Queenslander (Brisbane, Qld. : 1866 - 1939), Saturday 26 December 1885, page 1035


General News.

Breaking-up of the Schools. BRISBANE GRAMMAR SCHOOL.

The annual distribution of prizes in connection with the Brisbane Grammar Schools took place on Friday week in the main building of the institution. His Honour Chief Justice Lilley

presided, and on the platform were also the Hon. S. W. Griffith (Premier), Mr. Juatice Mem, and Mr. L. A. Bernaya. There were likewise present a large number of ladies and gentlemen interested in tbe schools. The Lady Principal of the Girls' Grammar School, Miss Sophia L. Beanlond, of London University, read the following report :— Mr. Chairman, Ladies, and Gentlemen,—We are again indebted to the kindly t-ourteay of the head maator of the Grammar Sohool for tbe pleasure of meeting you here to-day, and of engaging in a ioint celebration ot the close of the year s work. The attendance of the pupils of our school, aa compared with that of last year, shows a alight advance both in numbers and in regularity—the lowest number on tho roll at any time during the year being 95; the mean, b9*3; and the highest, 103; the lowest monthly average, 782 per cent; the mean, 90 per oent; and the highest 90 per cent. In the second quarter of the year, Mlia Franz's hasty and unexpected departure for Rurope, and in the fourth quarter, Miss Matchetfa BUdden failure of robust health, deprived us, at vory short notice, oc the services of two valued assistants. In both emergencies, however, we found ready and efficient aid given ua by ono of our "old pupils;' and, thanks to her enthusiasm ant loving zeal in helping the 'old school," we suffered littie inconvenience, and had ample time leisurely to select able successors. In April, Miss Brown, 8.A., Sydney, was appointed to succeed Miss Franz; and Miss Ward, late of the Bradford Girls' Grammar Sohool, Yorkshire, and the holder of a Cambridge honour certificate, has been chosen successor to Miss Matchetc. For next year. FraUlein yon Willinger, a lady of attested scholarship in Kngllah. French, ana German, haa boen appointed professor of modorn languages, and, aa she will be resident, there will be for tae house girls additional op ortunitiea of acquiring conversational French and German. There will also be morning classes for conversational German, and afternoou classed for conversational French, distinct from, anu in addition to, the ordinary course of the study of the icrammar and literature of the Frenca and Gorman languages. Our professors of muato, Madame Mallalieuand Mr. Willmore, are leaving us for a visit to Europe, and while offering thoui our cordial tuunub for their pat zaalous aud efficient advices, and heartily wishing them a prosperous vo, age and a safe return, we areyiad to know that their pi. ces will bo filled by the able musicians Miss Gilder, A.v. ,M., London (a medallist aa well -ut au associate), u nd Mrs. Suminertton, a lady well known In Bria'-iiie. The work of the year has been mark, d by what I thin*, we may fairly claim as it* ordinary characteristics, earnestness und vigour, it haa been a aouice of unmixed ploasure to observe the attentive care, the steady perseverance, ana the unwearied diligence whioh many of our girls have displayed. It has been especially interesting to notice along w th the development of oharaoter the quiet growth of intellectual strength and tho silent acquisition of mental fower which haa b. en evinced 0, our eldor girl*, huveii.ver sent forth any with greater cm»iaence iv iheir preparation for taking up life's work, iti so far aa sohool prepares, than the*e who aro now leaviug us. And, aa I thli.kof our upper form.-, aud ot the great difference wliku their culture- makes, 1 cannot but regrot the f jwnes-iof their i.uiubera. and tho many who leavo us wunout enjoying the benefits they are able to confer. 