St. Thomas’s Academy, Oamaru

New Zealand Tablet, Volume L, Issue 5, 1 February 1923, Page 45

St. Thomas’s Academy, Oamaru

On Monday evening, December 11, the pupils of St. Thomas’s Academy brought the year’s' work to a close when the Right Rev. Mgr. Mackay, accompanied by the Rev. Fathers Graham and Fenelon, presided at the distribution of prizes. The pupils were assembled in the Recreation Hall, which was tastefully decorated. A programme of exceptional merit was presented. The following report was read: • The scholastic year which has just ended has been a most successful one, both as regards the number of pupils and the progress made in the various branches of studies. The number of resident pupils on the roll is 60. At the examinations held at the Academy by Trinity College and the Royal Academy of Music the boys presented were successful in securing certificates for piano, violin, and elocution. In October the Otago Education Board’s Inspectors examined the school and reported very favorably on the high standard of the work presented. The eight boys who sat for the sixth standard examination gained their proficiency certificates. In matters spiritual and moral, the boys of St. Thomas’s have special advantages. All the finest energies of devoted teachers are directed unceasingly to the formation in the minds of their young charges of high ideals of piety, self-conquest, and purity— all too rare in these latter days. During the past year many pupils have had the privilege of making their First Holy Communion after long and careful preparation. The Children of Mary and Sacred Heart Sodalities continue - to flourish and the boys have been most faithful to their Hour of Guard. The health of the pupils, always an object of anxious solicitude, has been singularly gooda fact" owing, doubtless, to the invigorating climate of Oamaru, with its sea breezes and its sunshine, as well as the pleasant excursions provided for the boys at convenient intervals. Several of the boys have now reached the age limit and must leave St. Thomas’s either to pass on to college or to choose for themselves a career in the world. They carry with them the good wishes of their teachers for their success in the years to come, and the strong hope that the seeds of piety and self-control sown with loving hands may bear fruit a hundredfold. The following was the prize list: Junior School.—Reading and number, Patsy Dunn; writing and spelling, Frank Hynes; reading, number, and spelling, Thomas Roache; number, Frank Denson; number letter-writing, Stanley Mee; reading, spelling, .Bruce Wallace; general improvement, Jack Shea; spelling, reading, Frank Roache; .number, Maurice McVeigh; number, Robert Denson. Standard I.—First class prize (silver medal), John Armstrong; spelling, writing, Jack Dunn; general improvement, Leonard Earl; arithmetic, general improvement, Neville McKay; general improvement, Desmond Nolan; writing, Denis Kelleher; reading, Stanley Murphy; improvement in. reading and writing, Patrick McCarthy; reading, spelling, Neil McCarthy. Standard 11. First class prize (silver medal), Bertrand McLaughlin; reading, arithmetic, Frederick Smith; drawing, recitation, James McVeigh; drawing, plasticine, modelling, Tertius McKinnon; spelling, Hugh Kennedy; arithmetic, Leo McDonnell; letter-writing (silver medal), Thomas Roache; good conduct, Stanley Mee. Senior School. Standard lll.—First class prize (silver medal), Geoffrey Thomas; arithmetic, Arthur Prendergast; arithmetic, Albert Mollison; English composition and grammar, Leonard •Mangos; nature study and improvement in arithmetic, Frank Paul Evans; geography, Frank IJsherwood; history, Frank McCormack; reading, recitation, Thomas Healey; improvement in arithmetic and music, Jack Charles; improvement in spelling and music. Jack Kean. Standard IV.—First class prize (silver medal), Rupert Cuddon-Large; spelling and reading, Bernard Nolan; handwork and drawing, Rupert Cuddon-Large, Desmond Crosbie. . Standard V.First class prize (silver medal), Willie Quirk; first in arithmetic, Bernard. Mangos; composition and drawing, Patrick Murphy; writing and improvement in arithmetic, Brian Toomey. Standard Vl.—Second in merit in class, Edward McCullough; third in merit in class, Gerard Bourke; special merit in arithmetic and composition, James O’Farrell. Special Prizes. Irish History.—Senior division (gold medal, specially .awarded by Mr. J. Griffin), Gerard Bourke; second equal in merit, J. O’Farrell and Edward; McCullough; junior / division, Willie Quirk. . Music Violin, preparatory division (silver medal), Desmond Crosbie; 7 violin and piano, senior division (silver medal), Gerard Bourke; piano, Albert Mollison; class singing, Gerard Bourke. c

Elocution— division (silver medal), Lawrence Nathan; junior division, Edward McCullough; politeness (silver medal) Frank Paul Evans; physical culture, Edward McCullough, James O’Farrell, Jack McKay; best w : i r r Un n -/ y W d ™ edal , awarded by votes of the boys), Wilhe Quirk. Christian doctrine: Junior division (silver medal), Patrick Matthew's; junior divison,' John Arm-

strong; intermediate division, Ist prize (silver medal), Rupert Cuddon-Large; senior division, Ist prize (gold medal), James-O’Farrell; good conduct (gold medal), Edward McCullough; dux of school (gold medal), James O’Farrell.

