THE HIGH SCHOOL

Star (Christchurch), Issue 183, 12 December 1868, Page 2

THE HIGH SCHOOL

The annual examination of pupils took place yesterday, and its result fully maintained the high degree of excellence hitherto characterising the school. A large assemblage of parents and friends were in attendance, and evinced a lively interest in the proceedings. Amongst them we noticed his Honor the Superintendent, the Rev. J. Campbell and Messrs Dobson, Lean, Anderson. Mcllraith, Farr, and Denham. The schoolroom had been decorate 1 with flags, evergreens, groups of drawings, and other ornaments. A platform and table were provided, from which to distribute the prizes, and altogether the room had a very pleasing appearance. The examination of the senior and junior classes was conducted simultaneously in their respective rooms, and embraced the usual branches of English history, geography, arithmetic, and classics. On its termination the whole of the boys, together with the visitors, assembled in the large room of the building for the prizes to be presented. The Rev C. Fraser first delivered a prefatory address. He said that the change which had taken place among the teachers had necessitated an increased degree of attention, and even anxiety on the part of the directors, and he was glad to be able to say that during no part of the year had there been any reduction in the number of teachers or of the hours devoted to their duties. The directors were highly gratified with the manner in which Mr Cook had discharged his duties, and felt that the school had this year come nearer to their expectations in founding it than it had ever done before. He knew that this feeling of satisfaction extended also to the pupils, and that they would by-and-by take their own way of expressing it. With regard to the highest class in the school, which had been under his own immediate charge during the last six months, he was convinced that an amount of honest work had been done by them, of which th fruits would be very apparent. The papers which had been submitted to the examiners in the history of English Literature and in Natural History were a gratifying evidence of this. The amount of information contained in theße papers, and the general propriety of language in which it was conveyed, were of themselves evidences of the progress the pupils had made, He would say nothing of the general character of the instruction imparted, but there were one or two special points to which he wished to refer. There were some kinds of physical exertion or recreation which he thought had been made too much of in some quarters, so as seriously to interfere with the more legitimate studies, and even the health of the pupils. He hoped never to see in this institution, the practice of cricketing, boating, and even drill, go beyond tie limits of actual amusement and recreation. He would be always pleased to see the pupils of this school beaten by professed experts these things, for he held that these kinds exer - tion were really iijurious when th were made to go beyond the measure of spontaneous, hearty recreation, and assumed the place of serious, compulsory labour. He regretted that Mr Dobson, who had inaugurated the series of scientific lectures which had been so successfully carried on, was about to leave them. In the name of Ihe directors be begged t-> thank Mr , Dobson for his valuable and gratuitous services, and also for the very handsome donation he had made of the extensive series of maps, drawings, and sections which he had prepared for the illustration of his lectures on foundations and on physical geography. They would be exeeedinuly useful, as well as a most pleasing souvenir of their friend. ' He did not wish on this occasion to enter into any disputed point whatever, but he might state the grounds on which the directors had all along based their c'aims for assistance from the Government. In this colony, the highest prizes of public life were open to the children of every rank. They might have for their future Superintendents and leading men the sons of parents' who were hardly able to provide education for them. Now, it was their wisdom to see that those young people of talent and energy, who would not be repressed, but would come to the front, had the benefits of good education, and of sound moral and religious training. This was what the directors of the High School and the managers of the other superior schools in the province laboured to provide. Mr Fraser then proceeded to deliver the prizes, which were awarded in the following order: — • .■ Upper School. . , third class. Latin— Senior Division : W. H. Atack. Junior Division : J. Thornton. English Literature — 1, S. Uillingham ; 2, J. Gardiner. . ■': History— l, S. Gillingham ; 2, W. 11. Atack. Geography— l, W. 11. Atack ;2, S. Gillingham. Written Examination on History of English" Literature— J. Gardiner. Written Examination on Natural History— J. Gardiner, y ; ' . '■ .. ,'■'.•'. . ;< Geometry — Senior Division : Joseph Cumine. Junior Division : John Deans. French— 1, J. Gardiner ; 2, J. Cumine. Drawing— l, S. Gillingham ; 2, Robert' Cumine ; 3, William Stewart. Writing— 1, J. Wright 5 2, J. Deans.

