SACRED HEART COLLEGE, EAST MAITLAND.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XVII, Issue 38, 10 January 1890, Page 27

SACRED HEART COLLEGE, EAST MAITLAND.

THURSDAY. D Member 12, was speech day at the college : % day of no mean importance to the youn^ people in the institution and their friends ou'siie. Despite the very heavy rain, many of tbe parents and friends As<emhled at 11 o'clock in the College ball, where a abort programme of misic and recitations was gone through in a highly creditable and entertaining manner. Tha Very Rev. Fatber Hand, Vicsr-Greneral of the diocese, presided, and there were also present— Very Rev. F. N:alon, (EUymond Terrace), Rjv. Father Clancy (Muroeth), anl the clergy of East and West Mai land. At the close of the programme, tbe President, tha Rev. P. V. Dwyer. read the following report :— "Very R<3V Vicar-General, Rev. Fathers, ladies and gentlemen, We close to-day a year of work in this college : tbe fifteenth year since the college was founded, anl the first of is present management. You need n>tto be informed that this year has been prac ically a fresh beginning. It has bad more thau a full share of ths drawbacks incidental to beginnings, while it has at the same time achieved a success, not inconsiderable in itself, and bearing promise of a brighter future. " We have entered on the college records during tbe year, 34 boarders and 32 d\y pupils, and have had a constant attendance of 38 herders and 24 day pupils. " The health of the boar Jere has bern exceptionally good. Their condnct has, I am very glad to say, been everything that the m< at exacting could expect to find in boys bj young as the majority of them are.

"As to the year's work, we deem it decidedly satisfactory. It is only we, who have been occupied day after day io teaching, and in many oases, as it were, breaking them in to learn, can fully appreciate tbe progress that nas been made; but I am sure parents and friends will not fail to mark such improvement in many instances.

" In the highest class none were sent up for the University examinations, a 8 the class is preparing for tbe matriculation examination of March next.

" In tbe junior university class five candidates were sent up, and four succeeded in parsing. " Tbe work done in all tbe classes has just been tested by carefully conducted examinations, tbe results ehjwing that gooi progress has been made. These ri suits, at least as f*r as the prize-take s and winners of distinction are concerned, will ba made known forthwith.

" It only remains for me to express my regret that on this occasion our venerable Bishop, who is so deeply interested in tbis College —for it is his foundation, and one of the works that be most wishes to prosper— is not here to cheer and encoarage us all by his presence and bis w >rds. He is, however, well represented by his worthy VicarGeneral, who is at the same time the depositary of the Bishop's power and of bis blessings and approval.

" I have to thank tbe V.csr-General and tbe priests of Maitland and Morpetb, as als > tbe lay teachers of the College, for the practical interest they have shown by contributing valuable prizes, and I venture to express a hope that, in tbe coming yea r , many friends may follow their pood example and promote ihe good of tbe College by offering special priz s for competition. " I beg to tba k you all for your kindnt si in coming here to-day, and for the patient hearing you have given us "

The prizes were taen disributel by the Vicar-General to the winners, the chief of whom were Francis Meillon, matricula'ion class, dux or head of tbe school ; V.ctor Peters, Junior University class ; Joseph Murray, John Harris, Charles Howard.

When ibe prizes were distributed, the Very Rev, Father Hand, rising at tbe request of Father Dwyer to adiress the students and visitors, said that when he wae asked, a few days ago, to distribute the prizes, be said tba he would be very happy to do so on condition that he bad not to make a speech ; but Father Dwyer rt minded him that breaking-up day at college is also called speech-day. He was ■me that they would be all more than satisfied by the beautifullydelivered pieces with which the students had entertained them. However, Father Dwyer did not seem satisfied without his saying a few words. He was happy to Bay that the burthen of what he bad to say was light and pleasant. He had chiefly to congratulate the Piesident, the protest o s, and tbe etudens of the College on the results of the j ear's etudits, which were eminently eati-factoiy. Twelve mi nths ago the present arriDgemen c had been ratber burriedly iuitia cd. The ouly thine then known to m <sl of them was the Prt-Pidtnt himself, ana his I igh qualifications for the effice which he holds. The: otner elements of ttuccess thut bad since b.j largely entered into the working of the College, in the persons ot Father J. OR ills, Mr. O'Meaia, Mi. Tracy, and not le.st iv the personß of the young gentlemen whi at eutkd i>s clas-ef, were hidden from u~ beiiud the vtil of tim-\ The veil had sines been dra*n. and we ha I seen its fair sunrisi, and, be miebt s-iy. its bright mornng, giviug every proaiiie of a beautiful da} — a day of solid and satitf ictorv prngiesa. No one who knew Father Dwyer well bad any doubt of his tmineni fit i. ess for the. office of President of such a College, and he believed the same could be said ot tbe liev. Father O'Reilly, Mr. O Meara, and Mr. Tiacv m their respective positions. He fe.lt safe in saying that the sihff of the College was capable of imparting as good an education to itu- studen s, who were expected to come there, as any in this country. He was not ,i judge of muaic, bur be know they would a.ice v»ub him in saying ihat under Mr. Tracy it ought to fluurifch. Fath' r Dw^er bad cieteicnii.ed, he thoughc wisely, to confine all iheir energies to tl.e r>al work of eduction tbis jear; hence the at s j uce of wnai is callel >ha annual entertainment. R had beard these entertainnvms praised for their educational influences on the joung. It might bu they did good ; but he was suie it was more advantageous for beginners to give all their time and talents to tbe regular college course. Next year and in the years to come they could mote safely divide their attention and give a share to the lighter things of displays. It was true the College had been

