ST. HILDA’S SCHOOL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21829, 16 December 1932, Page 5

ST. HILDA’S SCHOOL

PRIZE-GIVING CEREMONY The annual brcaking-up ceremony of St. Hilda’s Collegiate School was held last evening in the Town Hall Concert Chamber. Bishop Richards presided. The proceedings were opened by the singing of the school hymn by the pupils and the reciting of the school prayer. Later in the evening the girls sang the school song. The principal (Miss U. 0. Blackmorc) read her annual report, which stated that the year had been one of progress and development in every direction. I'onns I and 11, in addition to the proficiency syllabus, had taken French and Latin, and most of the gilds h«id taken two or more extra subjects. They had won the Marjorie Cup for interlorm athletics, the interform drill competition, the netball matches against Columba. St. Dominies, and St. Philomcna's. and had produced a play and a concert. Of the 11 candidates who had sat the proficiency examination, 10 had been successful in gaming passes, nine securing proficiency and one competency. The largest change dining the year had been the formation of a class of two divisions in which had been drafted the girls not wishing to follow the purely academic course, inc upper forms were taking a great interest in their English, and the essays and general work showed keenness and appreciation of good literature, including modern prose and poetry. In I reach, steady work had been done throughout the sc boo , and in the oral French classes a high standard was being attained, as was shown by the fact that Neta Bragg had won the special second prize in the secondary schools’ oral French competition for Otago and Southland. The standaid ot work in the drawing classes had been very satisfactory, and good, results had been obtained in the London Loyal Drawin" Society examinations. The open music competition had produced some excellent work and, as no lessons were giyen on the music performed, the competition was an excellent test of musicianship. it was pleasing to note a great improvement in the class singing during the year. Eight players had assembled every Monday evening for orchestral practice and the improvement during the year had been very marked. Accompanist badges bad been presented to Joan Stewart and Neta Bragg and the latter had been, the chapel organist. The school activities had included the Junior Red Cross Circle, the Debating Society, the Literary and liramatic Society, and the Girl Guide Company. The lawn tennis and netball matches had proved very successful ' and some excellent performances had been given at the annual sports meeting at which two records had been broken, Lorraine Dawson improving on the record for throwing the cricket ball and Barbara Dodgslmn breaking that for the Junior High Jump. The physical work had reached its usual standard of efficiency and the squad leaders were particularly to be congratulated. Gymnastics and dancing had also had a place in the physical programme. Dr G. E. Thompson was then called upon to present the prizes won during the year, and before doing so he gave a brief but interesting address. He said that if the average girl were asked why she went to school, she would probably reply that it was to get an education. Similarly parents would state that they sent their children to school to be educated. Though both girls and parents seemed to reach the same conclusion, he wondered if they realised just what the word education meant. He would try to reduce the term to its simplest form. Most people would say that education meant instruction, but that was really only part of the idea—instruction was probably one of the least important aspects of education. A famous English schoolmaster had defined the word and had divided it under five headings—character, physique, intelligence, manners and information —and the divisions were placed in their order of merit. It would be noted in this connection that information came last. They might add some more divisions for themselves, such as ideals, judgment and imagination. Education included all these things. A school should be able to produce intelligent, bright-minded pupils with strength of character. Too often parents looked io examination results for their opinions of schools, but, in the speaker’s opinion, these belonged to the least important aspect of school life. They should look for other things before a mere mass of information, and should weigh up a school by all the standards before reaching a decision. Dr Thompson went on to speak of the ways in which schools did their work. The work of a school, he said, was done, not only in the class rooms, but in all its activities—music, debates, sports, etc. —and each activity played its part in the building up of the pupil’s education. Just as every large industry had its main product and one or more by-products, each school subject had its principal effect and its less perceptible but just as important effect on character, imagination or physique. If any school subject did not do this it should not have a place on the curriculum. At the conclusion of his address, Dr Thompson distributed the prizes. . ‘ The following is the prize list: — Standard I.—Divinity: Barbara Richards. Honour prizes: Pauline Fulton and Barbara Richards. Credit prize; Joan Barnett. Drawing: Joan Barnett. Needlework: Barbara Richards and Patsy Parata.

