SCHOOL VACATIONS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2493, 25 December 1901, Page 27

SCHOOL VACATIONS.

GIRLS' HIGH SCHOOL. The ceremonies in connection with the mnnual distribution of prizes at the Otago Girls' High School took plats© at ihe Boys' High School on Wednesday evening. His Excellency the Governor, Lady "Ranfurly, Lady Constance Knox, the Hon. JD. Hill Trevor and Captain Alexander, Sl.D.C.'s, attended the function. A Ijuard of honour composed of a squad of the High School Cadets was klrawn up at the door as the vice-regal party Centered and were by Dr Brown ((chairman of the board) and the lady principal, Miss Marchant, M.A. On entering the Ihall the audience rose, whilst the National J&nthem was played, and as the vice-regal pitrty took their seats on the platform they (were received witS loud applause. Amongst fthose present in the large assemblage were the Revs. F. B. Fraser (chairman of the Education Board), W. Hewitson, J. Waters, Archdeacon Robinson, Hon. D. Pinkerton, M.L-.C, Messrs J. F. Arnold and T. Mackenzie, M.EER.'b, Professors Shand and Gilnj, Di Burt, Messrs D.' White, O, ,Mac•ridrew, J. Wl Smith, J: R. Sinclair, C R. Chapman, and Captain Sundetrom. -'■ S>r Brown ,«|tid: Ladies and gentlemen, V : ;^l>©rhap» you, will ..eijcase., me J ; £n taking up your -time -for one- .or two minutes. Sin the £rst plme» some apologies have been received. " Hia. Worship the' Sayof has written to Miss Marohant, expressing his regret that the meeting of the City Council prevented his attendance here this evening. Other *pologies have been received, which I will liand to the press. ■ These apologies were from Messrs M. Fraer, K. Ramsay, W. G. Riddell, D. E. Theomin, T. K. Sidey, Dean Fitchett, and the Rev. Mr Edwards. Dr Brown (continuing) said: This is the first occasion upon which we have met together publicly since Miss Marchant' s return from her long furlough at Home. It was Hot long, but it seemed long to us, although doubtless it seemed short to her. — (Laughter.) ■We are extremely glad to see her back again in vigorous health, full of enthusiasm for her iwork as she 'always was, and I have not the slightest doubt brimful of new ideas} which she is longing to put into practice. The Board of Governors are very much indebted to Mr George Thomson for the very able way in which he conducted the school during Miss Marchant's absence. — (Applause.) 1 am particularly pleased to hear that the (iris here echo my words. One of the staff v about to have a well-earned holiday, and I am sure you will join with me in wishing her not only a pleasant time when she is away, but in her laudable endeavour to ' become acquainted with the French < language. , I am -sure you will all join with me in wishing Mis Alves a very^hyppy time in. -•- Europe, \ and a safe return.-^{£pp)auo£.)- \ Allow me to congratulate you, girl&, that you are' to have presiding over your gathering his JExeeUency the Governor, and to inave the prizes- presented by Lady Ranfurly. 2t it not a -very long time/ ago' that ,rf«- the people in. theee outlying, parts of the, 33mjiire.were looked upon by, the. preat men of England aa rather a .nuisance. In .itct, they sometimes went so far to wish' J we would cut ite painter so as' to give them a little leas trouble. I am happy to say that these 'days _ are past, and now, instead 'of being asked to retire from the partnership, we are ISeing courted and wooed by the authorities at Home. It may be that it is a sign of ifchd times, as well as a personal characteristic, /that leads Lord Ranfurly to take such an active interest in the boys and girls of New '.Zealand. — (Applause.) So far ad I know, no Oovernor of New Zealand has ever gone out / oi his vrmy to visit school after school in^jfche towns in which he happens to be taking a holiday, and it is pleasing to us that on the «ye of their departure from Dunedin Lord And Lady Ranfurly should have come here to dismiss the girls of the -High School for *heir nolidays.