DISTRIBUTION OE PRIZES.

Waipawa Mail, Volume X, Issue 1024, 18 December 1886, Page 2

DISTRIBUTION OE PRIZES.

Waipawa District School. Yesterday afternoon, at 2 o’clock, the term was brought to an end by the annual distribution of prizes, in the big schoolroom of tho Waipawa District School. Tho chair was taken by Mr Reehab Harding, Mrs Harding and several other Indies and gentlemen being also present. Tho head-master, Mr G. W. Williamson, was of course in the room, together with tho assistant master, the assistant mistresses, and pupil teachers. Mr E, Bibby chairman of tho School Committee, and Mr L. Whittington, a member of that body, took seats near Mr Harding, and Iho children in the six standards ranged themselves on the scats, neatly attired and all looking happy and orderly. The licad-mastcr first of all addressed tho following appropriate Words to those present : headmasters report.

Ladies and Gentlemen, —I am happy to be able to state that our school shews considerable improvement both in point of numbers and efficiency, the roll number and average attendance being both higher than they were at this time last year, while the lus»pector in his Annual Report says that “ The organisation, classification, aud dis- “ tributiou of the staff are alike satisfactory” and that “the methods of instruction “ adopted, together with the results obtained “ shew that this school is in an admirable “ state of working efficiency.”

These statements arc fully borne out by our success at the annual examinations, for this school, besides having been more than oidiunilyy successful in the Standard work has gained three scholarships, a larger pror ortion iu comparison with our roll uumber thau

any other school iu the Hawke’s Bay Educational Discrict ; ami in addition to this one of our boys heads the list of the 59 pupils who pasted .Standard VI. having obtained 6G3 marks out of a possible 7 0. In hit report to the Board Education on the distribution of teachers’ bonuses, the Inspector draws attention to the fact that the subjects of instruction now taught iu the district schools are arranged under three heads, known respectively as “ Pass Subjects,” “ Class Subjects,” and ** Additional Subjects,” and while the two former arc compulsory in all schools, the additional subjects which include repetition aod recitation, singing and drill exercises, may or may not Ik* taken at the option of the teachers. It will be satisfactory to you to learn that the whole of tho subjects of instruction both compulsory and optional are taught successfully in this school and that wc obtained 67 3 per cent of marks in the class subjects, and 100 per cent of marks in the additional subjects at the the annual examination.

I have to thank the assistant teachers aud pupil teachers for their cordial co-operation throughout the year. We have all worked hard to place this school in the proud position it now occupies amongst the schools of the Hawke’s Bay Education District and the children have nobly seconded us by their diligence and attention. The result of our united exertions must be gratifying alike to teachers and taught. To the holders of scholarships who will be now leaving us for the High School I would say a few words. You have earned honorable distinction, let it be your aim to continue iu the path of honor. Your careers will be watched, attentively watched, by us all, aud every success you may achieve will be considered as reflecting credit on this district in which you were reared. Yoor exertions will be attended with the sympathy and affection of your school mates nnd teachers here, may this thought cucourage nnd stimulate you to work earnestly and perseveri ugly as well as to strive to gain higher distinctions and rewards.

To those boys and girls who have now finished their school course and who aro about toenterou the “battle of life,” I would address a few parling words of advice. Life is a game ; u complicated game ; a difficult game; a game which requires wisdom, diligence, patience ; a game which will try your powers ; a game iu which there is not a good quality of head or heart which will not greatly help you ; a game of which the forfeits aro terrible, of which the issues are infinite. “It has been played for untold “ ages and every one of us is one of the “ players in it.” The rules of it have been made independently of u«, but they are absolute and we must obey them. These rules are the laws of nnturc, the laws of health, the laws of intellect, above all the moral laws of God. If we violate them from mistake or ignorance, some allowance may be made for us ; nono if we defy them wilfully. 01»ey them aud you must and will succeed. Disubey them, aud you make a life of misery, and of death a gain. You start in life with a good education, use it to advantage, remembering life has not been given to us for the mere gratification of our souses, for man has something higher than body in him. He has a spirit in him and it is his having this spirit, which cares for higher things than mere gain and comfort, that makes him a man. When Geueral Garfield, the great President of America, was asked as a young boy “ What he meant to be” lie answered : “ First of all I must make myself a man ; if I do not succeed in that I can succeed in nothing.” Do you study to become men ia the true sense of the word.

“Take thou no thought for aught but truth and right “ Content, if such thy fate, to die obscure, “ Youth fails and honors ; fame may not endure;

“ And loftier souls soon weary of delight. “ Keep innocence ; be all a true man ought, “ Let neither pleasure tempt nor pain appal ; M Who hath this, he hath all things having naught; “ \Vho hath it not, hath nothing, having all One of the greatest pleasures that falls to the lot of a teacher is to watch the careds of those he has trained to the pursuits of life nnd it is his highest reward to see liis pupils grow up successful in life. That you boys and girls who arc now about to leave us may pursue honourable and useful careers in life, respected by all around you, is the earnest prayer of all your teachers here.

