \V. is'fcolls (medal, 10 points) I, John W Pinckney (8 points) 2. Cricket—Batting: Hector N. Baldry. Bowling:. John W. Pinckney. 50 Yards (Junior)—Nicolls 1, Annum! 2, Pinckney 3. lft) Yards (Open)—Donaldson 1, Baldry 2, Price and Ashby 3. 103 'Yards (Junior) —Nicolls 1, Pinckney 2, Annand 3. 100 Yards Senior Handicap—Simon 1, Wilkinson 2, Ashby 3. 50 Yards Junior Handicap—Terence Bridgeman 1, W. Braithwaite 2, Rattray and Watson 3. 020. Yards (Open)—Donaldson 3, Baldry 2, Simon 3. 200 Yards (Handicap)—Donaldson 1, Price 2, Simon 3. Quarter-mile—Donaldson 1, Simon 2, Baldry 3, De Beer 4. Three-legged Race—Donaldson and Simon 1, Stotham and Ashby 2, Price and' Braithwaite 3. Belay Race—Donaldson, Simon. Pinckney 1; Njcolls. Price. AVilkinson 2; Baldry, Statham W. Braithwaite 3. High Jump (Senior)— Baldry and Donaldson 1, Ashby 2. High Jump (Junior)—Xicolls 1, Pinckney 2. Annand 3. Throwing Cricket Ball—Senior: Donaldson 1. Statham 2, Baldry 3. Junior: Pinckney 1, Braithwaite 2, Nicolls 3. Mr F. O. Bridgeman, in speaking with reference to ihe tennis and fives courts, said Iho courts would be handed over to tho hoys, who, ho hoped, would take care of tliou). He also bespoke a greater interest in tho school on tho part of parents. It was uphill work to start a school of this kind 'without any endowment, but the institution was now getting to a point from which, it was hoped, it would go on and prosper. Thoy had nddod sonio fine claedrooms since last year, and a groat- addition to the school was tho efficient staff it now posseted. If they had a few more boys they would bo sure of carrying tho school on to a successful issue.—(Appiauso.) Hearty cheers were given for the Female, the masters, ami Mrs Woodthorpe. Hie tennis court was then formally opened by the Primate. The first, set was played by Mns Nevill and Mrs F. 0. Bridgeman. and tho second set by the Dev. 11. Parata., Rov. 11. Bedford, and Messrs Wilson and K. K. Lonias, After tho opening of the two fives courts by the Primate, the game was played by some of tho boys of the school. _ Afternoon tea was dispensed by the rector's wife, assisted by the toys. The proceedings were marked by a considerable degree of enthusiasm.