GREEN ISLAND SCHOOL EXAMINATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 585, 14 February 1863, Page 8

GREEN ISLAND SCHOOL EXAMINATION.

The examination and distribution of prizes to the scholars of the Green Island School took place on Friday in the schoolhouse, a handsome and commodious stone building on the hill near the church. There was a moderately good attendance of the parents of the children and of others interested in the progress of the school, but the number of visitors was not so gieat as had been expected. This was accounted for by the fac that many of the parents, who are farmers, were occupied in getting in their crops. The Rev. Mr Stuart and the ltev. Mr McNaughten were to have b«eu present, but both these gentlemen had gone to Port Chalmers, to take leave of the Rev. Mr Will, who is 'starting-* on his voyage for England. In the absence of theie gentlemen the examination was conducted entirely by Mr A. G. Allau, the master of the school.

Betweeu fifty or sixty scholars, fully half of whom were girls, were present, and were examined in their several classes. The system of examination was very simple, but at the same time extremely efficacious, and decidedly interesting both to the scholars and the lookers on. It consisted in each class reading a short descriptive article from a book, and then being called upon to spell words, to give derivations, and to answer questions as to the sense of the subject matter of the reading. In the higher classes passages were required to be parsed, and, when the root of a word was asked fory the other words derived from the same root were expected to be named. In each class when the master had done asking questions the children themselves were set to question the class in turn, beginning from the bottom. If the little questioner was correctly answered, he or she took a position* in the class next below the one who answered, and by consequence above all who had been umible to , reply. If none were able to solve the query, the [ questioner was allowed to state the answer, and jif correct to take the top of the class. As may be supposed the competition was very lively, and some of the questions puzzling enough, embracing as they did the various subjects of history, chronology, natural history, geography, and, in fact, the whole range of nature and science. One very little lady in a white frock, who had been particularly eager and successful in asking and answering, posed the whole class, and the teacher into the bargain, by asking " in what year did the authentic history of the Chinese commence ?" This must not, however, be taken as a sample of the questions generally, for most of them were plain and straightforward, and were answered with a promptitude that evidenced a really remarkable stock of general information in the I scholars. In the highest class the questions -were I not so entertaining, nor wa? the system so successful the scholars had evidently primed themselves for the occasion with awkward catching questions, the answers to which they had themselves committed to memory, and were able to deliver with parrot-like volubility. In reading aloud, the scb9l«»»U plwwl- 9, 'Mwuvy>Yfhicli was the

more remarkable as their quickness in. viva voce questions and answers showed they understood what they read. It was throughout monotonous. In arithmetic, the classes exhibited 'a very praiseworthy proficiency. The geography examination was mads lively by a series of questions bearing upon the current history of our times. Lancashire, for example, suggested cotton, and this led to America, and the war, and the young scholars were not only able to answer general questions, but they had brought down their knowledge to the latest date, and kuew that Burnside had succeeded M'Clellau. The Bible Class showed a very creditable acquaintance with scripture history. The examination being concluded, and two or three hymns having been sung, Mr Allan proceeded with the assistance of Mr Johnston to distribute the prizes. Before doing so, he stated that they had been allotted according to the position of the members of each class in a register of each days' proceedings regularly kept by himself. He also explained the reason for the absence of Messrs Stuart and M'Naughtou. The prizes were given as follows :—: —

English History and Composition: 1, Isabella Shand ; 2, Grace Andrew.

No. i Class, series : 1, Margaret Dempster, jun. ; 2, Thoma3 Muir; 3, Caroline' Freeman. iVo. 3 Class :1, John Russell ; 2, William Marten. No. 2 Class : 1, Marion Cochrane ; 2, Alex. Emry : 3, Isabella Neil.

No. 1 Class : 1, Barbara Doeg ;2, Margaret Stoddart; 3, Margaret Allau. Senior Geography : 1, Isabella Shand ; % Grace Andrew.

Junior Geography: 1, Levi Nicholson; 2, Thomas Muir ; 3, Margaret Dempster.

Senior Grammar Class : 1, Isabella Shand ;2, Mary Shand ; 3, Margaret Muir. Junior Grammar : 1, James Howden j 1, Margaret Dempster, jnn. ; 3, John Tumbull.

Senior Arithmetic : 1, Isabella Shand ; 2, Grace Andrew.

Junior Arithmetic : 1, James Johnston ; 2, William Howden ; 3, Thomas Muir.

Bible Class : 1, Isabella Shand ; 2, Grace Andrew ; 3, Mary Shand ; 4, Margaret Muir. Testament Class : 1, Thomas Muir ; 2, William Drysdale ; 3, James Johnston. Writing : 1, Grace Andrew ; 2, Isabella Shand.

The distribution being concluded, Mr Johnston addressed a few words to the scholars, and concluded the proceedings by offering up a prayer, alter which Mr Allau dismissed the school for the months vacation.