—(Applause.) I shall not detain you further, but ask his Excellency the Governor now to take the chair. His Excellency then took the chair amidst loud applause. Lord Ranfurly, who was greeted with hearty applause, said: Ladies and Gentlemen and Girls of the High School, — I came nere this evening under the impression that I was going to be an onlooker, — I thought that Lady Ranfurly was going to be the performer. This is indeed a surprise to me. I do take the very deepest interest _ in the schools of the colony in which I have .the honour to represent his Majesty at the present moment, and there is a very good reason why I should take that interest, Mid -that- is ' because very nearly ialf jfche population : of> this country are TMider - the age- of f^ ,x>V'- according to .the l£w, infants.— (Laughter, and applause.) 1, dp not .know-, thdt ' 'the rinfaiit s - require "- very, careful attention — many of ?_,theltof— bnt * atthe same time it is by seeing the schools, ■where one goes that one can judge ' more or le»s -what the future of New. Zealand, is 3ikelj- to be — (applause), — and the future of the' colony largely depends — in fact, very • largely deoends— on the school staffs and " the way in which the pupils are taught. Personally I have little fear for the loyalty of this colony in tbn future. I doubt if in the British Empire and under the British flag there is a colony with a greater loyal feeling to the motherland than New Zealand. — (loud applause.) We have seen it time after time. We saw it as the contingents left. We saw it even before contingents left, when there was that unpleasant little business called the " Fashoda incident," when wherever, one went people seemed to be bubbling over with excitement and loyalty. And one saw it in the schools, but specially when one heard of the " 2i,ews of Ladysmith's victory — (applause), — •when one heard of Mafeking, and the varicus other successes. The loyalty then shown certainly may have reached undue proportions, owing- to excitement; but of that loyalty I feel no doubt that it was a lasting one and that it will continue. I do not think, girls, I need speak to you on this subject. I know that you have felt the deepest interest in the past in the South African war ; lam sure you felt the deepest sorrow in the loss our nation sustained nearly a year ago — the loss of a Queen who was always interested in the juvenile population of the Empire. I shaft now call on lady Ranfurly, and ask her to present the prizes. — (Loud applause.) BEPOET AND PHIZE LIST.* The prizes were then distributed by Lady Ranfurly, the recipients being frequently and heartily applauded. The following are the reports of the lady principal and of Mr G. JVft r "Thomson (who was in charge of the school during Miss Marchant's absence in England) and the prize list: — I have the honour to report that the number «f pupils enrolled during the year was 132, 41 of these being asw pupils. For the first

term the number was 124, for the second 122, and for the third 115. Eleven boarders have been entered, including three day boarders. There are five senior scholars from the Education Board and five junior scholars; 10 seniors with Board of Governors' scholarships and five juniors. Our pupils were again successful in their various examinations. Phoebe Jones gained a junior scholarship a.t the University examination, and F. Woodhouse, A. Cox, and M.^Webb passed the examination ' with credit." C Low, F. Shand, and C. Walker parsed the matriculation examination, and L. Hercus passed the medical- preliminary expmination. F. Woodhouse, H. M. Kenyon, and C. Walker passed the senior civil service examination. At the Education Board's examinations F. Lewis and H. Kerse gained senior scholarships, and M. Cox, J. M'Lean, and L. M'Kellar gained Board of Governors' scholarships. The number of " morning ' pupils has steadily increased and now stands at 22. This proves that there are many parents who are willing_ to avail themselves of this opportunity of giving their girls » good sound education in English, French, science, and artithemtic, which, while it will not carry them on to the IJniversity,.will fit them for -any ordinary duties in life." The" scheme leaves the girls, moreover, free in the afternoons for music, drawing, and recreation, and is" very suitable for delicate girls. I append Mr Thomson's report of the school work, during the first two terms' of _ the yeaT. Since my "return" I 