ST. MARY'S SUNDAY SCHOOLS

Timaru Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 11620, 2 December 1901, Page 4

ST. MARY'S SUNDAY SCHOOLS

A pleasing ceremony took place in St Mary s schoolroom yesterday afternoon* in the presentation of prizes to the pupils of the Sunday school carried on there. There' was a good attendance of children, who made a pleasing picture in their Sunday best, the girls filling one side, and the boys, less completely, the other side of the schoolroom. The teachers were si course present, and also a few parents and friends. The prizes consisted of books—nicely-bound Bibles and Church services, and story-books—cards,- and certificates, and made a nice show piled upon a table ready for distribution. After a short opening service with a hymn, .Archdeacon Harper made a - few remarks. There were now sis schools in the parish; this, the Upper School, with Miss Shirtcliffe >as superintendent, the other Superintendents' being: Sandietowh, Sliss Chapman; Waimataitai, Miss Woollcombe; Ximaru South, Miss Howell ; Salisbury, Miss Kerr; Gleniti, Mr Wallace. The total attendance at the six schools was 468 children, with 40 teachers. At this Upper School , there were lit) children. The schools were ex"amined by the Diocesan Inspector, the Bev. A. C. Hoggins, who came down from Christchurch and spent eleven days, taking the classes one. by and examining them thoroughly. The authorities of the .public schools were very kind, and arranged to let the children go for these examinations. Mr Hoggins' method was to first examine each class as a class, and if the class as a whole had done well, to award one of a graduated series of certificates " Good," or " Very Fail - ," printed in different colours. These were class certificates. given to the teacher, and they were framed and hung up in the class-room. This was an incentive to the whole rla** to work together, as a cricket or football team does. A few clever boys or girls zn. a class could iyst- gain the class a certificate. That was what he wanted—to see the class as a whole making good progress together. Then the Inspector, after examining the class as a whole, examined the individuals, and awarded graduated certificates of merit. The Inspector's report was not to hand, but he was informed that it was very good indeed. The Archdeacon then, beginning with tae_ infants, distributed the class Sfid individual certificates as follows :

Infact?, div. 3 (Miss White)— Class, VeryFair. Division 2 (Miss Thomson) —Class, Terr Good. Division 1 (3Jiss E. Edge)— Ctass,Very Fair. Preparatory, n. (Miss J. Stechmann)—Class. Very Good. Individual certificates : Excellent, Edith and Allan Crawford (in everything), Mildred Eichbanm ; Very Good, T. Langrish ; Good, Olive Rooney. Eubv Jones, Inez Rawstom, Lanra Wylie. Albert Head, George Head, Jack Clarkson; Verv Fair (eleven certificates).

Standard I. (Miss J. Stechman)-Clas3, Good. Individual: Very Good, Freda Goodman;Good. May and Kingslev Scott; Very Fair Christina Steehman " Standard II div. 3 (Miss Ziesler)-Class, Very Fair; div. 2 (Mr Anderson); div 1 fci Good - dividual .- fc Do " s Dunsford; Verv Good, fe D^ sf % d ' Gertrude Head ; Good TrZ^v*?' 11 '- Y ?? Fair > Dori * Edge Helen Mackenzie, L% Harris • Standard IH. (Mis* Welisj-Class, Very Fair Luavjduai: Excellent, Ralph Hr£ kins fin everything). Arthur Grandi. Connie Dare; Very Good. Korrie MansfoH KL Sm o* hj; M: G - s^tfsS Lawrie. Olive Eichbaum, Ada Bright 4r ni ß Jcnes; Very Fair, Emily HedVe ! f" dirite vP ard /. _Cla Jery Good. ICdivid„al: Very Good.. Elsie Hclm K: Verv %V ii Christmas. Hnbert Anderson. * Standard V (Mis, Saxoni-Class, Good V F US seli, Clara Gumev. lOTal: 50 cert:ficates out of 120 examined.

The teachers, on going np to recede ta«r certificates, were warmlv applauded by tne boys, not the less when thev observed that their cheerful noises greatlv exerted a dog :st the room. T he = cb '-ol Prizes were then distribute;). These being awarded, the Archdeacon explained. <:n marks for attention, conduct industry, and attendance (a' standard or minrrnum for attendance being 340 per annum). The prize list wa= as "follows .-

Coni.'-uation Class (Mrs Chapman)— Reita Saxon, Emily Grandi, Agnes Reid, Katie Thomson.

Standard VI. (Miss Fussell)—Effie Sunnaway, Winnie Clarkson, Nettie Clarkson, Constance Mayo, Nellie Morgan, Kendel Mayo, Emma Steckrnan. Standard Y. (Miss Saxcn) —May Spurdon, Elsie Holmes, Ar.nie Christmas^ Standard IV., div. 1 (Miss Hibbard)— Clara Spurden, Koirie Mansford, Olive Eichbaum, Ada Bright, Daisy Nesbitt, Annie Jcnes. " Div. 2 (Miss Reid) —Robert Reid, Herbert. Segar, Hubert Anderson, Wm. Jones, John Reid, Roger Parr, Henry Stechman, H. Segar, T. Jones. Standard in. (Miss Wells)— Mary Reid, Anne Best, Flora Sunnaway, H. Gilbert, S. Wilson, A. Grandi, R. Hipkins, G. Sanderson. H. Jones. R. Reid, V. Wilson. Standard 11., div. 1 (Miss Young)— Grace Stechman. Agnes Thomson. Div. 2 (Mr Anderson)—T. Clarkson, J. Grandi, S. Goodman. E. Jones. Div. 5 (Miss vie s lT —Lily Harris, Doris Crawford, Lily Besi. Louie Segar. Stsn::ird 1., div. 1 (Miss Stechman) — Chiistii:;i Stechman, D. Hipkirs, K. Scott, Mav fv.-.tt, Amelia Gilbert.

Twentv-six prizes and a number of cards were allotted in the infants and preparatory classes. A special prize (book. "British Battles") was awarded to John Reid, as the most useful monitor.

A separate set of prizes for attendance was awarded among members of the Sunday "morning class," of which, when possible, the Archdeacon is teacher, and Miss Priest the manager, and teacher in the Archdeacon's absence. Most of the prize-winners had attended every time, and none had missed more than two attendances. The prizes numbered nearly 20, lor a class avaraging 80, and with the •high minimum, the Archdeacon remarked, that'niimber indicated a very high attendance. . In a few concluding remarks the Archdeacon said the upper children's examination was not yet finished; they were taking a written examination, and he hoped that many more would do so next year, though, of course, it was harder work. He thanked the pupils, for their good attendance during the past year, and the teachers for their good work. He was proud of his teachers and of the schools; no other schools in the Diocese, he believed, had such a satisfactory, attendance.