TEMUKA DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2297, 24 December 1891, Page 3

TEMUKA DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL.

ANNUAL PRIZE GIVING. The annual distribution of prizes in connection with the above school took place yesterday in the large class room. There was a very good attendance of parents and friends who testified much in-

terest in the proceedings. The chair was taken by Mr W. Storey, the acting chairman, and there were present Messrs Brown and Russell (members of the committee), and Mr A. W. Gaze (the secretary). The chairman in a few introductory remarks expressed his pleasure at being again present at the annual gathering and also at the presence of so many parents. The teachers would be greatly encouraged thereby and the committee also felt gratified. He had to apologise for the absence of Mr A. E. G. Rhodes, who was unable to be present, but in the Hon. W. Rolleston they had a very efficient substitute, one who in, fact had done so much for education that he might aptly be styled the Champion of State Education. He shouldmot under the cirumstances detain them with a long speech. Before asking Mr Rolleston to distribute the prizes he thought the visitors present would appreciate a song from the children. The senior pupils then sang, under the leadership of the head master, a song entitled “ Our Ancestors,” which was most ■rjditably delivered. Mr Rolleston then spoke as follows : It is nearly five years since I had the privilege of occupying the same position which I stand in to-day in the unavoidable absence of our friend and member, Mr Rhodes. I then took occasion, as I shall to-day, to say a few words as to what we mean by a National system of Education, and I felt then that it was not altogether uncalled for to speak on the defensive in relation to that system. As time has gone on events have since shown that I was justified in taking that line. Difficulties are being raised, and misconceptions have arisen in several directions, which, if they do not actually imperil, at least throw a shade of uncertainty on the future of the system. These difficulties and misconceptions lie principally in three directions : first, in respect of the public finance; secondly, there are misconceptions in the minds of the masses of the people as to the full extent to which the State should use the Public Funds, and objections of a class character are raised to what is called higher education; and thirdly, the churches are pressing their claims in respect of what is known as the Religious Difficulty. Speaking first of the financial question, I need hardly remind you that what we understand by a National system is that the State takes up the matter of Education as a State Department, in the same way as it makes the army, the navy, the police, the post office, and the telegraph, departments of State. Its doing so makes it incumbent on it to satisfy the requirements of the community in that department. Private enterprise is paralysed by the establishment of a State monopoly, and a wrong is done if the public requirements are not fully satisfied. How far is Parliament doing its duty at the present time in respect of Education I The report of the Minister of Education presented last session says: —“Apart from the prospect of new settlement, much remains to be done to put existing schools upon a satisfactory footing. There are 73 overcrowded schools, 71 schools meeting in rooms that are not public property, and 329 schools to which master’s residences are not attached.” The sum voted for public school buildings last year was £35,000. This year the sum voted was £25,000 out of the ordinary revenue and £7500 out of loan, or a diminution of the building grant by £2590. An element of uncertainty was moreover , introduced by making a portion of the grant dependent upon borrowed money, which is supposed to be coming to an end. South Canter -

bury, which last year received £IBOO, and was unable with that sum to keep pace with the requirements of the district, has this year had its grant reduced to £1260. As has been pointed out by the board, “the grant was scarcely sufficient to keep the existing buildings in repair, to say nothing about building or making additions. The board was utterly unable to provide for the increase in the number of children and also to keep the buildings together.” These facts seem to indicate that the administration of the department required to be carefully watched, for indeed it is on the due development of our education system more than on anything else that the future well-being of the country depends. This is apart from the necessity, which exists for advance in the direction of technical education. Then again there are dangers from those who misconceive what is meant by Democracy—who would limit the responsibility of the State to the six standards, or even to less than that. Do they know what they would do ? They would throw the Government into the hands of the very class whose privileges they are seeking to curtail, for what we mean by Democracy is that the ruling power shall be—not brute force, or mere power of numbers, not birth, not wealth, not labor, but—the cultivated intelligence of men rising by merit from all classes of the community. It is this that must come to the top, and it is the development of this which our national system.is designed to prosecute. If you limit higher education to those who can best afford to pay for it, depend upon it the Government will fall into the hands of those ‘ wlioso ■\voalth enables them to obtain it.

