OTAGO GIRLS'.HIGH SCHOOL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2805, 18 December 1907, Page 37

OTAGO GIRLS'. HIGH SCHOOL.

The Girls' High School held ita break-up on the 12th in the Boys' High School Hall. As usual, the body of the hall was used for the accommodation, of the young lady pupils and the teaching staff. The side seats ' were devoted *o parents and friends of the pupils, and also the gallery, and all the available space was fully occupied. The proceedings commenced with punctuality, ! it being but a few minutes after € o'clock ' when the Hon. J. R. Sinclair, M.L.C., j chairman of the High School Board of ! Governors, accompanied by The lady principal of the school (Miss Merchant), the Mayor (Mr J. Loudon), the Rev. C. H. Z^ws (who presided!, D r Stand, tte Hon. T. Fergus, the Hon. J. T. Paul, M.L.C., Mr T. K. Sidey, M.P., Mr W. J. MorreU (rector of the Boys' High School), Mr G. Fenwiek, and Mr G. M. Thomson took their seats on the platform within the railing. The Hon. J. A. Millar, Minister of Customs and Marine, arrived shortly afterwords. Apologies for non-attendance were received from Sir James Mills, Hon. G. Fowlds, Hon. C. C. Bowen, Mr Justice Sim, Rev. A. Cameron, Lieut.-Col. Smyth, Messrs J. Allen, M.P., J. F. Arnold, M.P., J. M. Gallaway, J. H. Walker, G. C. Israel, P. Goyen, G. L. Denniston, and M. Fraer. The Hon.-J. R. Sinclair, in a brief address, referred to the changes in the school during the year, "and to the urgent necessity for a new school building. The Rev. C. H. Law* then took the

