E.—l2

24

4. Scholarships. Thirteen pupils held Board of Education scholarships, and forty-six held free places granted by the Governors.

CHRISTCHURCH* GIRLS' HIGH SCHOOL. Staff. Miss M. V. Gibson, M.A. ; Miss C. K. Henderson, B.A. ; Mr. G. J. Lancaster, M.A. ; Miss F. Sheard, M.A. ; Miss K. Gresson, M.A. ; Mrs. C. Langton, M.A. ; Miss L. L. Bing, B.A. ; Miss H. L. Smith ; Miss N. Gardner ; Miss A. Rennie ; Miss E. Easterbrook ; Miss M. Cook ; Sergeant-Major Farthing ; Mr. C. H. Gilby. 1. Report. The school year has been, on the whole, uneventful, and, in consequence, salutary for purposes of steady work. The free places given at the Rangiora and Ashburton High Schools, and the district high schools opened in other centres, such as Lyttelton, Amberley, Southbridge, Darfield, and Kaiapoi, have slightly affected the attendance, but not so much as might have been anticipated, the roll for the third term of the year being 130, as against 140 for the same term in 1902 (which was unusually high), 127 in 1901, and 119 in 1900. The health of the staff and pupils has been generally excellent, and this in spite of the prevalence of somewhat serious epidemics in the city and suburbs during the winter and spring months. Shortly after the beginning of the second term the school was visited by the Inspector-General of Schools, who expressed himself as satisfied with the general organization and arrangements. The death of Mrs. Macmillan Brown in February last has removed one who took a deep interest in the higher education of girls, and to whom the school owes a special debt of gratitude. Mrs. Brown was a member of the teaching staff for over fifteen years —that is, from January 1878 (shortly after its inception) until 1894—and for the last eleven years of this period she held the position of Lady Principal. It was under her control that the school was first properly organized as a training school for a future university career, and the main details of her organization are still in force. At the time of her death Mrs. Brown was president of the Old Girls' Association, and in other ways showed a continued interest in the welfare of the school. Thirty-nine pupils have held scholarships, exhibitions, or free places at the school. Of these, twenty have received them from the Board of Governors, eighteen from the North Canterbury Board of Education, and one from the South Canterbury Education Board. In the December University examinations, two pupils were awarded Junior University Scholarships, and two others were placed in the Credit List of the same examination, one being awarded a Gammack Scholarship. Eleven pupils were also entered for matriculation, and all were successful, one also passing the Medical Preliminary Examination. In the examination for senior Board of Education scholarships, five out of the six scholarships were gained by pupils of this school. In the Junior Civil Service Examinations one headed the list for the colony, while three other pupils who took this examination all passed successfully. Notable successes of past pupils of the school during the year are the degrees of B.A. conferred on Maude Herriott, Rachel Kain, and Wilhelmina Sievwright; while Ada O'Callaghan gained an exhibition in mathematics at Canterbury College, and in the annual examination was awarded firstclass honours in mathematics, a distinction which has not previously been gained by a lady student at Canterbury College. 2. General Statement of Accounts for the Year ended 31st December, 1903. Receipts. £ s. d. Expenditure. £ s. d. Balance at beginning of year .. .. 235 12 1 Office salary .. .. .. .. 60 0 0 Current income from reserves .. .. 288 7 2 Teachers' salaries .. .. .. 1,582 12 (I Interest on moaeys invested and on unpaid Grant in aid of boardinghouse .. .. 50 0 0 purchase-money .. .. • ■ 228 16 2 Examinations— School fees .. .. .. .. 1,535 3 0 Examiners' fees .. .. .. 30 17 0 Government grant for technical classes .. 35 11 2 Other expenses .. .. .. 711 (I Proceeds from cooking classes .. .. 12 17 3 Scholarships .. .. .. .. 245 0 (I Prizes .. .. .. .. 21 4 0 Printing, stationery, advertising, and books 85 16 11 Cleaning, fuel, light, &c. .. .. 17 19 0 Site and buildings, from current revenue— New works .. .. .. 9 0 0 Fencing, repairs, fittings, &c... .. 9 14 5 Insurance .. .. .. 10 19 5 Inspecting reserves .. .. .. 7 3 1 Expenses of cooking class .. .. 13 2 8 Sewing-machine .. .. .. 10 2 6 Sundries .. .. .. .. 10 12 11 Balance at end of year.. .. .. 164 11 11 £2,336 6 10 £2,336 6 10 Charles Lewis, Chairman. A. Cracroft Wilson, Registrar. Examined and found correct. — J. K. Waiiisurton, Controller and Auditor-General.