MERIT SHIELDS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 936, 5 December 1933, Page 9

MERIT SHIELDS.

System at St Margaret’s to be Extended. “ The interesting system of recognition of merit by individual shields begun by Mrs C. L. Young when she went to St Margaret’s College as headmistress is to be extended.” says the “ Church News.” So far the system has been that each girl has had a small wooden plaque or shield allotted her with her name painted on it, each distinction she has won from time to time being added: all the shields being hung on a large wooden shield. The object has been to minimise the unpleasant features of competition, every girl who reaches the necessary standard having her achievement recorded on her shield. The system is to be extended by the award of bronze shields of a design approved by the Diocesan Board of Education recently. The bronze shield will be awarded to each girl in Form Ya who reaches a high standard of work, and it will be permanently her own. If she leaves, outstanding achievements in her school career will be engraved on it—e.g., prefect, University Entrance, etc. If she returns to school, she will keep the shield, but no engraving will be done until she does leave. If she maintains a high standard of work in Form VI., the honour of having the school crest enamelled on her shield will be added. In addition a bronze shield is to be awarded for one year to a girl who reaches a very high standard of work, her name and the date being engraved on the shield, as in sports challenge cups. The wooden shields will still be kept as a record, but will only be presented at Christmas break-up to those who have done something first-class.