1 wish 1 could porsuadj pareuU to leavo us iheir daughters v little longer, so iLut they might reap to the full the aivantagea of the higher oultura which wo are able to glv., and thin ularge the if capabilities tor future usefulno a and happiness The results ot tho school examinations for the first half-year, ut* tar us honours are concerned, have already been puoliehed; those of the laat half-year are vow read , and before you. Of the girls whose name* do not appear there. I may say that many have done very good work, and that tho number of not satisfactory pupils ia very amah, there were nine candidate* for the three sohool scholarship-1. All of them did very good papers, una tho lourth ou the list so nearly approached tho third, that the trustees of the school ha»u generously awarded her a special scholarship, tunable for one year. Lady Lilioy 's gold medal has boen won this year by A. Mack .y, whose * oik has Ot en of very exceptional merit, she having obtained ut both half yearly examlnttionn 100 per cent of firstclass pasaea, a performance which, ao fur aa 1 know, has uot previously Uen equalled by any of our girla At the public examinations of tho University of Syuiioy wo prosenud ten • andldatea, throe seniors aud seven juniors. Of the junior.-, six wero Buooessful, anu aeoured v total of thirty-Beven passes out of a peboiblo forty two. and of these, fit teen were passes ia tho higher division. The red ulti of th« senior examinations have not yet been received. Drill and gymnastics continuo to be practised with ver> satisfactor. rtbults. and until tho v c i*y hot weather sot in there w^a considerable ardour for lawn tenniH. indocd. oven now. indekitig.iblo playerb are not wh^t'y laektng. Lady Mu-giaviAi prize for the Kreatebtprogi ea» in physical training was awarded at midwinter to U. Cribb, who was closely followed by a. Griffith, the remaining nine competitors also scoring vory high murks. Tho lawu tennis tournament, he'd iv October, was closely contested, and after a keen and determined btruggle the bracelet foil to s. Holland; L. Manwaring, although under the disadvantage of a stiff arm, having been very hard to beat. Wo havo the gratification of acknowleoglng with hearty thanks, several s.ocial priz-s. Lady Musgr »vo has kindly renewed tho offer of her prize to be competed for on the same conditions a-i before. In addition to her other gifts, Lady Lilley otters two silver medals, one to be awarded In 1846, and the other in 1887. for the encouragement of private readiug. The condition* will be duly posted on thegeneral notice boaid at the beginning of the yo*r. Th? Queensland Scottish Association havegenerously given us the Upper School prizes for modern languages, and two challenge bracelets are offered to the lawn tennis elmb. 1 cannot omit expressing hearty appreciation of the zeal and loyalty of the staff, aud of the generous manner in which our second mistress Id much extra work during the second quarter of the year, and of the willingness with which both she and Miss Brown have undertaken and fuithfully performed the extra duties which have fallen upon ihein during the last few weeks. The Invariable and ungrudging attention of the trustees to the iatereatu aud well-being of th* school continuo to claim our warmest gratitude. HOI'HIA L. Bbanland. Prizes to the young lady scholars were presented by tho Chief Justice as follows :— Form Prizes.—Form V., Mackay. A., Lady Lllley's Medal; Form IV., Loveain, t.. ; Form lIL, Poole, D.; Form 11., Rutledge, F.; Form 1., I*. English—Language. Modern History, and Geography.—Korm V.. Mackay, A.; Form IV., Smith E.; Form 111., Adams, ft.; Form 11., Grenlcr, M. Latin and French. — Form V„ Mackay, A.; Form IV., Love, L.; Form HI., Adam;, X.; Form 11.. Trcvethan, C. Krench and German.—Form V., Elcock. R.; Form IV.. Lovekin, ft.; Form 111., Poole, li. ; Form 11., CuUen, F.