1 will now call upon our respected friend Mr Uechab Harding, to distribute the prizes which have been awarded entirely on marks gained at the Inspector's examination. Mr R. Harding then commenced to distribute the prizes. Ho expressed tho great pleasure which was afforded him by being there once more to hand the prizes to those who had earned their rewards by hard work in school. He referred to the fact that the Waipawa District School held a high position amongst the other schools in the Educational district of Hawke’s Bay, and exhorted tho children to work on and raise it ntill more if they could. Ho remarked that there whs a |;rcat cry out in some circles for a reduction in the cost of education, which was claimed to l»e too heavy for the colony, but lie trusted that the system of free and compulsory education would never bo done away with.

The following children were awarded prizes. Some of the books arc beautifully bound, and ail are most carefully chosen and suitable to tho young people who will read them. Standard I, (lower). Daniel O’ltielly, Charlie Nash, John Moroney, Herbert Diamond, David Beaumont, Archie Taylor, George Worsnop. James, Irvine, Howard O. Jones, Robert Newman, Mary Wuldroin, Lizzie Watts, Alice MoShorry, Alice Adams, Josephine Bughouse, Roue Oikcnfnl!, Bessie lVllow Mary Stafford, Caroline Nash, Nellie Cochrane, Nellie Flynn. Standard I. (upper). John Bibby, William Brown, Alfred Downes, -lames Downie, Albert Fletcher James Henry, Alex. McKenzie, Willie’ McSlierry, John Beters, John Kobb, Arthur Sebley, Archie Hughes, Selina Beechan, Lousia Carter, Ida Downie, Daisy Kelssll Helen Moore, Lily Newman, Mary Holder! fieri rude Tronson, Lily 'Bronson, Ellen Hotelier. Standard 11. John Crerar, Harry Corskie, Fred Ireland, George Oakeufall, Harry Percy Bertie Bush, Thomas Stafford Arthur Lister, Alfred Wliyman, Jane Arison, Annie Amundsen, Lizzio Boyle, Mary Corskie, Jane Cochrane, Ada Percy, Ellen Harding, Minnie Johnson, Maggie McKenzie, Lillie Potlow, Ida Todd, Jessie Hudson, Martha Drawer. Standard 111. John Ann md, Samuel Brighou o Charles Cox, Stewart Crerar, Robert Hopkins, Christopher Irvine, Walter Jones Richard Pellow, James Wheeler Emily Amundsen,‘Alice Britten, Alice Cox, Mary Guy, Ada Johnson, Annie Lawrence Louisa Sebley, Mary Slinnly, Letitia King. Standard IV. James Adams, Harry Colloft, Frank Kelsall, Leonard Hathhone, Charles liusli Harry Slinnly, Albert Shirt.,rd, Jonathan Waldrom, Annie Adams, Carrie Hughes Kehecca Gilmotir, Annie McKenzie Margaret- O'Beilly, Minnie Tuely, Rosa Byatf. Standard V. Corskie, Leonard Orenside. William Peters, Junes Pellow, Srnest Hathhone, Bernard Elliott, Arthur Drawer G eorge Grant Harry Johns ~,, Lizzie Guy’ Kathleen lo.ld. J 1 Standard VI. Emma Brinson, Minnie B.bby (scholarsl.ipj Anme Cowper Maggie Cowper, Isabella Guy (scholaral.ip>, Win. St. Clair Inglis (scholarship), Percy Arrow. Special Prizes —Sicwind. Standard Vl.—Minnie Bibby. Standard V—Lizzie Guy. Standard I\ .—Annie Adams. fatuudurd Hl.—Emily Amuodsca.

Standard ll.—Annie Amundson. Mb Harding’s Special Prizes, for Good Attendance at School. Standard Vl.—Emma Brinson. Standard V.—Earnest Rathbone. Standard IV.—Charles Kush and Leonard Rathbone. Standard lll.—Walter Jones. Standard ll.—Geo. Oakcnfnll. Mr Guy’s Special Prizes who did Best at Inspector’s Examination. Standard VI.—W. Inglis. Standard V.—Ernest Rathbone and Lizzie Guy. Standard IV.—Minnie Tuely. Standard lll.—Louisa Seb’.ey. Standard ll.—Topsey Drower and Ada Percy. Mr Ilarding, in giving his seven special prizes for children who had attended school at every session, said that he had always encouraged good attendance by giving this prize. There were so many this year that it had been suggested to him that seven prizes were too many to give. He replied that there could not be too many, and even if sixty children won the prize by attending school every day, he hoped moans would bo found for providing prizes for them all. lie referred especially to the success of Master William St. Clair Inglis, who had been the most successful scholar of all the thousands who attend school in Hawke’s Bay (applause). Mr Harding then complimented Mr Williamson and his staff of teachers on the very highly satisfactory results of the quarter’s work, and called for three hearty cheers for the headmaster. These were given lustily, and the school then broke up.