'have found that the work has progressed" most satisfactorily. Miss M. Salmood,- B.A-, ; who took my classes in my absence carried out her duties to my utmost satisfaction. I am pleased to hear that the school work went- on so smoothly in my absence, and I wish to put on record my appreciation of the devotion shown by Mr Thomson and the'staff to the welfare of the school. The boarding house, under Miss Alves's capable management, has had a quiet and successful year. There have been no epidemics of sickness, and the girls have on the whole been very free from illness. I am glad to hear that the games of the school were much more heartily entered into this winter, and this is largely due to Miss Campbell's kindly interest in athletics. I trust to see even more enthusiasm next year. Mr Maitland Gardners appointment as a teacher of class singing will enable us to add some music to our school work. The training in part singing will be most useful to the girls, and will enable those who are at all musical to cultivate a taste for good music. Then, too, I regard class singing as a good- discipline in co-operation and also in self-subordination, a, discipline that is specially valuable for girls who have not this element of sinking self in the good'oiE the whole, or " of playing for tlieir side," which boys have in- their school games. Our annual exhibition of drawing was held on Monday afternoon, and was very we'l attended. The school work this year has been good. I am sorry that more time cannot be given by the girls to. drawing, but with a crowded syllabus it 'ia' impossible to spare very much more than' two's short lessons a week for ■ the majority «f'"the-,;girlß.- The class* for . advanced pupils, for ,-,dravfing from the living model, has done some very, good work. The flower,, and stilMife studies" too -were, much admired by the visitors.. The school girls receive instruction in black and white only, but the advanced class- gives, an opportunity to -girls wno have left school of going on with painting in' all its branches. X_.«£sh to. ihanlc,JMrs M'lEdoe^for judging the 'drawings for the Art Society's medal, and the Committee of the Shakespeare CUrtr who decided who was the best reader. I must express our sincere thanks to the following for the ."gift of prizes: — Messrs Brown, Ewing, and Co. (silver medal for mathematics) ; the Otago Art Society (silver medal for drawing) ; the Otago Institute (prizes for science) ; the Shakespeare Club (prize for reading) ; the Dux Association, Mrs J. R. Sinclair, Dr W. Brown, Mr A. Wilson, Miss Alves, Miss Buckland, and Miss Campbell. M. E. A. Marchant. Tlae work of the^cliool progressed very satisfactorily during the two terms of Miss Marchant's absence, and I have to thank the staff for their cordial co-operation, whereby mv duties were muca lightened. The conduct of the pupils also was very satisfactory. Miss M. Salmond conducted the English classes during your absence, and I desire to state here how well and satisfactorily her work was done. She won the esteem and respect of boih colleagues and pupils. The severity of the weather and the prevalence of epidemic illness militated greatly against the school-*ttendknc&-during the winter months, but fortunately none of the staff were absent even for an hour, so that the work was unbroken. Thanks to Miss Campbell's energy, hockey was started among the pupils during the second term, and the game was enthusiastically taken up by a large number of girls — I think with decided advantage to their health. Owing to your absence the customary sports were not held, but a hockey competition on the closing 5 day -%ra&* participated in by about 60 girls. ] During the first term Mr Harma — with his ■ <±t»Stbmary _ enthusiasm and self-sacrificing 'readiness to promote the- interests of the school — volunteered to conduct- a swimming class. .Arrangements were made for the use of Morgans bfcths on one afternoon m each- week, * -p.ud a class of 34 girls' enrolled. The pupils ruade excellent progress; and. the class was ' closed "with a competition, to which parents ■and lady friends were invited The results are appended. Mr Hanna, having been granted leave of absence to enable him to visit