The opportunity of rising to the highest position of power and influence must be open to all. Then only will our system be really national; then only will our Governbe really Democratic. And here Ido not wish to be misunderstood as to what I mean by cultivated intelligence. Brain power, it is true, by itself and alone, will conquer ignorance whenever it comes into conflict with it, but it is only cultivated intelligence that in the long run will rule men. Our schools do not exist for the development of intellect ,and the acquisition of knowledge alone. It it impossible for cultivated men—it is more impossible for cultivated women —to teach without imbuing their pupils with higher qualities than mere mental power. The love of country, the love of home, the love of nature, the love of their fellow men, the sense of duty, are all factors in this ;cultivated intelligence. In history which qf you would read the story of the mother giving her son his shield, and telling him in lour short words to bring it back or be borfle back upon it, without forming a. conception of Patritiosm ? Has not the present a new life given to it in the study of the history of the past ? Has not daily life a new and higher interest given to it by the study of Nature 1 Again, it is impossible but that habits of accuracy, akin to truth in its highest phases, should be inculcated in every branch of study that is properly prosecuted—a sense of duty, leading to the recognition of a “ power Not ourselves is, insensibly it may be, but not less really, implanted in the pursuit of our school work. The child that shirks its work, that pretends to know what it has not taken the trouble to learn, is brought to its bearings and taught to despise shams—patience, honesty, the determination to overcome difficulties, have all their place in the national school life. How near this national teaching approaches the teaching which the different religious bodies claim as their special function, is a question which I cannot now discuss. Much depends on the earnestness of the teacher. This I feel when I read attacks upon our national system as “ Godless ” ; but those who use the phrase forget that the Great Presence can make itself felt everywhere—in different ways and different degrees—in our schools as well as in our churches, and that in the exercise of their distinctive functions, schools and churches can, if they will, promote their common object, the establishment of *• Nobler modes of life,

“ With sweeter manners, purer laws.” However this may be I am well assured that our schools are centres of nation life to which we should cling with the utmost tenacity. Good government, the general well-being of the community, will not, as some would have us belive, be promoted by the effort to put one class in power to the exclusion of another. Education will roll out the unseemly creases which disfigure the intricate wrap and wool of society. Good government will not be promoted by a selfish policy of limiting the functions of the State to teaching the six standards. It will be promoted, it will grow with the growth of a feeling of common brotherhood between all classes, and it is in our national schools that this feeling can be most effectually cultivated. The children then very effectively sang “ AHuntiug We Will Go.” The prizes were then presented by Mr Rolleston, Mr W. Bryars, 8.A., the head master, making a few explanatory remarks upon the results of the examination as occasion required. The following is the prize list : Dux Lilian Brown (presented by A. M. Clark, Esq. Standard VII. (Senior)— Lilian Brown. Standard VII. (Junior) Joseph Freddy I, Nelly Nenton 2. Standard VI, Donald McCaskill 1, George Morton 2. Special prize presented by Mrs Farnie for standard marks, Thomas Edwnrds.

Standard V.—Boys; Amos Hope 1, Thomas Fenton 2. Girls ; Emma Cooper I, Grace Greaves 2, Charlotte Gaze 3. Special prize presented by Mrs Farnie for standard marks, David Leach. Standard IV.—Boys : Basil Metson 1, Denzil Ardell 2, Alfred Storey 3, Girls : Irene Hamilton 1, Florence Bryan 2, Annie Freddy 3, Ada Copestake 4. Special prize presented by Miss Bruce for drawing, Ellen Streeter. Standard lll.—Boys : Joseph Barrett 1, Thomas Monahan 2, Frederick Mehrtens 3, Frank King 4, John Livingstone 5. Girls : Mabel Ackroyd 1, Edith Olliver 2, Rose Page 3. Special prizes presented by Mr Strong, for home work, Mabel Ackroyd 1, Frederick Mehrtens 2.

