CORE CONVENT SCHOOL

New Zealand Tablet, 26 December 1912, Page 41

CORE CONVENT SCHOOL

The annual -breaking-up ceremony of; the Gore Convent ; School (says the Jbnsign) took place on Tuesday afternoon of last -week in . the \ presence of i a large number of parents and friends, including Very Rev. Father ■ O'Donnell and : : Mr. D. L. Poppelwell (Mayor of Gore). ' ' X>i The visitors spent some time inspecting, the art handiwork of the pupils,- in painting in oil, : water/ colors and black and white, .which?was very good and reflected great ]: credit both on the teachers and pupils. The needlework was also a source of ;attraction and many of the specimens were highly spoken of by those capable of forming an opinion. ■• - : " ■p: Prior to the distribution of prizes the following musical programme was submitted: Piano duet/ Misses Eileen Hanley/ and Agnes Daly; ?> chorus, senior scholars -piano trio, Misses Moana Poppelwell, -E. Holland | and Gladys Rose chorus,?infants piano duet, Misses Agnes Egan and Maggie Forde; chorus, senior scholars.; , _-.■-_," ,;' ; Very Rev. Father O'Donnell said he was pleased to meet the scholars and their friends at the annual break-up.' He was glad the scholars had passed another successful year and that the report of the inspector on the year's work was highly satisfactory. The report commended the conduct of the children and the result, of the examination was creditable to the nuns and the pupils alike. "-'/■ The aim of the nuns was to make every boy and girl who came under their care a good citizen, and not only a good citizen, but a good Catholic. _ They taught the principles of justice/mercy and charity which went to build up true . men and women. The nuns also ' instilled into the scholars' minds the principles of the Christian faith, and they were expected to live up to that. He wished to thank those present for their loyalty in supporting the school and expressed the hope that they were well satisfied as; to the v progress of the school as the result of the good work carried- on by the nuns. He hoped the children would have a thoroughly good holiday, that they would enjoy themselves heartily, and not do anything that would bring discredit on the school, themselves, or anyone connected with them. : He would hand over the programme to Mr. Poppelwell, as he had to leave for another part of the district. He .wished all a merry Christmas and a happy New Year. (Applause). " - -• Mr. Poppelwell said he had been pleased to hear the various musical items by the children. Those present could recognise the care and attention bestowed by the nuns in training the children, and it spoke volumes for the character,of their work. In singing, as in speaking, enunciation was a great factor in the success of a pupil, and what they had heard that day was a treat to listen to. They found themselves that day different to the other denominations. They as Catholics would not accept a system of teaching which excluded religion. They wished to instil into" the minds of the rising generation the true principles of Christianity. The secular portion of the education given in the school was highly spoken of by the inspectors, and went to' prove that the Catholic school was quite equal to other secular schools in secular subjects. It was interesting . to .'; note that Catholics always supported their own schools and paid a share of the taxes for the teaching of others. Mr. Poppelwell referred to the Bible-in-schools agitation He stated that the form of religion the Bible-in-Schools league wished to have taught was different from that or the Catholics, and they must raise their protest against it. Some time ago the matter of State scholarships was raised. Catholic children were compelled to go to a secondary State or high school and not allowed: to go to their own to perfect and improve their education, lhe Government' of the day was willin" but some education boards were not, and only in one' or two instances were winners of free places allowed to attend Catholic high schools. That ; was a matter they would- ; have to ; fight. There was neither sense > nor fair pla y in the attitude of some of the education boards. Another injustice the Catholic schools suffered from was the supply of school journals and free books to the

