SCHOOLS BREAK-UP

Southland Times, Issue 17533, 22 December 1913, Page 3

SCHOOLS BREAK-UP

BLUFF. Dr Jas. Torrance, jchairman of the school committee, presided at the breakup ceremony which took place on Friday afternoon. He said that the average attendance for the year was HOG, out of a roll of 357. Attendance certificates and prizes were won by 35 per cent, of the pupils, a creditable result in the adverse circumstances experienced during the year. The Fourth Standard, however, had put up an exceptionally good record, 54 per cent, of the pupils having sained attendance certificates, the best proof of the attractiveness of school life in the room of their teacher, Mr Prichard, first assistant. He suggested an attendance banner or shield for competition between the rooms. Miss Long had hren appointed assistant in Ryal Bush school, her successor on the staff being Miss i. I'dpi n ton; while an additional teacher was secured in .Miss Mullay, probationer. In view of the controversy on the question of moral instruction in schools, he desired to bear omphalic testimony to the great work that is being done by the primary school teachers of this dominion in creating a high moral lone amongst the young people and so raising the moral tone of the whole community. He maintained that the practice of right conduct thal fc was secured day by day in our schools was moral training of the most valuable kind, for practice was always better than precept. Harmonious relations had always existed between the committee and the teaching staff, and always ought to exist. for they were actuated by a common purpose. He eulogised the enthusiastic work of the secretary, Mr D. McKenzie, who was leaving the district. It was Mr McKenzie's principle in the many public activities with which he had been associated, if lie once ret his hand to the plough never to turn hack. During the year a further portion of the grounds had been asphalted, with the result that the school grounds were now in a satisfactory state. School athletics, in which the school had always taken a leading place, had languished to some extent during tire year, ns the improvements made to the recreation reserve had precluded practice. The school tennis club, however, under the tuition of Miss McLeod had prospered. An enthusiastic hortieuUurnlist on the committee had induced them to prepare a portion of the ground for flower gardens, and they might in the near future expect to have the plots in use, *He thanked the residents of the town for their generous donation of special pries. Tine eommltlee had always relied, and never in vain, on the liberality of the community to provide these prizes.

The dux modal, the sift of the eiii7,pnF. wns presented by the secretary. Mr D. McKenzie. Ho said Hint the ■winner. Miss May Torrance, had a nninne record, i.e.. first in her class from Ilie Second Standard nr. present every dav since admission and youngest pupil in her class. PRIZE LIST. Standard Vl.—l May Torrance (dux). 2 Ina McNeil. 3 .las. ICingsland. Eirstelass Attendance; Goo. Nixey, Thos. Stalker, Wm. Phillipson, Kenneth McKenzie, .las’. Young, Queenie Stalker, Esma Wiig. May Torrance. Ina McNeil: Second-class Attendance: Leslie Giles, .las. Kingsland. Woodwork: 1 .Tas. Kingsland. 2 Thomas Stalker. Cookery: Myra Brookes (second prize). Sewing: 1 May Torrance, 2 Ina McNeil, 3 Esina Wiip. Arithmetic: Thos. Maclean. Writing: Rebecca Ryan. Good Conduct and Progress: Clara Forrest. Tennis: Maara Russell. Standard V.—Merit: 1 Wm. Inilay. 2 Wm. Johnstone, 3 Daphne Harland. Ist class Attendance; Chas. Barker, Wm. Rodoriciue. Vincent. Conway, Chas, Bradshaw, Dnribne Harland: 2nd class attendance: Bert Lee. Wm. Tmlay. Woodwork; 1 Hector Shepard, 2 Vincent Conway. Cookery: Alice Cooper Hirst prize!. Sewing: 1 Daphne Harland. 2 Hazel King, 3

Cathie Squires. Special Sewing: Agnes Maclean. Olga Lezard. Good Conduct and Progress: Robert I-Towden. Standard IV. Merit: 1 Winifred George, 2 Annie Long, 3 Jas. Ferguson.

