BREAKING-UP OF THE DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL.

Southland Times, Issue 3898, 17 December 1880, Page 2

BREAKING-UP OF THE DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL.

A very pledsant forenoon was spent yesterday in witnessing the breaking-up of this institution for the summer vacation. A large number of ladies and gentlemen were present. Shortly after 11 o'clock, in the absence of the School Committee, Mr Denniston, ae a member of the Education Board, was called to the chair, and after expressing his extreme regret at the absence of. Mr Lumsden, stated that it gave him great pleasure to see so large a gathering of young people on such nn occasion. The day of prizes had to some extent passed away, owing, he supposed, to exigencies that did away with a number of other things. The certificates, however, that were to replace prizes were valuable, representing, as they did, actual attainments. He then called on Mr Gurr, the rector, to give some information about the school. Mr Gurr said it gave hiin great pleasure to give an account of his work to eo many friends. He was proud of his school. Between himself, his teachers, and the live or six hundrel children in the school there existed the very best feeling. The pupils were on the whole very obedient, and he had few cases of bad conduct. His staff of teachers was an excellent one, most atteutivc to theii duties, courteous in deportment, and ever ready to assist him when any extra work was on his hands. From the first assistant to the lowest pupil teacher the one aim seemed to be to join him in giving to the scholars their best attention. Since he had been in Invercargill MrGoyenlmd twice inspected the school, onca in ordinary'work, and once in the extra subjects, and he felt that there was no better time than the present to speak of his entire satisfaction with the examination. In Southland the standards were well met. The examinations were searching and comprehensive, and, in his opinion, these were the best examinations for all parties, although, at the present, our Inspector's rigid adherence to the syllabus of the State made us look a little low on paper. His own experience was to the effect that a Southland fifth was equal to the highest standards in some other parts of New Zealand, and all would be benefited in the long iun. After the distribution of some handsome prizes and of certificates as below, and the singing . of several glees, the Chairman dismissed the Upper, Lower, and Infant Schools for their five weeks' holiday, and in doing so said he had listened with pleasure to Mr Gurr's remarks, aud particularly to those in which reference had been made to Mr Goyen's examinations. He congratulated Mr Gutr on his bravery in desiring to face a high standard, and took this spirit to be full of promise for the school. They had not that day had from the lips of the children anything to indicate tlieir progress, but the attainment by so many ..of such large pe?centages of marks was sufficient proof of what they had been doing. The aspect of the school, thc control under which the scholars were, and the good understanding that plainly existed between them and Mr Gurr were very pleasing to witness. The chairman felt satisfied that the advent of Mr Gurr would prove a boon to the cause of education in Invercargill, and of high value to the community. Before leaving the Infant School, recalling [the remarks of Mr Gurr about the thorough efficiency of his staff of teachers, the chairman observed that evidence of the truth of this remark had been abundant as they passed from room to room. He was sure they must all have been much pleased with the singiug, and that of the children in the Infant School hail beeu particularly attractive. We ought to mention that before leaving I the Upper School, cheers wero given respectively for the Chairman, and for Mr Gurr and the other teachers, and much merriment was created by the deoceut on the head of the first-named functionary of a shower of bouquets from the hands of the girls, which seemed to be a coniplpijent as highly prized as it was novel. UPPER SCHOOL. PHIZE LIST. Sixth Form — 1 James Robertson (dux), 2 William Collins, 3 Jane Jamieson. Fifth Form — l.Archiba'd Ramsay (dux). ■2 Alexander Gcllatly, 3 Edtu-md Eogers, 1 Jftjje Banjsay (special),

