THE COLLEGIATE SCHOOL.

Southland Times, Issue 2140, 25 June 1875, Page 3

THE COLLEGIATE SCHOOL.

The sixth half-yearly demonstration of the Collogiate School, conducted by Professor and Mrs Henri, was celebrated in the Theatre Eoyal on Wednesday evening. The doors were open t>y half past seven o'clock, and long ere eight, the hour of beginning, the accommodation of the upper portion of the building, and part of the lower, was all appropriated, and those who arrived later were obliged to make the best shift they could, most being compelled to stand. The stage was most taßtefully " got up : " it was crowded with the pupils ot the Collegiate School, male and female, in their holiday attire, and the spectacle presented by these, assisted by the effect produced by the suspension above their heads of numerous well arrauged lights and graceful ornaments, which had. apparently been manipulated by cuuning girlish hands, was an exceedingly pleasing one. On a table, which was level with the foot lights, there was a large display of fancy work, which had been woven, knitted, or stitched by the female pupils, and also several drawings in pencil ; but the most pleasing feature of the whole, was the large number of healthy, intelligent, orderly boys and girls. With regard to the programme itstlf. it was judiciously chosen, and item by item, satisfactorily rendered to the audience. It began with a piano solo (1 he Fairy QueeD,) executed by Mrs Weeden, who, with her usual and well known skill and ability, gave Beveral other favorite pieces during the evening. Then came tasteful and classical recitations, scenes from Shakespeare and Sheridan Knowles, and some pongs and duets by the pupils, together with a song or two by Professor Henri himself. The first part was followed by an interval, during which the boys and girls of the Bixth Jorrn ccuipttcd, in arithmetic and dictation, for special prizes given by gentlemeu of Invercargill. The acting judges on this occasion were Messrs Harvey, G. F. Martin, and Bree. All the pupils — though of course the prizes fell only to a lew of the competitors — showed in both these important branches of education much aptitude. Master and Miss Smith (the latter a very little girl) who won the prizes for dictation, performed the task without a single error in spelling or punctuation. In arithmetic, Master Moffett worked out two of the questions (which by the way were regular 11 posers") correctly, and in the third he was wrong only in the fractional part of a farthing. The second part of the programme was similar to the first in excellence, though varied in character. In it Mr and Mrs Henri sang a duet by Verdi, " Peace to thy spirit," which was well received. The concluding piece was dramatic — " A Bachelor's wants" — and was rendered by four boy-pupils with much appre ciation of the humor ot the parts, and in a manner which, while it showed them to be well grounded in the principles of elocution— as all the pupils, boys and girls, seemed to be — gave infinite amusement to the audience. The National Anthem concluded the programme. Appended is the prize list, the awards having been made by Messrs Thomas Denniston, T. G. Goodsir, and G. i\ Martin, each of whom accompanied the presentation with a few suitable and commendatory remarks :^ — BOXS. Special prize for Arithmetic, given by R. M. Brte, Efd.— Master John Mcffett. First prize for Dictation, givtn by T. G. Goodeir, Esq. — Master 'Jhomas Smith. First prize for Eh culion, given bj John W. Mitchell, Esq.— Master William Preeton ; second ditto, piven by J. "Walker Bain, Esq. — Master John Millar. GIEM. Special prize for Dictation, given by Gr. F. MortiD, Eeq.— Mary Smith. Speiial prizes for Berlin wool work, given by Mrs W. J. Moffett, and Messrs L. Bodgers, and S. Jacobs — Maggie Scott, Jenny Forbee, and Mary Smith. Special prize for wool flowers given by P. Calder, Esq. — Augusta Hawkins. Special prize for knittiDg, given by Mr Price — Mary Thomson. Prize for plain sewing, given by Mrs Henri — Ettie Quick. Special prizes for crochet work— lst, given by Thomas Dennis ton, Esq., Agnes Dumigan ; 2nd, given by Mrs Mcffelt, Agues Cheyne. Special pr'zee given by Sir John Richardgon to the two pupils, girl and boy, who had obtained the highest number of marks during the six months — Archibald Hawke, 821 out oi 1000 j Jenny Forbes, 733 out of 800. If the doctor orders bark, has not the patient a right to growl ? How peaceful an cyster is ! And yet it frequently gets into a stew ! If the patient does not recover his health, ought the physician to recover bis fees ? " Moe'n You'll Keep." — Some years ago an old sign-painter, who waß very cross, very gruff, and a little deaf, was engaged to paint the 10 commandments on some tablets in a church not five miles from Buffalo. He worked two days at it, and at the end of the second day the pastor of the church came to see how the work progressed. The old man stood by, smoking a short pipe, as the rev. gentleman ran his ©yes over the tablets. "Eh !" said the pastor, aB his familiar eye detected something wrong in the wordiDgof the precepts ; " why, you careless old man, you have left a part of the commandments entirely out ; don't you see?" ''No! no such thing," said the old man, putting on his gpectacles ; "no nothing left out— where ?" "Why, there," persisted the pastor, just look at it in the Bible ; you have left some of that commandment out." " Well, what if I have ?" eaia old obstinacy, as he ran his eyes complacently over his work ; "what if I have ? There's more there now than you'll keep !" Another and a more correct artist was employed the next day,