TIMARU SOUTH.

Timaru Herald, Volume LX, Issue 2586, 24 December 1897, Page 4

TIMARU SOUTH.

The breaking up ceremony at the Timaru South School .took place yesterday afternoon, there being a fair attendance of parents and friends. The schoolroom was veryjprettily decorated for tjfoe occasion. The Committee was represented by Messrs Btorrier (chairmanpresiding), Hawkey, Cross* and Sealey, and there were also present Messrs Howell, Johnson, and the Rev. W. Gillies. Apologies were made for Messrs Keith and Barclay. ; Mr Storrier m opening the proceedings said that he had no doubt that the children welcomed the holidays as- a rest from their lessons. He had to. refer to the fact that a very large majority iof the prizes were carried off by girls, riot through any intellectual superiority, but because of the want of determination and dislike of study shown by the boys, whom he urged to work harder and reverse the order of things next year. He also made special reference i to the presentation of the New Zealand flag by Messrs Howell and Keith, and hoped that it would cultivate a spirit of patriotism and uprightness amopg the children, as they ' were the future men and women of New Zfjalarid, and would be- responsible for its welfare. He then, called on Mrs Howell to present the prizes. The prizes were fery handsome ones, workboxes, inkstands, arid books forming the bulk of them. The donors of special prizes were Mesdames Simmons and McLeod, Miss Rowley, Messrs Cowles, Wagstaff, Pearson, Hawkey, and HajiJones/ The certificates were similar ]to those presented at the Main school. \ During an interval m the distribution • Mr Howell said a few words to the children, m which he referred to the necessity for enlarging the school, and he urged the committee to persevere m thejir efforts to get the Education Board to carry out this work. He also emphasised the need of a swimming bath at that end of the town, as Caroline Bay was tpo distant, and as site and water were both at hand, he thought the Borough Council should do something m this dire.ction. He congratulated the staff arjd children on the excellent examination they had passed, and m conclusion wished all a Merry Christmas and ia Happy New Year. ; ' > The Rev. Mr Gillies was called on, arjd he responded by telling the children some humorous stories, applying them to the present occasion, to show that there should be no long speeches macje to detain them." Mr Gillies', stories evidently amusfd the children, and h,e concluded . by wishing them a MeiTy Christmas,. and hoped that they would come back after the holidays with new vigour for their work. ' Mr Johnson congratulated the staff and children on their work, and referred to the good relations existing between the Timaru schools both m work and play, and wished them all success m the future. ; Mr Storrier moved a vote of thanks to the visitors, and on his suggestion, Miss L. Smith who was second m general proficiency, m lieu of the Dux of the school (who was unavoidably absent) led off m the acclamation with which the vote was carried. | Mr Cross moved a vote of thanks to the donors of special prizes, and expressed the gratification of the Committee at the support they had received m this direction. Mr Sealey moved a vote of thanks to the staff, complimented them on the excellence of the annual report, and called for three cheers for them) which were most heartily given. Mr McLeod acknowledged the vote on behalf of the staff, and said that bqth teachers arid children had worked heartily together. Referring to the athletics of the school, he said he hoped that the football and cricket teams would be strong enough m a short time to engage m competition with the other schools. He took this opportunity of thanking the staff of the school for their hearty co-operation with him during the year. Mr Storrier moved a vote of thanks to the judges, and Mr Gillies responded on their behalf. Three cheers were given for Mr and Mrs Howell, and after singing " God Save the Queen" the school was dismissed. .'.'"•; The following is the prize list :— Standard Vl.— Alice Irwin (dux of school), silver medal ; Lily Smith 2 ; writing, Annie Rogers ; drawing, Lily Smith ; eight first-class certificates of merit, seven second-class, and eight attendance prizes were also awarded. V.-~ Proficiency, Emma Boyce, Thomas Wood ; writing, Emma Boyce ; draw ing, Emma Boyce; certificates of merit —Four first-class, five second-class and four third-class; four attendance prizes and. two certificates were also awarded. IV. — Proficiency, W. Hall-Jones, Annie Boyd ; writing, Eva Beswick ; drawing, Ernest Butt ; certificates of meriteight first class, seven second-class, and two third-class ; five attendance prizes and one certificate. 111. — Proficiency, John Hathaway, Lottie Hooper and Ruth Harris (eQual) ; writing, Alice Wilkes ; certificates qf merit— six firstclass, ten second-class, and four thirdclass ; eight attendance prizes and foui> certificates. Hi — Proficiency, Bella Brown, Fanny Rogers ; certificates of merit— sixteen fivst-class ; nine attendance prizes and three certificates. I,— Proficiency, Mabel Lewi s. Ruby Smith. Certificates of Merit—Fourteen first-class ; six attendance prizes^ (first-class), and four second-class certificates. Infants.-- Class I— Proficiency — Elizabeth Tennant, May Tennant, Annie Scott, Charles Drake, Fred Smith. Class If. - Tom Hawkey, Fred HallJones. Eight attendance prizes. Seeing Prizes.— Standard VI., S. Andrews, L. Smith: V;, E. Moore, Dolly Gedye ; IV., C. Simmons, L, Hilton; 111., R.Harris, C. WHkes ; 11,, B. Gliddon, E. Simmons ; 1., A. Beakley, N. Wilkes. Special prizes — Mre Simmons Ist prize m St. VI., and IV., Mrs McLeod Ist prize m St. V.