the old country, left at the close of the second teini, having arranged for his work to be carried on during his absence by his daughter, Mis* H. Hanna. Geo. M. Thomson. PRIZE LIST. Form IV B. — English, M. Scrimgeour; arithmetic, M. Montagu; drawing, M. Scrimgeour; writing, M. Scrimgeour; sewing, E. Miller; French— Div. I, A. Mitchell; Div. 11, E. Shaw; Div. 111, M. Montagu. Remove. — English — E. Shaw 1, H. Hodges 2; French (upper), L. Morton; French (lower), E. Fraser ; writing, F. Maitland ; arithmetic W. Spedding; Euclid— E. Shaw 1, M-. Sham 2; algebra, M. Laidlaw; science, L. King, dvawing, M. Tapper and L. King (equal) ; history and geography — E. Shaw 1, M. Sham 2; sewing, J. Borrie. Dux of Lower School. — Evelyn Shaw. Form IV A.— English, L. Palmer; French, E. Ballard and I. Hurley (equal) ; Latin— M. Newman 1, E. Smith 2 (special) ; Latin (begir.ners). J. Mitchell and A. Steel (equal), arithmetic, L. Bagley; Euclid— Div. I, J. Btgg'; Div. 11, L. Palmer; algebra, D. Manson ; history, J. Allan ; drawing, G. Statham ; sewing, E. Sutherland and E. Raine (equal), geography, J. Begg; science, E. Sutherland, writing,' lr. Rutherfowl. Form, V.— English', L. DOyly aiicl E. Smith" (equal); French, ' K." Biack'; Latin, M. Cox; aiithme'tie, L.' Mackellar ; Euclid, L. Mcrton ; algebra, L. Mackellar and L. Morton (equal) ; science, J. Begg; history, M. Bull; drawing, L. Morion ; waiting, M. Wright. Form VI B"— English, H. Kerse; French, M. Paterson ; Latin, M. Downes , mathematics, M. Downes ; science, K. Black and M. Downes (pqua.l) ; drawing (easel), E. Ballard; German, M Paterson ; writing, M. Drysdale. Form VI A.— English— A. Cox 1, M. Webb 2; Latin— M. Webb 1, A. Cox 2, H. D&Uympio

"3; French— M. Webb 1, A. Cox 2, R. Rowlandson 3; mathematics— A. Cox 1, M. Webb 2, R. Rowlandson 3 (Messrs Brown, Ewing, and Co.'s medal); science — A. Cox 1, M. Webb 2. Duxes of School. — Annie Hudson Cox and Mary Webb (equal). CERTIFICATES. Remove.— English, W. Speckling; French, L. Palmer; French, W. Spedding; arithmetic, J. Borne; Euclid, H. Hodges; algebra, L. Palmei ; drawing, A. Harraway ; science, E. Shaw. Form IV A. — English. E. Glendining; French, E. Glendining; Latin — Div. I, V. Jacobs, Div. 11, L. Palmer; arithmetic, E. Glendining; Euclid— Div. I, T. Bull; Div. 11, L. Rutherford; algebra, A. Steel , history, E. Glendining; drawing, R. Dey and D. Davidson (equal) ; science, G. Statham. Form V.— English, M. Bull; French, D. Fraser; Latin, L. Morton: arithmetic, L. Morton ; Euclid, M. Cox ; algebra, M. Bull and M. Cox (equal) ; science, E. Bollard ; drawing, R. Campbell and M. Wright (equal); h:story— I. Hurley, E. Smith. Form VI B.— English, K. Black and F. I Lewis; French, M. Cox; Latin, F. Lewis; mathematics, K. Black; science, D. Frazer; drawing (easel class), M. Bull awl M. Cox. Form VI A.— English, R. Rowlandson; Latin, H. Dalrympie; French, K. Rowlandson ; science, H. D«lrymple. GYMNASTICS. Fourth Form B.— S.- Smith. Remove — E. Raitoe. Fourth Form A.- -A. Henderson aod D. Jackson. "" ■ * Fifth Form.— M. Cox. Sixth Form.— X. Black. AUHLETICS. Tennis, senior singles. — L. Morton. Tennis, junior singles. — A. Mitchell. Fives, singles, junior. — A. Mitchell. Fives, double, senior. — K. Black and M. Cox. Fives, singles, senior. — M. Paterson. Fives, doubles, junior. — A. Mitchell and M. Scrimgeour. [ swimming. Division I. — M. Laidlaw and E. Donald. Division II.— W. Spedding. Division 111. — M. Montagu Back swimming. — K. Black. Keat header. — W. Speddmg. SPECIAL PHIZES. Shakespeare Club reading prize. — M. Downes. Special prise, <B. Munro (principal's prize). Otago Art Society's medal for drawing. — D. Fraser. 9 I Boarders' Scripture Class (principal's prizes). — Seniors, E. Glendining. Boarders' prize for honse neatness. —E. Crlendining. Boarders' sewing. — E. Glendining 1, E. Raine 2, B. Munro 3. Music prize*. — Miss Longford's pupils : Practical work. I. White; theory, I. White. Mr Taylor's pupils : Pianoforte, R. Rowlandson. Theory, L. Rutherford. Boarders' gardens. — B. Munro (principal's prize). \ . FORMER DUXES. Flora, Muir 1871 ! Isabella Shand 1872 - Georgina Tewsley 1873 < Wilhelmina J. Mackay 1874 Isabella J. Hislop > ..