SECOND CLAWfc' ..' ' Latin— Senior Division : Ri : Black. Junior DiTigion: 1, J..H. Wheeler;? 2, W. Martin and W. Cayerhill (equal). " English- 1, W. J. Caverhill ; 2, A. EJSyies and C. Waters (equal). : ; Grammar — 1, T. Ambrose ;2, C. Waters and G. Booth (equal). : History— l, T. Ambrose ; 2, A. Davies. Geography — 1, T. Ambrose ; 2, C. Waters and W. Caverhill (equal), i French— l, H. Dawson'; 2. T. Ambrose ; 3, W. M. Stewart. Drawing— l, H. Leslie ; 2, C. Taylor. , Writing— A. Rattray. FIRST CLABB. Latin — Senior Division : 1, Andrew J. Rattray ; 2, Win, J. Wilson. Junior Divisidn : 1, F. Thomas ; 2. C. J. Wilson. English— Senior Division : 1, W. J. Wilson; A. Hancock, A. E. Bird, equal. Junior Division : 1, F. Dunlop ; 2, T. H. Caverhill. Grammar — Senior Division : 1, A. Rattray; A. Hancock, S. Wright, equal. Junior Division : . I,;. J.- Holley ; 2, C. J. Wilson. History — Senior Division : 1, A. Hancock j 2, B. Dowle. Junior Division : 1, A. Mountfort ; 2, T. Caverhill ; F. Dunlop, J. Holley, equal. Geography — Senior Division : 1, A. E. Bird ; 2, A. Hancock ; 3, F. Thomas. Junior Division : 1, C. J. Wilson ; 2, T. H. Caverhill. Arithmetic — Senior Division : 1, M. Isaacs ; 2, T. Calvert ; 3, W. J. Wilson. Junior Division: I.F. Dunlop ; 2, John Lusk. French— l, A. Davies ; 2, M. Isaacs. Drawing— A. H. Anderson. Writing — Senior Division : M. Isaacs. Junior Division : A. Lummis. Lower School. third claßs. English and Arithmetic — 1, J. Lusk ; 2, W. Holley. SECOND CLASS. English and Arithmetic — 1, A. Atack : 2, F. Fuchs; 3, W. Slater. FIRST CLASS. English and Arithmetic — 1, C. Morton ;2, J. Rowe ; 3, F. Cuddon ; 4, T. Burnet. Masters William Stewart and John Dean then stepped forward, and on behalf of .the pupils, presented Mr Cook, the" head master of the school with a very handsome dressing case. The former delivered a short speech, expressive of the feeling prompting the action. He dwelt forcibly on the kindness which had invariably been experienced at the hands of Mr Cook, and hoped that the present would serve to remind him of their appreciation long after they had left the school. Mr Cook, in acknowledging the gift, assured the donors that such wonld certainly be the case, and as a token of such satisfactory result of bis efforts, would be greatly prized. . His Honor the Superintendent said he was glad of the opportunity afforded him of testifying to his interest in this school, and the satisfaction wil'h which he had witnessed the proceedings of the day. No institution of the kind would flourish unless 'dU connected with it were of one mind, and it was quite evident that here the directors, the teachers, and tiie pupils, were equally anxious to give and to receive sound instruction. It must be evident to every one that the scholars were hearty and in thorough earnest in what they did. He fully recognised the claims of Education upon the Government for countenance and for support. In the official position which he held, he would always be prepared to do his utmost to advance its interests. No Government indeed would be worthy of its name and influence which did not recognise and foster these claims. He was pleased to sic the manner in -which the pursuit of classical studies was joined with those 6i a scientific, and what some would think, a more practical character, and with a minute attention to, the history of the English language'itself. ! Mr Dobson expressed' his satisfaction at the manner in which the directors had laboured to conjoin attention to, a scientific education with due regard to classical studies. The former branch was peculiarly necessary in a colony where men could not avail themselves of the abundant assistance to be had in other countries, but required to fall back upohthoir own exertions. The experiment which had been made in the delivery of scientific lectures in connection with the school by Drs "Haast and Powell and himself had been successful beyond their expectations. It was very, evident from the attention paid by their ydung hearers, and from the examination which had been conducted, that they had understood and followed the addresses delivered to them. Now that he was about to leave them he could not but express a hope that these lectures would be continued, and be attended with increasing success, fie would always cherish a lively interest in the success of that institution, and he hoped that his young friends would go forth into the world to maintain that character and meet with that success of which they gave such early- and satisfactory promise. This, concluded the proceedings, and the company then adjourned to the dining-room of the School house, where an excellent luncheon was provided for the elders. The pupils in the meantime paraded on the lawn in their cadet uniform, and, under the superintendence of Capt. Lean were manoeuvred by -their -oWn ■ officers, and Sergt.-Major Morgan, in a manner shewing a most satisfactory state l iof ** discipline. A number of games, gymnastic performances, races, arid other sports then succeeded, and were entered into with the greatest zest. Prizes were given for the successful competitors, and the amusement was kept briskly alive for several •hoiira. ' TheYvisitors left about five p.m. The following house prizes were awarded : — S. G. Moule and A. H. Anderson (music) ; R. Smith, H. Smith, W. J. Caverhill and A. H. Anderson (gardens) ; also J. Cumine, R. Cumine, J. Marfarlane, W. Macfarlane, j. Isaacs, A. Stone. !