SACRED HEART GIRLS' COLLEGE, CHRISTCHURCH

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XLIV, Issue 1, 4 January 1917, Page 55

SACRED HEART GIRLS' COLLEGE, CHRISTCHURCH

v.;.-. (From our own correspondent.) |s . Again this year, the annual entertainment in con-; nection with the Sacred Heart Girls'- College, with its • junior- division, and,, also St. Joseph's Parochial Girls' School of the Cathedralconducted by the Sisters of Notre Dames des Missionswas given in aid of the Patriotic and Red Cross funds, . the customary prizegiving of past years being on this occasion likewise foregone in favor of the same worthy objects. The large parochial school building was crowded, and the entertainment was greatly enjoyed. His Lordship Bishop Brodie was present, accompanied by the Very Rev. Dean Regnault, S.M., and a number of visiting and resident clergy. The programme was as follows: Opening chorus, 'The Holidays,' the pupils : orchestral selection, 'Petite Marquise'—first violins, K. Murphy, M. Bowman, ' O. Bowman, C. Coak'ey. M. Lawlor, F. Banfield; second violins, E. Foiniau. M. Neale, M. O'Malley; third violins, W. Gieeu\ W. Khouri; 'cello, M. Murphy, G. Young: harp E. Harrison ; pianos, K. . Hay don, I. Mahon. Action song, 'Good Night,' and tableau, junior pupils: vocal duet, ' Twilight,' M. Mullane and M.Allen: harp solo, 'lrish Fantasia,' K.. Murphy ; chorus, ' God Bless Daddy at the War,' junior pupils; action song, ' Britain's Soldier Boys,' junior pupils; orchestral selection, 'Marche Gasconne ' ; vocal quartet, 'O Boatman, Row Gently,' M. Mullane, K. Haydon, V. Berry, K. Murphy: action song, ' A Hunting We Will Go,' junior pupils: part song, with instrumental accompaniment, 'A Night in May ' —first violin, M. Bowman : second violin, M. Neale; 'cello, M. Murphy: piano, G. Young, senior pupils. Orchestral selection, ' Intermezzo": chorus, 'Music and Her Sister Soul;,' the pupils: action song, ' Screen Song,' the pupils: part song, with harp accompaniment, ' Wind and the Mar]),' senior pupils (harp,, • K. Murphy) ; drill, 'Patriotic Ribbon Drill,' the pupils: tableau, ' The Allies,' the pupils ; finale, ' Glory to God,' the pupils. A synopsis of the year's work at the convent reads as follows: ' Success in Examinations.—M.A. and first-class honors, one candidate. Teachers' D—Three full passes and four partial passes. Senior Free Place —Five successful candidates. Junior Free Place —One successful candidate. Of the 26 successful sixth standard pupils, twenty gained proficiency and six gained competency certificates. , ' In the Navy League essay competition held in connection with the Trafalgar Day celebrations, Rewa Murphy won the first prize in the secondary group under 15 years of age, and Mary Rundle came equal with a pupil of the Girls' High School for the second prize in the same group. Madge Allen received special mention in the group over 15 years of age. Annie Joyce obtained the first certificate in the Standard VI. group, Cissie Naismith the second. In the Standard V. group Lorraine Jarman obtained the first and Elsie Ives the second class certificate. The examiner reported that the essays in the Standard VI. group were of special excellence. The successful candidates for senior free place were—Madge Allan, Verda Wilson, Molly Campbell, Mary Sheehan, Evelyn Mooney; junior free place, Margaret Hickey. In games, the various basket-ball teams have had an unusually successful year, winning matches against the Technical College, Normal School, and the senior girls of the Sumner Institute for the Deaf. The primary school .was examined by the board's inspectors, and satisfactory reports were obtained. The school is in a thoroughly sound condition. The programmes of work have been suitably drawn up and the results of this examination show that the various subjects have been intelligently taught. Great care and neatness vis exhibited in all the written papers, and in the oral tests the pupils are bright and responsive. Excellent singing has been obtained, and the reading, recitation, and composition were of especial merit. The remaining subjects vary from good to very