some years in existence, as they had been told by the President, bat they were aware that it hid completely changed its management, and with very few exceptions its students, at the beginning of the ye*r, insomuch that this might well be called a first year. There was, however, a circumstance in the day's proceedings that he regretted much more than the absence of a display. It was that their beloved bishop. Dr. Murray, was not there to see with his own eyes the work that hai been dona daring the year. Ha was sire it would have given the Bishop the deepest satisfaction, and he spoke with ennsi ierable knowledge of the workings of the College. It was well known to them how the Bishop had set his heart en procuring a thoroughly Catholic eiuoUira for the Catholic cnildren of the diocese ci ice his first coming to Mai t land. That determination did equal credit to the judgment and to the zeal of his Lordship. We had all oome to see that a sound Catholic education was of the first importance to the faith aid cods quently to the morals of a Catholic people. He believed that ha would not be far wroag in saying that it wonld be better for U9, as Catholics, to be without churches than without Catholic schools in these colonies. When they reflected on the results of the action of those who thought to injure the Catholic Obnroh in the colonies by the introduction, some years ago, of a system of secular education, they mu9t confess that the ways of God are wonder* ful. That system was professedly to do away with the calling of the prieatp, and now it was not alone that we have good Catholic tohooli and colleges, admittedly equal to anything of their kind in the country, but we had bean compelled in a measure to benefit ourselves personally by the exercise of the Christian virtues of generosity and charily, and indeed in some cat 3B, it must be said, of Christian self* denial. He knew cases in which some of the Catholic people had to deprive themselves certainly of the luxuries, and, he believed ha was right*in Baying, of some of the comforts, of life, to enable themselves to give a Catholic education to tneir children. Surely such parents were the better for this, even in the present life, would anyone say that in an age like this a ma 1 or a woman was not the betterjfor selfdenial 1 But, looking outside themselves, it could not be good for their fellow-colonists, nor coutd it be a matter on which that more numerous and more wealthy portion of the population conld congratulate themselves, that they bad driven the Catholics into this position and that they were educating their own sons and daughters, not in the common schools only, but in the high schools and colleges, at the expense of the po >rest and least favoured, in a worldly sense, of their fellow-citizens. We could understand our sharing the expenses of the education of the poor because of the public benefit we derive from an educated community ; but that we should have to pay for the education of the Bona and daughter! of the wealthy merchant, banker, and squatter, and have to bear all the expenses of tbe education of our own children as well, did seem a little, just a little, too much. We do it, and they will not let us even cry out while being thus elaborately shorn. If we do to complain, we are disturbers of the public peace. Making all the allowances they could, it did seem strange to them that not only were the salaries of tnat splendid body of public school teachers, of whose services they could makft no use, paid ont of their pockets through tbe public revenue, bnt tfeat rewardi in valuable prizes and bursaries were bestowed on the talents and industry of the children of that more wealthy portion, for which children from Catholic schools were not allowed to compete. A little while ago we were a danger, and must not be allowed to come in too great numbers into tbe country because of our want of learning. Now we know too much, and we must not be allowed to become too numerous in the Civil Service, especially in the Education Department itself. They would have us mike bricks without straw, but not too many of them at that, as they %ie found to be quite equal to those made with the straw. Surely the spirit that could see no wrong or grievance in tbis could cot be for the good of our country. Bu". the band of Qod is here again visib'e. By thus excluding our educated young men and women from the public service, they are forced back am<>ng ourselves, and our strength is conserved for our own needs. We may well say that tbe public loss is thus our gain. Bnt he must not pursue this snbject furthpr. B fore concluding, he asked all to take a lively interest in the success of the Sacred Heart College next year, and to recommend it to any of their friends seeking a college in which to have their sons educated. There was no Catholic in thi* Diocese of Maitland who need send bis children, boys or girls, beyond us borders for an education. That satisiac ion, at leas', Dr. Murray must feel, that he bad provided for every reasonable requirement of his people in that rtspect. Turning to the bo>s he congratulated them on the excel leu t report of their conduct given by the President. He hoped to see their numbers largely increased next year. la the uame of the vi-itors, he wished them a pleasant and happy vacation, an la safe return to the Stcrei Heart College <m tbe 29 January, 1890.

At the conclusion of the Vicar-General's addns*, tbe student! sang the national sontr, ''Unfurl the flag," and after eh era were given, as only schoolboys can, for tbe visitors, the President, and Professors, the proceedings traainated.