Queenstown Convent School

The school-year was closed by a concert and prize-giving on Tuesday evening and Wednesday afternoon, the sth and 6th December. On Tuesday evening a delightful programme was rendered by the convent school children, with the generous assistance of many others whom the Sisters desire sincerely to thank. For the year’s work the Sisters, who have borne the burden of the day and the heat, deserve the highest tribute of praise. Theirs is a work which is indeed inestimable; and while for a moment it shows its results in lists of prizes and the brilliant performances of well-trained children, its value lies not so much in results as results, but in the daily, steady, purposeful training that tests endurance so much and that by its very perseverance strengthens the foundations of the character of those who are to become our Catholic men and women. Father Woods, speaking at the prize-giving, likened the efforts of teachers, pupils, parents, and friends to the combined efforts of a party ascending Ben Lomond, each of, whom, had a share of the work, and though some contributed more, others less, to the success of the enterprise, yet each did his share and each was deserving of his due meed of praise. The prize-giving, the final gathering of the year, was the successful ascent of the mountain, when, all the labor being forgotten, and the heat and the strain being over, the goal striven for had been well attained, the object aimed at well achieved. The concert consisted of choruses by the little ones, who did their work splendidly; pianoforte duets and solos by the elder pupils, who did themselves and their teachers the greatest, credit and songs and recitations by capable and willing friends and well-wishers. The most pleasing part of the whole, perhaps, was the prize-giving itself, where the pupils scored individually and collectively. Their bright and happy faces showed their appreciation of the fact that even school has a brighter side —hard as it is to believe it while school-days are a reality—and that even the school-year has an end full with the promise of holidays long-wished-for and well-deserved. Following was the prize list: Standard I.Class prize, Kathie Edwards; arithmetic, R. Creighton; word-building, J. McSorily; politeness, E. Curtis; improvement in reading, T. Murdoch; mental arithmetic, F. McNeil; improvement, N. Downey. Standard 11. Class prize, M. McDonald nature study, A. Olsen; general improvement, J. Murdock. Standard 111. —Class prize: P. O’Connell 1, F. McNeil and E. Lynch 2; arithmetic, L. Edwards; spelling and reading: D. McSorily 1, M. Mcßride 2: writing and composition, C. McDonald; drawing, J. Kelly; religious knowledge, W. Downey and E. Lynch; good conduct, W. Murdock.

Standard IV.Class prize; K. McCormick 1, M. McSorily 2; arithmetic: G. Lynch 1, F. Ross 2: writing and composition; M. Edwards 1, Hannah j Creighton 2; good conduct, W. Murdock; drawing, T. Creighton. Standard V. —Class prize, Frank Mcßride; reading, K. Ward; progress, J. Holland; arithmetic. Bill Davis; reading and history, Francis Mcßride; writing and neatness, B. Farrant. Standard Vl.Dux, John Lynch (gold medal, presented by the Catholic Federation) 1, R. McSorily 2; composition, A. Fraser; reading, recitation, -and drawing, K. Gavin; arithmetic and spelling, J. Wright; composition and needlework, K. O’Connell; agriculture, Frank Murdock; arithmetic, Tom Lynch; history, Tom Mcßride; arithmetic and spelling, John Davis; composition and history, Mona Lynch. Standard VII. —English, James Lynch; arithmetic, M. McOaughan. , , Nine certificates of proficiency and one of competency, which were gained at the recent school examinations, were then given to the successful candidates. Commercial Class. —Shorthand, typewriting, 'and bookkeeping: A. Nelson (silver medal) 1, J. Kennedy 2; bookkeeping: R Powell 1, E. Thompson and D. Buckham 2, B. Edwards 3. Music. —Senior grade, Rene Powell; intermediate, E. Robertson and K. Ward. Christian doctrine. —Senior: R. McSorily (gold medal, presented by Father Woods), prize, John Lynch ; • junior division, Eunice Robertson (silver medal); good conduct, K. Gavin (silver medal, presented by Mrs. Pettersson); politeness, Jack Lynch; special prize Irish history, presented by Father Woods, R. McSorily; special mention, Annie Nelson, K. Gavin, K. O’Connell, M. Lynch, T. Mcßride. .....