good. The discipline of the school is highly commendable. The secondary classes 'of; the college were inspected on behalf of the Education Department, j Wellington, by Inspectors T. 11. Gill and W. : Brock* the substance of whose report is as follows: —"The secondary department has 43 girls on ; the roll, 42 of whom - ; were present on the occasion of r our visit. 1; From;the -subjects of , instruction, consisting of religious teaching, English, French, Latin, arithmetic, algebra, geometry, history, geography, botany, hygiene, shorthand, '•■ bookkeeping, typewriting, sewing, arid dressmaking; two courses have been arranged-(a) a general course, which aims at giving girls a good general education, including preparation for the teaching profession ;- and (b) a commercial course for those girls who wish to take up work in an office. The course (a) reaches the standard. of attainment of the intermediate certificate in two years, and matriculation in four years. The methods of teaching were on thoroughly approved lines, and considerable skill was shown in using them. Force, directness, and zeal were noticeable features of the work which came under our notice. The lessons bore, evidence of earnest and thoughtful preparation. The fullest use was made of the blackboard, and considerable ability was shown in questioning. The English language receives systematic attention, and a well-chosen list of books is studied during the year. Both the language and the literature lessons were creditable performances. French is taught by the direct method, and Latin by the traditional. The various steps in arithmetic were clearly set out on the board and in the pupils' books. In the commercial course the work reaches a very high standard, the book-keeping being very noticeable in this respect. JThe girls were diligent, attentive, and well behaved. There appeared to be a splendid spirit of work. The girls play tennis, basketball, cricket, have a short period of Swedish drill daily, and sports on Friday afternoon.'' ' In the commercial class,' the report concludes, 'the pupils have had a very successful year.. Certificates for shorthand have been obtained from Sir Isaac Pitman and Sons, Ltd., England, as under: —Theoretical, nine pupils have gained elementary and eleven have gained second-class certificates. Thirty-four speed certificates have been obtained, one at the rate of 180 words per minute, one at 140 words per minute, one at 150 words per minute, two at 110 words per minute, two at 100 words per minute, two at 90 words per minute, nine at 80 words per minute, six at 70 words per minute. 10 at 50 words per minute. Certificates were received from the Incorporated Phonographic Society (Typists' Section), England, the secretary writing : "I am eased to advise you that all the candidates were successful, the work submitted by them being excellent." Junior typist—May O'Donoghue, Nellie Murphy, Dorothy Mclnerney, Cissy Mullins, Stenny Chisnall, Gloria Reade, Queenie O'Donoghue. At the music examinations held during the year by the representatives of Trinity College and Royal College of Music, London, 64 candidates were successful. Trinity College (Practical) —Fifty-one passed, 21 securing honors. On the recommendation of the examiner, a special prize has been awarded by the local Centre to Ida Bradford, and the Junior Grade medal has been awarded to Helena Keane. Theoretical and Art of Teaching Seventeen passed, 10 securing honors. Royal College of —Thirteen passed. The dux of the school this year is Marion Williams. , Next in order of merit are—T. Gill 2, E. Burke 3, Madge Allen 4 M. Rundle 5, M. Campbell 6, T. Ryan 7, M. O'Donoghue 8, J. Mills 9, V. Wilson 10.' ; v In addressing the assembly his Lordship the Bishop said that it was a very pleasant duty to preside over such a successful entertainment. The concert had been for the Red Cross and Patriotic funds, and the programme had been singularly appropriate. He was glad to find the children animated by the true spirit of patriotism and charity, in that they had readily foregone their prizes this year in order to help in that good work. Therefore there was only a small distribution of prizes, presented by kind friends. As for the