Standard II.—Boys: Duncan Livingston 1, William Grant 2, Lewis Raymond Mann 3, Arthur Ackroyd 4, John Lynch 5, Andrew Webb 6, Daniel Gibson 7. Girls: Laura Copestake 1, Ada Bateman 2, Lena Gaze 3, Lena Preddy and Annie Nicholas 4, Amy Mattingly 6, Annie Hope 7. Special prize presented by Miss Sweet for writing, Daniel Gibson, Standard I. Boys : Harry Lee 1, Edwin Hooper 2, James Bowman 3, Walter Scott 4. Girls : Victoria Kahu 1, Gertrude Greaves 2, Lizzie Levens 3, Lizzie Rogers 4. Special prizes in spelling, Arthur Davey and Aileen Wills. Preparatory Fourth Boys: Charles Boulter 1. Girls: Katie Mclnnes 2, Amy Hooper 3. Preparatory Third Boys : Harry Mehrtons 1, Willie Gregory 2. Girls; Annie Livingston 1, Henrietta Kapiti 2. Preparatory Second Boys : Willie Duncan 1, Pari Te Aika 2. Girls : Ellen Goodeve 1, Ellen Mark 2. SECONDARY SUBJECTS. Prizes presented by A. E. G. Rhodes, Esq., M.H.R. Third year Latin and Mathematics — Win. Jas. R. Gore. Second year Mathematics Lilian Brown. Second year Latin and French —Marion McCaskill. First year Latin and Mathematics — Donald McCaskill. First year Latin—Second prize, George Morton. SEWING PRIZES.

Fifth Class (over 14 years)—Grace Greaves 1, Johanna Palmer 2, Florence Bryan 3. Special prize presented by Mrs E. Brown, Nellie Fenton. Fourth Class (12 to 14 years)—Fanny Ardcll and Eottie Gaze 1 (one prize presented by Mrs Herbert), Maud Heyward 3, Annie Preddy (presented by Mrs Roulston) 4, Bessy Newbury 5. Third Class (10 to 12 years)—Mabel Ackroyd (presented by Mrs Gaze) 1, Jane

Fenton 2, Ada Copestake 3, Ada Beeby (scissois presented by Mr Sim) 4, Irene Hamilton >“», Edith Olliver (presented by Mrs Greaves) 6. Second Class (8 to 10 years)—Lena Gaze (presented by Miss Hitchcock) 1, Agnees Grant 2, Annie Hope 3, Gertrude Greaves 4.

First Class (under 8 years) Amy Cooper 1, Eliza Williams 2, Ruth Goodey (presented by Mrs Yelvin) 3. After the prizes had been distributed the chairman announced that the Rev. T. A. Hamilton, who, as they knew, had conducted a Bible Class at the school, would deliever to regular attendants the prizes won. The Rev. T. A. Hamilton returned thanks to the committee for again granting him permission to utilize the schoolroom for the distribution of prizes, and for its use for his class. The Bible Class was well attended. There were 188 names on the roll, and an average attendance of 150. He personally conducted the senior division, and Miss Phillips, to whom he returned grateful thanks, had taken charge of the juniors. He regretted the prizes were neither so large nor so valuable as on previous occasions, but this year he had been unable to make a personal canvass. He pointed out how necessary it was there should be some religious training to supplement the education given in the schools, and urged parents to support the Sundays Schools, no matter of what denomination. He thanked Mesdames Hayhurst, Hamilton, and Mr Pinckney for special prizes, and all contributors to o the prize fund. He congratulated J the teachers upon the success of the j years’ work, but regretted that the attendance of schoolras have not been good. He was sure they would realize the importance of acquiring all the education the State could give them, and reminded them that “ Knowledge is Power.” Ho urged the importance of a knowledge of the laws of health, and regretted that the North Canterbury Education Board ' had been unable on account of expense j to establish a school for cooke y. He considered that a knowledge of the rudiments of cookery was as important a part of technical to girls 'as carpentry to boys. In reference to religious education he gave an illustration from the classics of how subversive to the good of the state it was that religious knowledge should be banished from j the schools, and expressed a hope that with the concurrence of all parties a system would be adopted that would give a fair share of religious instruction to the scholars of the state schools. In conclusion he trusted their head-master, who he understood was taking a trip Home, would enjoy his holiday and come back refreshed and invigorated. He felt sure that he would be glad to return to New Zealand. He wished those . who were 1 leaving and entering into the world pros- j perous lives and God’s blessing, and all of them a happy, Christmas. The prizes were then distributed as follows. It was explained that the numericial order was not a sign of particular merit, but that there were a number of children equal as regards attendance, and the prizes being of various values lots were drawn for them.