Standard ll.—Divinity; Florence Cooper. Honour prizes: Florence Cooper, Elizabeth Fulton, Beverley Hunter, Kathleen Low, Rachel Price. Drawing: Florence Cooper. Needlework: Rachel Price. Standard lll.—Divinity: Joyce Rowley. Honour prizes: Joyce Rowley and Margaret Barnett. Drawing; Margaret Barnett. Needlework; Barbara Mitchell. Standard IV—Divinity: Margaret. Taylor. Honour prizes: Margaret Taylor and Joycelyn Tapley. Credit prizes; Daphne Elder and Huia Parata. Drawing: Margaret Taylor. Needlework: Joycelyn Tapley. Form I.—Divinity: Molly Spackman. Honour prize: Molly Spackman. Credit prizes: Joy Lee, Patricia Rutherford, and Merrial Webb. Drawing: Patricia Rutherford. Needlework: Mavis Mackay. Form ll.—Divinity: Honor M'Kellar. Honour prizes; Betty Barling, Alison Bell, Joan Fitchett. Honor M'Kellar, Helen Price, Millieent Taylor. Credit prizes: Kate Evans, Ida Hall, Dorothy Olive. Drawing: Millieent Taylor. Needlework: Alison Bell. Form ITT. —Divinity: Barbara Cuthbertson. Honour prize: Barbara Cuthbertson. Credit prizes: Doreen Pike and Joan Denny. Drawing: Doreen Pike. Needlework; Doreen Pike. Fourth Form. —IVb—Honour prize; Joyce Throp. Credit prize: Lorraine Dawson. IVa —Honour prize: Mary Mathias. Credit prizes: Audrey Baker, Dorothy Gregg. Margot Maclean, Jean Paterson. IVa and IVb —Divinity: Audrey Baker. Drawing: Joyce Throp. Needlework: Helen Macdonald. Lower Shell Form.—Divinity: Trixie Wood. Drawing; Mary Buchanan. Needle, work; Mary Buchanan. Upper Shell Form— Divinity: Kathleen Falconer. Honour prizes: Kathleen Falconer, Molly Scott. Drawing: Kathleen Falconer. Needlework: Kathleen 1 alconer. Physiology note books: Molly °Forms V and Vl Divinity (Mrs Nevill’s gold cross): Pamela WmsburyTVhite and Marjory Mumford (equal). Honour prizes—Vb: Pamela WmsburyWhite, Elizabeth Ritchie. Va; Marjory Mumford. Athemeum prizes: Pamela

Winsbury-White, Marjory Mumford, and Neta Bragg. R. B. Williams’s prize: June Moffett. Derisley Wood Shield (literature and English): Marjory Mumford. Needlework and dressmaking: Margaret Lusk. Whitcombe and Tombs’s prize (general knowledge): Marjory Mumford. Oral French.—Special second prize in the secondary schools’ oral French competition (in Otago and Southland); presented by the Alliance Franeaise through the French Consul at Auckland: Neta Bragg. School competition (prizes presented by an anonymous donor) Juniors: Barbara Neil. Intermediates: Helen Price. Seniors: Jean Paterson.

Needlework. Karitane Sets (prizes presented by Mrs A. Barnett). —Kathleen Falconer 1, Molly Scott 2. t

Music Prizes.—Open competition: Joan Stewart. Senior prize: Neta Brug§. Junior theory: Margot Maclean. Elocution (presented by Mrs Eastgate).—Joan Denny. House Conduct and Neatness—Storey Cup: Molly Scott. House Cup: Lawrence House.

Drill.—Form drill; Forms I and 11. Junior badge; Huia Parata. Intermediate badge: Barbara Dodgshun. Senior Cup (Elsinore): Kathleen Falconer. Squad drill shield; Wellington House. Gymnastics.—Junior badge: Daphne Elder. Intermediate badge: Betty Barling. Senior Cup (Hannon-Wilson): Stella Fitohett.

Sports.—Balk Cup (junior tenuis): Barbara Dodgshun. Kucldenklau Cup (senior tennis); Lorraine Barton. Conn Cup interhouse games championship) ; Wellington House. Champtaloup Cup (senior interhonse games championship) ; Lawrence House and Havelock House. Wood Cup (all-round sports): Stella Fitchett. Nelson Cup and Shield (esprit de corps): Havelock House.

Bronze Medallion for Life Saving.— Joyce Barns and Betty Rutherford. Interschool Tennis Trophies.—Senior Championship Doubles: Stella Fitchett and Lorraine Barton. Junior Championship Singles (runner-up); Barbara Dodgshun. Junior Championship Doubles (runners-up): Helen Price and Josephine Dunlop. Junior Handicap Singles (runner-up): Barbara Cuthbertson. Junior Handicap Doubles (runners-up): Barbara Dodgshun and Helen Price. Leaving Prefect Badges.—Neta Bragg and Margaret Lusk. Honour Medals.—House honour modal: Neta Bragg. School honour star: Neta Bragg. School honour medal: Kathleen Falconer. Dux of Lower School (modal presented bv the Colombo Tea Company).—Honor M'Kellar. Dux of School. —Neta Bragg.