GIRLS' HIGH SCHOOL

Taranaki Daily News, 14 December 1916, Page 8

GIRLS' HIGH SCHOOL

BREAKTXG.I'i CEREMONY. THE SEW BUILDING. The breakiug-up ceremony 1n connection with the New 'Plymouth: Girls' High School, which took place in the Assembly Hall of the School last evening, was largely- attended by pupils, their parents ar.d friends, and the accommodation provided wa: not quite sufficient;. Mr. JX Hutcher (chairman of the High school Board of Governors) .presided, ar.d associated with him on the platform wera.the Mayor and Mayoress (Mr. and Mrs. C. 11. Burgess), Miss Barr (the School Principal), Mr.s Hutcher., Mr. B. J. 11. Okey, M.P., Messrs, R. W. D. Robertson, H. Trimble, T. G. Hirst, E. P„ Webstei, S. G. Smith (members tf I'ho Board), and .Misses Drew, Clark, Ait'cen and Fairbrothei (mem(Jav. o.' ti.o teaching staflji ' JThe gi-k cf the school '.vere dressed II >vfclts, i-d occupied .the front, forms in the lif.ll, ar.d they opened the proceedings ls£ singing, in., liorus, 'Gaudeawus." The Chairman, addressing those preheat, thanked them for theii '. attendance, and said vheii i numberr formed cvidsr.ie of the,': appreciation of the work p{ Miss Barr and hei staff. The school had fairly .settled down to its work, aftt_ much turmoil incident to scanning quarters. The girls had now mjca j;iore "favorable conditions under v.'iien m carry on theik studies. In addition to liking, charge of. the school asa the. itianagement of the boarding e:tabi'.'j.".nie.is, iiiss Bar; had superinteaed viie ?<ork, of removing into the new school. The cask Jiad -been.a very o.raLou or.e, and the- Board, was under, r.r. Jbugation to Miss Barr foi the way ir: r.'hich ihc had carried out the duties vntruciea '.o her. Mr. Hutchen apoio-gis.'.t.'-'or ihe absence of Mr. Atkinson, , J. E. Wilson, and Dr. Fookes, Tbe : p-ang the choruj item, PRINCIPAL'S RETORT. Mis; m,iv read her report of the work o: t.ie r.chool during the year, in which it was ..'.ated, that the number of p.rpiis on the .roll at the end of the last ycc.i- ?/a» %. The aumbers for the three 'ierii].j of this year were 39, 90, ar.d iL respectively, and a inliy equipped and ap-to-date school had oeen b-uiltj there -,l'as every reason 'to i.ope i'or an increase in the nunlbfiH :.t the oeginhing of next year. The sjhool v;as in every way a suitable i;.e, arid could offer to girls a3 sound an education as any High School in the Dominion. The possession of a cookery room would obviate the necessity foy girls going backwards and forwards to dasseg at the Technical College, and Vi-oJl<I prove a great saving of time. The number of boarders would be occupied. ticd been 14, 13, and 13. So far, 'the r.urubcis lwd been limited to the available accommodation, but at the beginning of tiie yeai Straiulon House, whtro there rfiis accommodation for twice, the number of boarders, would be oceii pied.

PLEPAHATORY DEPARTMENT. T.i-j preparatory ' department \.t.s ilon:g good work, w-.tli the ii:creasid facilities now offered, tven bet- 1 to. i-esulti- '.yould, it was hoped, be accomplished. The numbers for the three iarms iiad' been 20, 10, and IS. ' GTAEj CHANCES, | iJi Che beginning of. the /ear Jennings' place was taken by Miss flitijoa, -Miss Livingstone's by Miss Clark, '.mi Miss Shaw'., by Miss 'Porter. A. the end of tlio second term Mte' Porte: leslgned, -neing .ucceeded irj Miss Fairbrother, while a'liss Hodges, who had wanted under difficult circumstances, ..esigned swing to ill-health. Tli's Eshool ore;! much to ,'isr untiring effo:',.. PARENTS' CO-OPERATION. Cn -<",hc waoL>, t'-ve attendance ; had been good, but there were a number of girls kept r.*; nome on trivial pretexts a half-day here, and another there, it was, ..r.id Miss Barr, impossible to do good and continuous work if attendance was irregular, and she urged parents to encourage their girls to remain at school as iiong- as possible. The sixth form was very small this year, and threatened to be so again next year. EXAMINATION SUCCESSES. Last year the asual suniber of passes were obtained at the various examinations. Airini Pope and Joyce Wilson gained Taranaki scholarships. iS::; girls .passed the matriculation examination, while three others obtained i p2-t:.i! -passes. Thirteen girls were sueCesaral in obtaining senior free places, | and two secured jimioi • free places.