MathomatlC3.—Form V., Maokay, A., 81t Thomas M'Hwraith'a Prize.; Form IV., Maowaring, L.; Form 111., Grimes. N. General Examination Results.—Form 1.. lßt prize, Ash worth, D.; 2nd prize, Crouch, S.; 3rd prize, Dicksofi, L Special Merit Pri-fes.—Form IV., Tait, A.; Form 111., Burrell, W. Drawing.—Lower Sohool i Barker, Mgt. Sewing and Cutting Out.—Upper Sohool: Schlencker. 8., Lady M'llwraith's prize. Lower School: Kutlodge, F, Lady M'll wraith's prize. Gymnastics—Upper School: Nioklln, A.; Lower Sohool: Griffith. K. The School Scholarshlpa (tenable for two years, commencing from January next) have beon awarded as follows : -1. Cullen, J; 2, Lovekin, ft.; 3, Radcliffe. w.; prox. ace, ftloook, R. Special Scholarship, tucook, R. Lady Musgrave'a Prize, for greatest progress in physical training, has been awarded to Cribb, R.; prox. ace. Griffith, if. Mr. Reginald H. Roe, M. A., head master of the boys' school, read the following report:— Mr. Chairman, Ladies, and Gentlonian,—Tho numbers on the roll for the year just closing have been for the first quarter 216, for the second 220. for the third 215, and for the fourth 208; the average being 215, and the increase- on tho previous year, 15. Our annual growth, therefore, continuea to be steadily maintained, tho decrease in the laat quarter being nothing more than that which usually occurs towards the end of tho year, a period which i* now generally and rightly regarded aa unsuitable for the commencement of a boy's school career, 'i he average daily attendance has boon 90 per cent. Parents will assist greatly in the maintenance of this standard by refusing permission to ->tay away except for urgent reasons, and by sending mo acknowledgement of the absentee notices that may from timo to time be issued. The roll of mastors has sluce the issue of my last report undergone further changes. Mr. Crompton, whose name has beon honourably connected with most of our buccebsea for the past ten yeara, and whoae teaching in history and classics formed one of the distinctive features in our sohool course, left ua in April. His post Is filled oy Mr. Murdoch, lately head master of the Maryborough Grammar School, whose natural ohtraoter and mental attainments alike eminently qualify him for the work he has undertaken, i consider the sohool generally and myself in particular most fortunate in finding ao able a successor to fill the gap caused by Mr. Crompton'B retirement Our ranks have been further strengthened by tho accesion ot Mr. Francis, of ttalliol College, Oxford, and Mr. Jone-, from Sydney Univeraity. 'this return of the old pupils from the universities to the service of the bcuool is encouraging proof that we are doing our work in providing the colony with its own macnii.ery for tnu spread of higher c mcation a uoogßt us. We have now bad bix ot our old wowing pupils with us us masters, andsof^rl havo formed the highest opinion of their zeal and caoaoity. i no death of Mr. Roger, whoae retirement from active duties 1 recorded i.i my laat report, has necessitated freah arrangements for th. reception of the school boarders who havo remained under his care during tbo p»t-t year, it ia my intention to under tune tbe charge of these boy a myself in Apsley House, close to the school X" tea, until our own buildings are ready, whioh I hope will be the case within the next twelve months. School games have flourished during the year. Practice wm more regular than usual in all branohoa of sports, and our cricket olevt n. thanks to Mr. Murdoch and the captain, has been ui> usually strong. The Bubi rptioua to tho Sports Fund havo been paid with m -to regularity, und there havo been fewer defaulters. A new feature ia the life of the Cadet Corn* was tno presouce of .tho company at the "untui encampment- a result now roudered possible by our holidays ut that tltno of tho year; nnul hope that the experiences of the laat outing will lead to the despatch of a still larger and more ettioieut contingent on the next occac lon. Let us turn now to 'he Intellectual bide of our year's record. F»r tno Sydney Publio Hxaminatioub we this year sunt up six teen junior candidates and three seniors. Two juniors failed, but the remaining fourteen passed in an average of 62 auljeotaout of a po bible 7, and tho average number of "high" passes was 2*5. Morrow la bracketed equui with *n\Noil and Stephen, of the Sydney Grammar Sohool, for the university prize or £10. and he wins the silver medal for histoiy. 'the results for tue souior candidates are not yet published. ThebO examinations wero conducted as usual by a committee of ladies und gentlemen undo, the superintendence of his Honour Mr. Jubtice Mom, und our unqualified thaukß are due to thorn for their self-denying and efficient services. in January, Wilaon, O'Keeffe, Und Cook, in tho order named, won for ua tho three Queenslaud University exhibitions, and Mullor wonasoholarblup -v Ormond College, Melbourne, in Marco. 