ST. PATRICK'S SCHOOL, GREYMOUTH.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume VII, Issue 352, 16 January 1880, Page 17

ST. PATRICK'S SCHOOL, GREYMOUTH.

A veiy enjoyable couple of hours was spent yesterday afternoon, at the awarding of the prizes for merit at the St. Patrick's School. At two o'clock the large school was filled with children, and—par parenthese a great improvement in ventilation, so necessary to the health of children, could be effected at a trifling cost, by the introduction of one or two of Tobin's ventilators— the Rev. Father Ecuyer having taken the chair, requested the representatives of the Grey River Arg s and Evening Itar to act as judges for elocution which was assented to. The proceedings commenced with a song by the children, " Joys of Youth," which was well given. " The Death of Napoleon," a recitation by Master Burke, was a splendid piece of elocution, due regard being paid to action and modulation of the voice. " The loss of the Royal George," by Master R. Hungerford, was very well given ; then followed a song by the children, "Watching for Pa." The other recitations were " Exile of Erin," T. Clune ; "Love of Country," P. O'Loughlin ; Swords and Targets," E. O'Brien ; " Song of the Shirt," John Bunton ; " Burial of Sir John Moore," H. Hungerford; "My Highland Home," F. McCarthy; " Education and State," speech, — Butler ; " Lochiel's Warning," a dialogue, Shinkwin and Marron ; " Death of the Collier's Child," E. Sheedy; " Beautiful Child," Josephine Eissenhardt ; " Hohenlinden," H. Hudd." The other songs by the children were " Belle Mahone," Nancy Lee," " The Boy's March," and " Ring the Bell, Watchman." It is needless to say the youngsters entered into the singing con amove, and capital time they kept reflecting great credit upon their teachers, Mr. McCarthy and Miss Brunetti, who presided at the harmonium. The judges of elocution had a difficult task, and if it had been in their power they would have awarded a prize to each of the youtbf ul aspirants, so well were the recitations given, but they could not confine themselves to awarding only one prize. They awarded the first prize to Master Bourke for the " Death of Napoleon," and as they had exceeded their duties in considering the second and third were of superior meilt, considering the size of the children, the representatives of the two journals undertook to supply a second and third prize, which they awarded— the second to Master F. McCarthy for "My Highland Home," and the .third to Master Clune for " The Irish Exile." The following is the prize list : — MAXIMUM NO. OF MARKS IN EACH STANDABD— 6OO. Sixth Standard.— Boys -P. Butler, 600, 15t ; R. Hungerford, 575, 2nd ;H. Marron, 555, 3rd. Girls— S. O'Brien, 600, Ist ;' A. Sheedy, 532, 2nd ; I. Roff, 483, 3rd. Fifth Standard. — Boys — P. O'Loughlin, 584, Ist ; John Bunton, 574, 2rd ; E. O'Brien, 564, 3rd. Girls— A. O'Brien, 550, Ist ; J. Eissenhardt, 541, 2rd ; E. Kennedy, 485, 3rd. Fourth Standard. — Boys— J. Ainsworth, 658, Ist; J. Grogan, 555, 2nd ; T. PhiUips, 543, 3rd. Girls— A. Butler, 570, Ist ; K. M'Donnell, 568, 2nd ; E. Sheedy, 520, 3rd. Third Standard.— Boys— P. Heffernan, 569, 15t ; T. O'Brien, 549, 2nd; J. Griffen, 509, 3rd. Girls— M. Hungerford, 559, Ist; A. M'Carthy, 537, 2 nd ; M. Burke, 534, 3rd. Second Standard. — Boys— E. Classen, 530, Ist; J. Dramm, 511, 2nd ;J. O'Brien, 510, 3rd. Girls— M. Fraher, 575, 15t ; B. Shinkwin, 516, 2nd ; R. Hudd, 516, 3rd. PASSABLE 400. Fh_- Standard. — Boys — P. O'Donnell, J. Forest, and J. Kennedy, maxiDum. Girls— X. Drumm, 375, Ist; E. O'Brien, and Bridget Dargon. 350 each. Catechism prizes were awarded to Masters Bntler, E. O'Brien, T. Philips, F. M'Carthy, J. Drumm, P. Heffernan, J. Griffen, Jas. O'Brien, Joseph O'Brien, and Misses S. O'Brien, L. Griffen, M. Lutjens, M. Mol'er, B. Shinkwin, M. O'Donnell, and E. O'Flynn. The good conduct prizes, awarded by the scholars themselves, were gained by P. Butler and Annie Sheedy. Special Prizes — Masters Sbinkwin, Joyce, Hudd, Heffernan, Quinn, and Miss Ainsworth. The sewing p izes were gained by Misses S. O'Brien, K. Quinn, M. Harris, L. Griffen, and M. Fraher. There were several other prizes given for extremely small children. The Rev. Chairman said the exercises were now over, and he felt extremely satisfied at the general good behaviour and proficiency. He considered that the progress was equal to any in New Zpaland. They read well and excelled in arithmetic. He hoped that during the next year they would still continue to improve. The elocution was very good and so was the music. He advised them strongly^ to cultivate music, as it would be of advantage to them in after life, j more especially in being able to partake in the services of the Church. The head master (Mr. Macarthy) then addressed a few words to the pupils, stating that he believed the progress made would compare favourably with any school. The standards were the same as used by the State School, and the examiner in arithmetic, Mr. Griffen, he thought had rather exceeded his programme, but he was happy to say the result had been successful. The result for arithmetic in the five highest standards were— 9l'6, 83-7, 811, 78 0. After a few remarks, the school broke up. — Grey Hirer Argus.

The epidemic at Cape Clear is confined to one tGWDland, and every house in this area has been vipited by the scourge. One man has lost five children. The contagion was first introduced by a young girl who visited the mainland, where measles were prevalent, and on her retui n home she was taken ill. The disease is a malignant form of measles, which has been very much aggravated by the unfavourable conditions under which the cases had been treated. The abodes of tl.e poor people art low, dark, and ill-ventilated cabins, the whole family, in some instances, occupying one sleeping apartment. Four Sisters of Mercy have proceeded to the island, and it is thought, with their assistance and the aid of a hospital, the epidemic will be soon overcome.