. GENERAL Jlhc Bavr referred Jo ,the cehool sports, aiul said that, with the improved facilities, the girls should become very proficient in their games, and thus gain much in' physical and moral training. The girls ljsid, also done a p-eat deal in connection with patriotic work. The school magazine had been published, and in this connection' splendid assistance had been given by Miss Andrews, secretary. of the Old Girls' Association. The school wan indebted to the Board, to Mr. E'. P. tVebster, and to the prefects for donations of books for the library, and to Dr. Fookes for the donation of a rose-bowl as a trophy. A CREDITABLE itECOBD. ■Referring to the report, the Chairman said "the record of the. school was a very creditable l'.e, and ,e(lccted in a large measure jpon the ability of the Principal ■ asd. teaching stall. Miss Hodges' resignation, which wa. brought about owing' to ill-health, had been received with great regret by the Board, and it iva; felt that considerable difficulty would be met with in finding a Principal who would-, replace lie.'. Miss Barr, however, had t proved a very capable Principal, and had voii ihe entire confidence of the Board. Mr. Kutchen referred to the acquisition of Sirar.don as a boarding establishment i;i connection with the school, and to iha p'.lrchase of three acres of land near the school as a< playing area. He feli "chat good progress would, be carried oat at the school during the coming year. , ■ THi\ P3IZE-LIST Prizss were distributed as follows: PREPARATORY DIVISION, Standard I.—o. Oreatbattfh; jlass prize; D. Rennell, drawing and writing. Standard lI.—N. iPalmer, class prize; R. List, history and geography. Standard lit—B. Sumner, <las3 prize. Standard IV.—P. Griffiths, drill and liiliscnce,

Standard V.—E. Campbell, class prize. Standard VI.—A. Wilson, class prize; A. i'ookes, diligence. v'PPER SCHOOL Form lII.—W. Downes, first ,'n English, Latin, freneh and mathematics; O. .Pucker, first in botany and .irawing, second in Latin, French,•/ English, geography and history, B .RlLot,,flrsx in arithmetic, history and giofjriphy; E. Ballantvne, scSond in English and ..lathemiities; Jf. Barnes,'se.ond in English and botany; W. Olson, second m Latin; .J. Wilson, geneial .progress; M. Smith, general progress. Form IV.—D. WatkiaSi, first in Engi'.sh, history, geogrtijiliy, botany r.nd drawing; J. Cassie, first it. Latin and French, second ia English; D. Le>cn, firs# in arithmetic, second ii:,\ mathematics: ?> ; . Dell, first in mathematics; A. Rawlinson, second ii. botany, third . : n arithmetic; If. Wilso;., second* 1r: I.f.tin, second in drawing; M. firowfcj general progress; G. Barvreil t diligence. anil general progress. ~ Form V.—.l. Cook,', Va., first ,in English, Latin, French, drawing,, arithmetic, second in mathematics; L. Hurie,. Vb., firs, in English, arithmetic, mathematics und science, second in Latin, French, history and geography; M. .Mortw, first in history and geography,, third in Latin; F. Evans, first in French; M, Gillespie, first in inathemati'cs; tiiid botany; K. Monteath, second in natural scierice; Edna White, second.in drawing; M. Fox, special' prize for English' and history; A. Living, general progress. - - •Dr. Fookcs' trophy—J.-Cooke. , Head prefect's prize—l. ftarp. House prefect's prize—M. Fox, Dux—W. Chapman and I, Earp.

PUPILS URGED TC AIM HIGH. Speeches were delivered by tbe air. Okey, Ml'. Trimble, rtiiti, Mr. Sitlith. The speakers Urged tilt girls to Uhi high, and to do their Utmost; td achieve success in their • - work, i .The Mayor particularly emphasised the importance of the girls acquiring - efficiency i;: v domestic science, and iiv.thc&e essentia:? which were most conducive to ». suicesshil home. VISITORS ENTERTAINED. Tii- speeches were interspersed with items by the pupils, the following p-.'o-gramnie being presented:—Vocal uc.ei. Alison Cooke and " Miirv Mackenzie; pianoforte solos, Viva ' Johns, Mary Mackenzie, and Miss Irene . Ilirji (a:i old pupil); French recitation, llele.i Thompson. The "programme concluded with a scene from Mrs. Gasldil's novel, "Cranford," the players "being Dorene Watkins, Mary Mackenzie,' Tess Mohteath, Peggie Brown, and Gertrude Burwell. The ceremony ' was very successful, and was marked with the utmost enthusiasm. Hearty "applause was accorded the speakers and . entertainers. After ti'.e singing of the National Anthem, which brought the proceedings to a close, the visitors ..availed themselves of the first opportunity givi/i them* of inspecting the new school.