First class Attendance: Ruby _ Hunter, Gladys Butterfield, Katie Norris, Hazei Parsons, Essie Blunter, Edith Vickery, Frank Johnstone, John Barker, Cecil Campbell, Whiffin Norris, Roy Woods, Harry Cooper, Harry Valentine. Second class Attendance: Annie Long, Edna Brookes, Vera Brookes, Jas. McNeilage, Joint Parsons (1), ’Vernon Moss. Good Conduct: Cecil Parry. Reading: Frank Johnstone. Sewing: 1 Nettie Valentine, 2 Katie Norris, 3 Winifred George. Geography: Whiffin Norris. Standard lll.—Merit; 1 Annie Slnols, 2 Clarice Stag, 3 Nora Dawson. Firstclass Attendance; Alex Stalker, Hazel Preston, John Matheson, Gordon Smith, Win. Storm, Francis Dixon, Robert Dixon, Edward Parsons. Second class Attendance: Thelma Weir. John Parsons (ii), Stuart Cooper, Hector McNeil. Good Conduct: Wm. Storm. Sewing 1 Ida Morrison, 2 Lizzie Tall, 3 Thelma V eir. Special Sewing: Dorothy McDonald. Reading: Edward George. Standard ll.—Merit: 1 Doris Walker, 2 Pearl Hunter, 3 May Ferguson. Firstclass Attendance: Rita Vickery. Ethel Wood, Florrie Shaw, Pearl Hunter, May Ferguson, Herbert Walker, Frank Eastlake. Second-class Attendance: Robert Ballantyne. Progress: Vida Weir, Maisie Arthur. Sewing: 1 Millie Cruickshank, 2 Eunice McQuarrie. 3 Vera Arthur. Standard I.—Merit: 1 Stella Eastlake. 2 Irwin Norris, 3 Effie Shaw. Fikt-class Attendance: Doris Smith, Francis Parry, Vera Svendsen, Lena Svendsen, Stella Eastlake, Jas. Stalker, Irwin Norris. Alfred Parsons. Horace Tall. Second-class Attendance: Effie Shaw, Cecil Dixon. Noel Stewart. Sewing; 1 Chrissie Spencer, 2 Lena Svendsen, 3 Beatrice Burtenshaw. Progress: Ewart Edginton, Fran'cis Parry. Writing: Jessie Robertson. Infant Department.—Merit: Preparatory IV. —1 Alonzo Beale, 2 Doris Stagg, 3 Jas. Morrison. Preparatory 111. 1 Bessie Spencer, 2 Herbert Wixon, 3 John McDonald. Intermediate —1 Irio Morrison, 2 Abner Russell. 3 Trmgard Walther. Preparatory II. —1 Marion McNeil, 2 Eileen Mitchell, 3 Archie Campbell. Firstclass Attendance: Holly Smith. Lilia Vickery, Eileen Johnson, John Chapman, Alor.zo Beale, Wm. Marsh, Robert Preston Rov Shepard. Jessie Eastlake. Eileen Fletcher, Ina Vickery, Edith Dixon, Herbert Wixon, Phyllis Fletcher. Lily Drake. Second-class Aattendance: Cathie Parry, Fred Murison. Special Attendance: May Atkinson. Lilian Hunter, Arthur Cooper. Alex Cooper. Conduct and Neatness: (Upper) Cathie Parry; (Lower) Janie Bowers.

RIVERTON DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL,

There was a fair attendance of parents and friends at the break-up of the above school on Thursday afternoon. The chairman of the school committee (Dr Trotter) presented the prizes, being supported on the platform by- the Rev, C. A. Gray, M.A., and Messrs Richards and Price. • Owing to the attendance having fallen off the school lias lost the service of Miss Lucas. Prior to her departing she vras presented by the children with a dressing ease, and by the staff with the complete works of the Bronte Sisters, in five volumes. The senior girls of the cookery class of the Technical School, presented the Rector (Mr Hewat) with a Christmas cake. Miss Acheson was also presented by the children with two handsome silver trinket boxes, nud an inkstand. Miss Lucas’s gift to the school before departure wa>an honours board on whicli were painted the names of the duxes of the school since 1910. , Dux of School: Leslie Akhurst.