k_ -____ , . - ■ - rr State schools and not to the Catholic schools. If the Catholic schools could not hold their own he could understand it, but they were not defective in any way: < Their plea for ..justice was a reasonable one. They maintained their own schools because they had" con-;; scientious ; objections in the -present State: system. They were 'not/doing this thing for amusement, but because; they believed it was necessary that justice should be /done;v" He congratulated the nuns on the result of their year's work and said that it was good to know that their pupils held"their; own among the secondary schools 1 of,, the ; Dominion. ;-■- Mr. Poppelwell then distributed the prizes as follows: CONVENT HIGH SCHOOL. - Senior' Division.—Christian doctrine (gold medal)/ Maggie / Forde. :';? Good conduct (silver niedal);/Moana/ : Poppelwell. Music, Agnes Daly. General proficiency, ?Maggie -Forde. - Reading, Agnes Daly. General pro? ficiency, Moana Poppelwell; arithmetic : and spelling/ Eileen Holland. Geography, Lewis Boswell. Arithmetic, David Lawlor. ' - Intermediate Division.—Reading , and neatness, Gladys Rose. Drawing, x Edie Shore. nf: Composition, Ruby Cox. ;; Reading,? Kathleen Graham. : Writing, Eileen Cox. Arithmetic, James Daley. Spelling, Lawlor. Junior Division.-—Writing, Ivy Boult. : Drawing, James Casey. Arithmetic, ; Alex. Mcllroy. Drawing, Leslie Mcllroy.: Reading, Ina Richards. Spelling/ Monica Robins. Writing, Dolly Casey. ."..- \\. Kindergarten.—L. Egan, K. Boswell, E. Foster, M. Kelly, L. Grant, A. Matthews, and J. Henderson.

-" - 'ST.- MARY'S CONVENT. SCHOOL. \/ : /Special Prizes. Good ? conduct, Winnie/Ward/ Punctuality, Bruce Ferguson.,: Attendance, ? Maurice McGrath. ' ' ' ■ ' 7 t Class Vl.—Composition and spelling, John Holland. Arithmetic and geography, J. McGrath. Arithmetic and composition, 'Bruce Ferguson. - Arithmetic, Maurice McGrath. -Writing, D. O'Neill. Christian doctrine, Annie Ambrose. / General proficiency, Eileen Hanley. Neatness, Agnes Egan. .:: Arithmetic, Kathleen Hanley. Neatness and spelling, Muriel Johnston. ; Drawing, Winnie Ward. Spelling and recitation, Maggie White. Composition, Teresa Healey. Class : V.Arithmetic and spelling, Ernie: Healey. spelling, Michael Leen. Drawing, - Peter Milne. Arithmetic, Willie Robins. Diligence,'Patrick Sexton Geography, Nellie Delahunt. Composition, Bella. Henery. '/ Spelling•,and composition, Milly Hoffman. v Class Arithmetic and drawing, John Duggan. Drawing, J. .Delahunt. -Spelling /and composition;' George O'Neill. Arithmetic and drawing, Eddie Wallis. Arithmetic, Bruce McKinlay. Writing and drawing, Lucy Ambrose. Arithmetic and spelling, Hilda' Egan. Arithmetic, Eva Healey. -Reading, Alma L Kelly. General proficiency ,i Vera binder/; Arithmetic and composition, Martha Reid. Class lll.—Geography/Con Bourke. Brush work/ Robert Fletcher. Arithmetic, Thomas Flanagan. Geography, Fred O'Neill. % Reading, Norman Richards. Arithmetic, John Thomson. -/ Drawing, Thorley L Wallis. Spelling, Maggie Delahunt. Writing, " Renie Bourke. Reading, Reka Edwards. Spelling, Ina Healey. Neatness, Beatrice Kelly. Arithmetic, Mary O'Neill. _ Class Writing, George Bourke. Arithmetic, John Downey. Spelling, Willie White. Reading, Louie Delahunt. v : Christian doctrine, Flo White. Drawing, James Ambrose. Drawing, Vincent Henery. -7 - h Class Writing, John Hoffman. Christian doctrine, Milton McMurtrie. Attendance, John White. Recitation, Blanche Bayley. Arithmetic, Ellen Downey/ Drawing, Melda Holland. Reading, May McGlashan. Card pricking, Vivi Thomson. Spelling;. Thursa Warliixg. iiiiiimucuii,, - » cxoi wtHU..' • • Infants.—J. Barron, J. Burnby, V. 'Bourke, B. Barron, M. Warring, M. McKinlay, T. Holland,' D/ Kerr, M. Fache, C. Giles, L. Giles, K. O'Neill, G. Hoffman, J. Ferris; J. Boag, M. Cournare, John Ferris, M. Scully; J. "Healey, D.- McGlashan, M. O'Neill, B. Fache, J. Wilkins, W. Barron, T. Downey, and R. Richards. 7 ; //?'. : ~