__., -Araie M. Burn J1875J 1875 Isabella L. GilHes 1876 Mary Montgomery 1877 . Margaret Alves 1878 Flora Allan 1879 Marion Steel 1880 - Annie Forbes 1881 11 Isabella C. J. K. Duncan 1882 Marion Angus Ferguson 1883 Isabella M'Landress 1884 Catherine Moss 1885 Sylvia Esther Gifford 1886 Barbara Mary Watt 1887 Edith H. Pearce 1888 Emma M. Rainforth 1889 Margaret N. Gellatly 1890 Christina M Cruickshank \.... Margate fc B. Cruickshank j-issi Edith A. Barclay 1892 Catherine Cameron 1893 Annie Bauchop 1894 Violet M. Greig 1895 Flora J. W. Hodges 1896 Susannah C. C. M'Kpight 1897 Ada G. Paterson 1898 Alice Budd 1899 Phcebe Jones 1900 Annie H. Cox *> ior\i Mary Webb S In calling upon the duxes of the f-ehool,-Miss Marchant said that Annie H. Cox and Mary Webb had been friends ever since they came to the High School. They had each won Education Board scholarships, ; and two years later they wcti senior scholarships together, and they had worked their way up through the school together. This year they had both competed for the dux medal, and their marks had come out so i close right through that, with the. board's , pennissio'n, she was allowed to give them each a medal. — (Applause.) She^ wished to say that she felt great regret "that these j two. girls were leaving the school, and she was sure that that regret was shared by ; the. girls as well- as by the staff. They had i been pupite consistently- hard-working and ' industrious' and careful and considerate in their -attitude towards- the teachers-, who felt the greajtest pleasure in having these girls | isi the school. They carried with them the heartiest noshes of the staff for their success at the University and in their caieer through life. — (Applause.) I COMrLIUEXTAKY. Professor Gilray said that since he came into the room lie had been asked to propose a vote of thanks to Miss Marchant, the teaching staff, and the Board of Governors, and he had very great pleasure in doing so. The study pursued in the school in which he naturally took the deepest interest was the study of English language and literature. The New Zealand Uni--versity offered a scholarship in thie subject, and. was known as the Tinline scholarship, and on several occasions it had been won by students of the Otago University, and he had much pleasure in stating publicly that the majority of thosj successful candidates were former pupils of the Girls' ,High School. — (Applause.) To his mind there was no more successful test of the efficiency of the school and its intellectual state than that. He had very great pleasure in moving a vote of thanks- to Miss Marchant, the teaching staff, and the Board of Governors for their arduous labours during the past year.— (ApplaiibC.j The vote having bee« carried by acclamation, Miss Maichant, in responding on behalf I of the - staff, said that it was with great pleasure she met them again at their aDnual prize-giving. As had been eaid, she was kindly allowed leave for two terms of this year. She was in Europe, and spent as much time as she could in the Motherland. She was also ir Italy and France, and returned through America. She proposed, witb their permission, to give some of the impressions she had formed of those of the educational institutions she had visited in Ql eat Entai». Th^puj^b the gou^tggjr .of Jib*

T principals, sne visited a large number of girls' schools and ladies' colleges, such as the University Colleges of Girton and iS'ewnham at Cambridge, Somerville at Oxford, Bedford at London, Queen Margaret at Gla&gow, and such girls' schools as the North London College, Cheltenham, Wycombe Abbey ttc-hool, Hastings, and others. The principals were invariably kind and considerate to her. They sppnfc with her a great deal of time, sometimes whole mornings, explaining to her the workings of their inft'tutione. The impiession she formed — although, her visit being necesparily short, her impressions might have been somewhat artificially formed — was that the standard of work was somewhat similar to the New Zealand standard. If anything, we ask more from our pupils than was done in England. The pupils in the English schools seemed to specialise more than did those of the colony. At Home they were not expected to possess an all-round knowledge in five