v Fonrth v fFr§riti--l Ethel Mawf Gurr (dux), 2 Amy Mitchell, 3 Lenore May "Gurr, 4 Elizabeth Stewart (special), 5 Ada Johnson (special), 6 Margaret Ramsay (specia^), 7 Ella Trew (special). ' : % yLOWER SCHQOL.v '^ Third Class— l F.ank Hilton' (dux), 2' V i>cter Walker, 3 Sophia Wilde. Second Class — I Andrew Fairbairn (dux). 2 Thomas Lennie. First Class— l William Lillicrap. 2' Ada Geddes, 3 John Johnson, 4 Christina Ferguson. Infnut Class — 1 Hilda Baker, 2 James Campbell, Drawing Prizes — 1 Charlotte Jaggers, 2 James Hannah, 3 Arabella Bellamy, 4 Harry Jaggers. The- following pupils obtained certificates: — UPPER SCHOOL. Sixth Form — First Class : Hautrie West, Frank Buckley, John Millar, Wiliiam Little, George Watson, James Fox, William Collins, James Robertson, Norman Gurr, Martha Hamilton, Margaret Dryburgh, Henrietta Gray, Jane Jamieson, Isabella Dr. burgh, Jessie Goodwillie, Margaret Bet bune. Margaret Hamilton. Second Class Certificates : Charles Hamilton. Henry Sargeant, Robert Campbell, Ernest Froggatt, William Bright, Johanna Mclvor, Agnes Aiton, Margaret Aiton, Jane Asher, Alice Thompson, Jane Gray, Sarah Goodwillie. Elizabeth McNattj , Annie Peters, and Ida Sargeant. Fifth Form — First Class : Edmond Rogers, Archibald Pvamsay, Alexander Ge'latly, ' Peter McCallum, JohnTennet. Frank Rogers, Lewis Sangstcr, George I'eid. Jane Ramsay, Jane Watson, Mary Artis, Janet Sangstcr. Second Class : Chailes Little, Hn^'h Walker, William Lewis. Elizabeth Williams, Jane N. Ramsay, Charlotte Jaggers, Jane Henderson, Fourth Form — First Ciass : William Coupland. Elizabet'i Muiray,Margaret Smith, Ethel Uhrr, Leuorc Gurr, Margaret Ramsay, Ella Trew, Jessie Taylor, Ada Johnson, Margaret McKenzie. Amy Mitchell. Minnie Scandrett, Maria Mclvor,. Margaret Fairbairn, Margaret Hush, Charlotte Harvey. Second Class : John Murray, Thomas Goldie, Alexander Findlay, Hugh Graham, George Kingsland, Andrew Smith, Heury Lan^, John Duncan. Alexander Mair, James Lennie, George Brown, Allen Cuthbertson, James Walsh, Andrew McCallum, Arthur Smith, William Faruie, Barbara Manson, Kate Huffadine. Henrietta Ramsay, Arabella Bellamy, Elizabeth Stewart, Charlotte Mclvor, Christina Aiken, Charlotte Stauford, Emily Aiton, Christina de Schmidt; LOWER SCHOOL. Third Class— First Certificate : " Frank Hiltou. Secoud Certificates: James Adamson. James McCreath, George Findlay, James Hamilton, Walter Mitchell, Henry Tapper, Edward Crofts, Hugh Hunter, Alexander Hunter, Isabella Moreton, Mary Brown. Isabella Samson, Minnie Trew, Alice Atkinson, Isabella Thompson, Dora Galbraith, Elizabeth Thompson. Rebecca Porter. Second Glass — First Certificates : Otto Buchanan, William Ott, David Harper, Thomas Lennie, Isabella Graham, Minnie McNatty, Ellen Birss. Second Certificates : Otto Hast, Robert Aiton, Alex. McLeod, George Tibbits, William Lillicrap, David Findlay, Charles Peters, Robert Wilde, Robt. Graham, James Smith, John Harper, William Ashley. James Alleu, Albert Froggatt, Wm. Grigor, John Cameron, William Sangster, George Shepherd, Mary Ashley, Minnie McNatty, Emily Waugh, Annie Wells. Rosa Small, Mary McCallum, AdaGeddes, Margaret McLeo ), Elizabeth Ramsay. Georgina Dryburgh, Hannah Woodworth, Ellen Stead, Nellie Gray, Eva Sargeant, Cecilia Woodnall, Mary McCreath, Margaret France, Mary Allen, Phcebe Fox.