Karaka School Annual Prize Distribution.

Thames Star, Volume VII, Issue 2175, 23 December 1875, Page 2

Karaka School Annual Prize Distribution.

. "Yesterday the annual attribution of prizes for the Karaka School took place jat the schoolroom, Mackay street, Shortjland. There,were present about4s children attending this school, under-the Management of Mr and Mm Jones. STri. J. ;B|gnall, M.P.C., prcisidecl, and there iwerie present l Nodder,' XJrant," McCormick and others.

.The s proceeding were, commenced .with ;a sHbft address to the boys by tHe chairman, who expressed his pleasure at I seeing so much improvement in the i scholars last year. X He then went ion to say that the first thing on the programme was a recitation enjtitled "The .Child's Bream of Heaven," [which ,^as£ riendere|i?in a cireiiitable manner by Matthew Paul, and was so favorably received by his fellow scholars ; that it was remarked that if they did not cease- stamping;they would knock the nails jof their boots into their feet. Another ■ recitation called " Too Clever "followed, I and after that a reading " Colonial '. Mj&\if l? Toy Alec ■■> Whitely, which was received with loud and continued applause? --WheY silence! was restored Mr 'Jones said that hitherto he had given only a 5 fortnights'holiday,^ but -this "itime;-h& would try one of three weeks. He in: formed them, howeverj that if they were behind, at all in. their studies he would go back to the oki rule—a fortnight. A short recitation, ,by William Billings, a little boy, and ; , another by GeorgeivWebster, entitled " The Battle of Alma," foUowed, and these also were well-spoken. - -Mr JTones-.then told some of the elder ? boys to • hand round the copy-books and maps for the inspection of visitors^ which was accordingly done. Some of the copybooks were really'a "great credit both to^the master and the pupils; we do not think we observed a single blot in -any of them. While the copybooks were undergoing - a close inspec-tion-by "the visitors, the youngsters^ were regaled with good things, and after the eatuig part of the programme hadjbeen gone through, a little boy a^ed about 6 years, named William Hammond, recited a |ieee entitled " Hit the nail aright," upon the conclusion bf which the Chairr man remarked that;if he"^""could "drive nails " as fast as he said his recitation he would make a first-ralte hand at it. ; This sally caused no little amusement. = After the youthful carpenter had sat "down, GeorgevGrant recited " JLley^ellyffand his Dog." Mr Nodder then made a" short speeofeon theJiblidaya^_andieninpared_thfiadvantages they had with those he had when he went to school. . .

Several recitations then followed, which were received according to their'merits, but by far the best recitation of the afternoon was .delivered last by Thomas Wiltshire, a. boy about ten years old, which speaks favorably for his oratorical powers yvhen he : gro.ws older.; ThfrChairman then' said they would proceed with : the;distribution; of the ; prises. These were'delivered as follows :-—j "AjA

First 4'Class — GefreraUiiimpfbvement, Eobt. NptrieaX . Alexander Whitley; grammar,. John McConnell; good behaviour,;"Matth«wsßaul"; writing, C, ;> Cjiilcptt fMi , vi,,^.;.:, -:-,, - ;f ,.. r ."Sjecpnd plajs —o;enferar improVdineht, Mary Norries; arithmetic, Wm.Billing; ■tfjriting, 4t. : Herring; good conduct, ElizaBeth Ludidw. - - ■-■■-!- - - ;

Third Class---General improvement, A. Turner ; arithmetic, J. W. McCormick ; writing, E. Ludlow.

Junior' Third Glass—Heading and dictation, Maggie Smith,; tables,: T,yJVilfcshire ; writing, J..WV Grant; arithmetic, Maggie Johnston.

Fourth Class—Eeading and spelling, W. Hammond; arithmetic; William Luke; g<*pd attendance, Charles Laurence, E. Honiss, Thomas Dalziel, James Lamb, A. Burns* Jane Williams, Leonard, Kitching, William Ayenell. .., Mr. YMcCormick. .^called,- uppn, delivered 'a ; few;-appropriate remarks, and ,the 'meeting was' closed by singing the National Anthem, and giving three cheers for the Queen and the holidays.