groups of subjects, such as our University demanded. In the English schools the lower test was in one group of subjects only. The- higher test might be in languages or mathematics or science. She did not know how this worked out in practice, whether it relieved the pressure we felt in New Zealand or not. She held, and often said, that our University scholarship, was rather a too severe test for growing girls, and she had seen no reason to change her mind about' that from anything she had .seen at Home. There it was not ;.tue work, or the Standard of work which was the chief thing that struck her, but it was the specialising system which prevailed there. Each teacher was a specialist in the highest degree. Another thing which -had struck her rather forcibly was the discipline which obtained in the Home institutions. For instance, at Cheltenham she found that there were over 960 scholar?. Probably there would be now fully "1000. There, the principal (Miss Beak) "had a number of pupils going in for the M.A. degree London, while on the other hand she had babies in the kindergarten, and in between these two extremes she had a very large high school. That establishment was in one building, and the extraordinary part about it \vas that no pupil spoke to another pupil from once they entered the walls of the establishment till they left in the afternoon.—(Laughter.) There was absolutely no communication beiween pupil and pupiL That was a thing which it would be impossible to carry out in these colonies. She did not mean to say that the colonial girls talked more than the English girls, but here we were utterly without 'the. restrictions which rendered that system possible in Cheltenham — restrictions which -were based more cr less on social considerations. The speaker, addressing Miss Beale on this point, had asked her if she did not think the pupils would lese something of the self-restraint which was inculcated by the mixture of girl with girl and lose< something of the companionship thus engendered. The -reply was in tne negative. The pupils did not come to school to form companionships. Their friends were\ chosen for them by their parents. They considered that the rule of silence taught self-control in ,tlie_hjghest degree. Whether ihe> loss w«s not" as great as the gain the speaker considered .was a verj; open matter. In the colonies- we lacked discipline — the discipline General Sir Hector Macdonald tried to inculcate into us. It was a serious matter for us to consider, whether the reputation we prided ourselves upon possessing for independence and freedom of action — whether this independence might not be carried too far. — (Hear, hear.) In this young country we were lacking in many of the associations of the Old Country, in that respect for the antiquity of the nation and the. antiquity of its institutions. Here we had not these, but we muit introduce something in its place. We must bring our ycunjr people up to respect what is because it is, if it is worthy of respect. After speaking of tl c wonderful feeling which is aroused within a colonial visiting the historic scenes of the Old Land, Miss Marchant went on to say that when in Canada she found that the Canadians were crying out just as we were. The primary system of education of Canada was always spoken of as one- of the most perfect in the world, but the Canadians said it was a very good system in theory, but in practice it was one round of cram for examinations. If that was bo, it was a wrong system, and the danger was of these systems becoming merely a means of preparing pupils for examinations. Teachers felt that more and more as year 3 went on. Coming to the work in New Zealand. Miss Marchant said that more and more the feeling was growing here that the high schools would eventually be taken over by the Government and made free schools, and the sooner that came about the better. At present we were wor-king under an anomalous state of affairs. We had the - Seventh ' Standard — that* vet y unknown quantity, judging by the children coming:, from it to the Hicfh School — as a rival to the secondary educatiojjal.insritutions. In "those cla^ges' in the rity primary schools children were prepared up to, she