Senior Division Boys : Ernest Boulter 1, (Boys’ Annual presented by Mr R. Pinckney), Alfred Storey 2, (by Mrs Hayhurst), Fred. Mehrtens 3, Joseph Freddy 4, Arnold Mann 5, Basil Metson 6, Montague Mann 7; cards, George Claridge, Robert Palmer, Joseph Barrett, John Livingstone, Peter Grant. Girls— Nellie Fenton 1, (Girls’ Annual presented by Mrs Hamilton), Lottie Henry 2, (by Mrs Xoulston), Grace Greaves 3, (by Mrs Hayhurst), Marion McCaskill 4, Lottie Gaze 5, Mabel Wills 6, Ada Beeby 7, Emma Cooper 8, Johanna Palmer 9, Fanny Ardell 10; cards, Annie Freddy, Edith Mattingly, Maria Boulter, Mina Lyon, Ada Copestake, Florence Bryan. Junior Division —Boys : Eugene Mann 1, Harry Mehrtens 2, Fred. Oliver 3, Lewis Mann 4, Arthur Claridge 5 ; cards, Willie Bowman, Charles Williams, Duncan Livingston, Tom Mattingly. Girls — Lottie Neville 2, Maiy Mehrtens 2, Agnes Freddy 3, Amy Hooper 4, Amy Mattingly 5, Edith Oliver 6, Eliza Boulter 7, Euphenie Darroch 8, Mabel Ackroyd 9. Cards, Anna Jackson,Carrie Oldfield,Rosie Page, Aileen Wills, Lena Freddy, Emily Jackson, Gertie Greaves,

VOTES OF THANKS. Mr Russell then moved a hearty vote of thanks to the headmaster and staff. He reminded the children that the staff were most effiiceut and urged them not to neglect their opportunities by absenting themselves from school. The proposition was carried by acclamation. Mr Bryars returned thanks on behalf of the staff. It was a source of the keenest pleasure to have their work appreciated. It was very trying to the teachers when the children absented themselves and militated against good results. More than that, it allowed the children to get into habits of unpunctuality. He considered the boys’ life really began at school, and the formation of habits of regularity there would be of the utmost benefit to them in after life. On his own behalf he thanked them for the kind way in which they had wished him a pleasant holiday. He did not intend to devote his leave solely to pleasure seeking, but meant to visit a number of the principal schools and gather information that might be of advantage to the scholars and himself upon his return.

The chairman then announced that Mesdames J. Brown, B. Brown, Hamilton, J. Cooper, Gaze, and Phillips had each promised special sewing prizes for next year and that Mr E. C. Dann had also promised a prize for the 4th Standard. Mr Brown then moved a hearty vote of thanks to Mr Kolleston for his able address, and for presenting the prizes. The vote was carried most heartily.

Mr Kolleston briefly returned thanks. It had given him the greatest pleasure to be present. It took him back some years in his life, and he regretted he was not in Mr Rhodes’s place that he might enjoy the privilege of being present there again. He had not been asked to contribute to their prize fund, but desired permission to add Mrs Kolleston’s name to that of the list of donors to the sewing class, and should be glad himself to give a prize for drawing. (Applause.) Mr Gaze moved a vote of thanks to the chairman, which was duly carried, after which the children sang very nicely a part song entitled “ Parting.” 1 It was announced that tlie school would j be closed fpr flyc weeks, and rp.-assemble > op Monday, February Ist.

The children wore then dismissed, and the proceedings terminated.