concert, it had « been so delightful s that but for the ; fact that it was : given on the last school day he would. have asked the children and the Sisters to repeat it. He complimented the teachers and pupils on their magnificent success, and' the Sisters on. the result, of their year's work in. every department of the school. , If there was one section of the community to whom sufficient praise was not given it was the teachers, but he was pleased to say that the Government now realised its obligation to reward in every possible way the zeal and devotion of the teachers of the/public schools. He was also glad to take the opportunity of expressing his gratitude to the inspectors for the kindly interest they took in the Catholic schools, and his feelings were shared by the priests of the diocese and the religieux of the different schools. The public school teachers were doing a wonderful work, but in the Catholic schools one tound a zeal and devotion and sacrifice that were unknown in any other educational system. Their Sisters and Brothers devoted the whole of their lives to the grand work of Catholic education. They wore not being treated with the spirit of justice that might be expected, but it was their proud boast that the religieux were doing a work of the greatest self-sacrifice and devotion. If the State could get such a spirit in its teachers it would be glad to range itself with the Catholic Church in the great work she was doing for complete education—namely, instruction supplemented by religious knowledge. To the children and to the friends of the Sisters there assembled he said, ' Try and show on every possible occasion the gratitude that is due to our Sisters and Brothers for the noble work of their lives, sacrificed in the cause of Christian education.' (Applause.) ITis Lordship ended by expressing the hope that the children would find their Christmas a happy and a holy one to usher in a joyful and happy New Year. His Lordship then presented the following special prizes : —- Christian doctrine—Secondary and Commercial Classes: Marion Williams 1, Kathleen llaydon 2. Standard Vl.—Florence Nidd 1. Ruby Mallison 2.' General improvement. Myrtle Hunt. Standard V.—Derxean Brittenden 1 Lorraine Jarman 2. Standard IV.—Betty .Nairn. Lower Division : Lena Kearne 1, M. McKenzie 2Dux of School —Marion Williams (Void medal). Good conduct-—Upper Division: Kathleen llaydon (gold medal). Lower Division : Norma Kennedy. Typewriting—M. Donoijhue (gold medal, presented by Mr. D. N. Adams). Painting—M. O'Malley (gold medal, presented by Mr. Andrew Lee). " Music Kitty Murphy (gold medal). The following prizes were presented to pupils of St. Joseph's School: —• Christian doctrine—Senior Division, Molly Flood ; Intermediate Division, Milly Bachelor 1, Imelda Manning 2; Junior Division, Katie McDonald 1, Ivy Milligan 2. , Dux of School—Eunice James (gold medal, presented by the Hibernian Society). The accommodation of one of the largest classrooms in the convent building was devoted to the purposes of an ' Art and work exhibition,' which attracted a constant, stream of admiring visitors. The display was a credit to the exhibitors and to the teaching staff of the college. Included in the exhibition were many exquisite paintings of New Zealand scenes, while many first-class specimens of poker, relief and chip carving, needlework, embroidery, dressmaking, pen-painting, etc., were to be seen. Amongst the best of the various exhibits were those of the following pupils: . Painting—Mrs. William Uoban, Mrs. J. D. Walsh, Misses C. Ryan, Veronica Berry, E. Mooney, M. Mullane, A. Petrie, L. O'Malley (gold medallist for the year). D. Walsh, T. Gill, M. Neale. , '-.: , ',.,,. Pen Painting—Mrs. J. D. Walsh, Misses M. Mullane, M. Evans, D. Ogier, and S. Chisnall. Woodwork—Mrs. J. D. Walsh, Mrs. W. Hoban,

Misses ; M. Mullarre, P. O'Reilly, S-. Chisnall, K. Hay-' don, and N. Bruce.. /' ' ! , v ; „■ Needlework (embroidery, fancy work, etc ) M ~'ssc.v Madeline O'Brien, L. O'Malley, Kitty ;Murphy, Florrie Nidd, V. Wilson, and S. .Chisnall. , '-'. '.'• •' Dressmaking—Misses Veronica Berry, Jean Mills, Mona Neale, Mona Mullane, Ruby Mallison, and, Kitty Murphy. : '" ';;'" "'.;■.' ■ " . ' The exhibition was in every way a most creditable one, and contained work by pupils of all ages. .■". .v