thought, the matriculation standard and no fees were charged, -whilst at the high schools fees 'had to be paid : and it seemed to her to be an absurd thing to have two Institutions working one against the other, one charging fees j and the other not, and one having specially- | chosen staffs for the work and the other , having no staff really to teach these Seventh Standard subjects. The sooner the hig'n schools were made free, and the sooner this Seventh Standard was joined to the high school*, the better it would be for the educational interests of New Zealand. — (Applause.) To Mr G. M. Thomson (who had rharjje of Ihe - school during her absence) and to Miss Mabel Salmond (who had charge of her clas?es) Miss Marchant paid a high tribute of praise. She also expressed pleasure that Mr John Hanna had been granted a well-earned holiday, and praised the manner in which Miss Hanna was carrying on the gymnastic work of the school during her father's absence. She was pleased also that Miss Alves had been granted a deserved year's holiday in order to proceed to France to study French conversation, and she expressed the hope that Miss Alves would return renewed in health, strength, and vigour to tear-h amongst them again. In conclusion, Miss Marchant impressed upon the girls who were leaving the school that year not to think, because the constant supervision of the classroom was withdrawn i from them, that they were at liberty to j please themselves. New duties Revolved upon them — perhaps they were those of the home, or of the university, or of the State, because they would have votes by-and-bye and they must be prepared to exercise those votes sensibly, — and she hoped they would read, think, and grow up noble women. To the prize-winners she said they were not to rest upon their honours. Their work was progressive, and fche hoped they would go on winning prizes. To those who had n&t jvoa prigga sUe said that PQiae of them

had worked harder than the pnze-winners. —(Applause.) They were not all equal, and unfortunately there was no means of increasing their intellectual capacity, otherwise she was afraid the prizes would ha\e been very differently awarded. The girls who won the prizes should be those who made the greatest effort, but there was no way of gauging that. The prizes were approximate, and many a girl who had be^n the best worker in the school had never won a prize — (Applause.) She said that without taking away any credit from the prize-winner?. She hoped the girh would have a \cry lia^py holiday, thanked the staff for their hearty co-operation in the work of the year, and thanked his Excellency for kindly presiding and Lady Ranfurly for distributing the prizes. — (Applause.) Dr Brown replied to the iote on behalf of the Board of Governors. He was sure that from what he had seen that afternoon and evening, his -Excellency would have every reason to feel perfectly satisfied withthe way in which the work of the Boys' and Girls' High Schools was carried on. — (Lord Ranfurly: '"Hear, hear/") After hearing Mis 3 Marchant's speech, he was sure til would agree with him that they had in the lady principal of the Girls' High School someone who stood out rather promirtently in point of character, in point ol efficiency, and in point of eloquence. — (Ap ; plauso.) In condition, he wished to pro ; pose a r hearly vote of thanks to the Governoi for presiding and to Lady Ranfurly for graciously presenting the prizes. : This " was" carried wirh "great enthusiasm, and Lady Ranfuriy," who was heartily cheered, said : Girls, before saying good-night to you this evening on your dismissal for your holidays, I have a very small wish to ex-press--to Miss 11 Marchant ' that I hope will make you think of us in the coming term. I cannot ask that you - get a holiday now, as you are going away on your holidays, but his v Excellency and I both hope that Miss Marchant will give you a holiday, and a whole holiday, some time during the ensuing term.— (Applause.) ' I hope you will enjoy it very much and think of us when you haye < it. - The National Anthem, led by Mr Maitland Gardner, was then sung, and the proceedings were concluded by three cheers beinggiven for his Excel>ncv the Governor. '