| chair, and after a pithy address distri- ] ■ bated the school prizes. Mr G. Fenwick presented the Navy League prizes, and i ako the shield for competition between the ' ; Girb' High School, St. Hilda's College, ', -md Braemar House. The prize essay having been written by Brenda Morris, the shield tnis year is he'd by the Girls' High School. The Hon. -J. A. Millar presented the dux with the gold medal won. The ■following is the prize-list: — [Names given first are those of prizewinners; those which follow obtained certificates.] ! VI A— English: M. Watt; M. Samuel. I Mathematics: M. Samuel; M. Watt. Latin: . M. Watt; M. Samuel. Erench: M. Watt; M. Samuel. Science: M. Samuel 1, M. Watt 2; ; S. Bayley. j VI -B— English: R. Ryan; I. Laycock. I Mathematics: M. Hughes (Messrs Brown, | Ewing's silver medal) ; G. M'Mullan. Latin : JV. Burnard; I. Laycock. French: I. Lay- | cock; V. Burnard. Science: I. Laycock; R. Ryan, M. Hugbes. Drawing (certificates): "R. Ryan, V. Burnard. Gymnastics (certificate): O. Laidlaw. V A— English: G. Shaw; I. Duke, jpistory: B. Morris. G. Shaw (prize). Mathematics: G. Shaw; F. Harrison. Latin: G. Shaw, J. Duke; V.' Whitehead. Lower Division: E. Foster; K. Hogg. French: H. Veale; K. Mackisack, K. Hogg, V. - Paulin. Science : G. Shaw; E. Jeans, V. Paulin. Sewing (certificates): E. Jeans, G. Shaw. Drawing (certificates): E. Jeans, H. Lyders. Gymnastics (certificate): E. Jeans. '' V B— English and History: I. Crawford; E. Taylor. Mathematics: V. Carey; E. Watters. Latin: E. M'Laren; H. Huestou. French: I. Crawford; K. M'Donald. Science: V. Carey, H. Hueston; I. Crawford. Sewing (certificate): J. Kilgour, E. Watters and V. 'Carey (etjual). Drawing (certificates): S. Mitchell, V. Carey, H. Elliott. Gymnastics (cer- , tificate) : E. Watters. V C— English and History: F. Knight; I. Sweeney, D. Dempster. Mathematics: M. Bradneid; B. Thompson. Science: F. Knight; D. Dempster. Sewing (certificates): G. Islip and F. Knight (equal), I. Sweeney. Drawing (certificates): D. Dempster, L. • Symons, E. Hyde. Gymnastics (certificate) t I. Sweeney." IV A? (Upper)— Englis h: M. Anderson; O. Paterson. Mathematics: M. Anderson; F. Sims. French: M. Anderson; F. Sims. Science: M. Henderson; R. Jeans. Sewing {certificates) : O. 'Paterson, H. Miller. Draw1 ing (certificates): R. Jeans. M. Anderson. Gymnastics (certificate) : D. Kyle. IV- A (Lower) — English ana History : P. . | Clark; A. Ait ken. Mathematics: G. Stone- ! ham; P. Clark. Latm: I. Black; P. Clark. J French : L. Maclean ; E. Robertson. Science : I I. Black; F. plr.rk, A. Aitken. Sewing (certi- ; ficate): 'V. Given. Drawing (certificates): J. : Alexander, M. Dumsday. Gymnastics (certificate): P. Clark. IV B— English and History: 13. Holgate; ID. Lyders, E. Taylor. Mathematics: R. Mor- ! rison; E. Holgate, M. Keast, A. Robertson.- ! French: E. Taylor; M. Keast. Science: D. j Lyders ?. E. Holgate. R. Morrison. ' • Drawing I (certificates): J. Griffiths, B. Botting. Gymj nasties (certificate) : L. Abercrombie. IV C— English: R. Mercer; W. Maitland, IV. Mitchell. Mathematics-. E. Campbell ; iM. Christensen. L. Spencer. .French : ,A. I Anderson; R. Mercer. Science; E. Duncan, IJ. Jeans ; J. . Arthur. Sewing (certificates) : i M. Christenseii, E. Kummert, Drawing (cer- • tificates): E. Kummert,'' M. Christensen. ! Gymnastics (certificate) : 'R. Mercer. Sports — Tennis: Singles, T. Whitehead; doubles, O. Laidlaw and S. M'Donald. Fives : Singles, R. Bagley; -doubles, R. Bagley-and S. M'Donald. Special Prizes. — Shakespeare Club's reading prize; Irene Black. Athenaeum Commit- • tee's prize: Irene/ 1 Laycock. Otago Art Society's medal for drawing: Eana B. Jeans. Navy League (Otag'p Branch) prize for best essay in girls' eecondarjr schools. Thmedin : • Brenda M. Morris. Navy League class 1 prizes: VI A, Margaret Milne; VI B, E. A. M'Farlane; V A, E. Bodkin; V By A. Dar1 ling; V C. D. Dempster; IV A (Upper), R. Jeans; IV A (Lower), P. Clark; fv B, P. Stephens; IV C, R. Mercer. Dalrymple prizes: A. Aitken, H. Collins, D. Dempster, A. Hay. C. Hogg, N. Kay, M. Keast, K. M'Donald, K. M-ackisack, E. Robertson, F. Sims, L. Spencer. I. Sweeney, N. Taylor, E. Watters. Attendance (four years without absence) : B. M. Morris. Music prizes — Miss i Longford's pupils: General improvement, ; ElfrTda Knieht; Mr Taylor's pupils: Senior, < Margaret Milne; junior, Ethel Smith. I Dux of t2e School (Board of Governor's ; gold 1 medal) : Margaret Samuel. principal's bbpobt. The total number of pupils- enrolled this year has been 178, that number being in attendance during the first term. There were 166 pupils in the second .and IGLin the third , term. At the beginning of the -rear 68 new gjrls were admitted, and there were no enrolments for the second or third terms. The ' school is now almost entirely a free one, only 10 pupils paying fees, and several of' thos« doing so for this^year only, till they can pass en examination to qualify for a free place*. We have had 42 senior free scholars and 126 juniors. Of these, 12 held senior and nine junior scholarships. Last year 21 gjrls passed -the matriculation' examination ;v; v one qualified for matriculation | on the junior scholarship papers; one girl gained a university bursary; one girl passed the intermediate Mus. B. examination, and three girls gained junior university scholarships. Nine girls passed the civil service | examination, and 10 others qualified for senior free places. One girl gained an Education } .Board scholarship, and four. gained Board of Governors' scholarship;. In regard to the school work, I reported last year that some relief had been promised to ! these junior pupils that took both sewing and cooking, this work to count for part of their examination course. I am sorry to say that, owing to the Inspector-general s absence in ! England, nothing has been done, and the burden is as heavy ac ever. We are looking forward to the Inspector-general's report on his tour, and hope we shall have a modified curriculum to work under in future. lam more and more convinced that the two years' work laid down for us is too severe a task for. the average girl of 14 or 15. We have had a very uneventful year, broken only by the epidemic of colds and influenza in the third term. The staff has one and all, been loyal, earnest, and devoted to the work of the school, and the pupils have on tlio whole done good work. A brief address by the Hon. J. A. Millar and votes of thanks, etc., concluded the proceedings. ===== i

Tho horees engaged in the Wellington Fire Brigade work rarely remain more than four years in "the service ; but there is one horse, retained by the Wellington headquarters as an emergency horse, which has seen eight years of usefulness in the brigade. This animal, a half-brother to the famous racehorse Advance, is still sound in limb and wind. In France there are 6.000.000 smokers (says the Tobacco Weekly Journal). Of every 15 there are eight who smoke a pipe, five who smoke cigars, and only two who are cigarette smokers.