'I ho appended list of distinctions gained by old boya ut their soveral universities shows that they aro creditably maintaining tho honour of the school in very diverse portions of the world. in our own school exa niuutions tho Lilley Gold Medal falls to Ash worth, who hub fur ouu-trippid all other competitors; vlorruw also showed undoubted supremacy in the fifth form i or the Upper School Sliver Medal; for tae Lower Sohool Medal there was severe aud close competition between JH owlea and Roberts, both of them ooya of great ability and industry. Mr. Murdoch and myself had no hesitation iv making thoaward ultimately in favour of Fowles. Tho large unmoor of prizes for genoral merit ia proof that the boya near the noad of their forma have boon unusually industrious; for tho standard, flvo first classes or the equivalent, two noioudu reckoning us ono flrbt, has not been lowered. This standard will, however, noxt year, bo raised to seven first classes. The Queensland tcottifh Association havo generously continued their prizes in aid of tho study of practical chemistry, and these havo been allotted, the senior to Ashworth, the junior to Barfoou Several specimens of work were sent by the boys to the Exhibition of the Queensland National Association iv august, and tho prizes then won for drawing, writing. Knglish essay, natural history, collections, a*c, will bo distributed with our own to-day. One pleasing feature of i hia competition lb, that to a large extent it rewards merit iv subjects which do uot exactly full within the ordinary achool course, but which, nevertheless, deserve every eiuouragemont. For Indeed the teacher in modern timea is almost bewildered with the muliltuuo of useful aubjecta which claim n cognition In hia course. There ia ho much that every boy la expected to know, aud which it ia regarded as moat unprogressive to omit, that there is a danger of the pupil's mind being over-burdened by the weight of additional subject* or the soundness of his Knowledge impaired by their diversity, vv c arexpt to forget that the object ut education is not so much to impar* menu fucte ntodovel p the mental powers, and in our endeavour to manufacture the largest possible quantity of goods we run the risk of wearin* out the muci.ine. A good memory and industry enabletheclcver boys to satisfactorily commies the range of ancient and modern languages, histoiy, neoKra*.hy, ftugHsh, mathematics, und science, whiun the ordinary C'lurso of a high sohool prescribes; but for the slower boys, aud even for the average intellect, 1 think a somewhat less ambitious proKranime would produce belter results iv the training of their intellectual powers; and I intend next your. with the consent of tne trustees, to make somo remission in the subjects now compulsory in tho upper school, it is tne wish of our chairman, and with it I thoroughly concur, that more tllort ahould be made to teach modern languages conversationally 'J hey have been hitherto treated here aud indeed uimojt everywhere mainly aa dead languages. Boys can read them and perhaps write them fuirly, but cannot speak them or understand tneni when Kj.okcn; and thus one of their chief valued in Kiving t u<i of txpresbion und riohnesc* of voc»hulai> hub but-u lo*.t. Th* chief difficulty in the carrying out of these two

changes will be the tendency to disorganisation in our class system, but with due care and supervision this should be overcome. During tno yoar the queation of State control and Inspection of tho Grammar Schools has been onco more mooted. It would. 1 think, bo a disastrous day tor higher education in Queensland 'when tho Grammar Schoola wero reduced tj a uniform system under the control of iho Education Department. Tbe local interest of the governing bodies would bo destroyed, and the valuable assistance now gained gratuitously from the sympathy and experience of the best men in the State would be lost; tho vitality which cornea from independent life would be extinguished if the schools were placed under tho dire ;tion of a central department, and wore forced to pass through the same mould all the growing Intellects of our different districts. Greater uniformity and organisation would no doubt be gained, and aome waste of power avoided, bur. at the expense of future growth and vital energy. In education, still more than In political life, we must boware of the fetters of centralisation. At the same time I am |aware that the annual examination of the sohool by a competent body of external examiners would be on many giounds a decided advantage. A teavy pressof work aud a serious responblbility would thus bo taken from the shoulders of the present masters. Valuable hints would be gained, and blots pointed out even in the best regulated schools, and the governing bodies and the public would have in their reports a guarantee of the Suality of the work done. The difficulty here is le proper supply of examiners. The appointment of a few permanent inspectors would simply mean the establishment of an almost irresponsible set of head masters over those now in charge. The proper source of examiners for secondary schools is a university. Its professors and past graduates would furnish a ooutlnuoua and everchanging supply of the men we require; and I hope the day is not far distant when Queensland herself will have such a head to her educational system. We haveoaoh year an increasing number of pupils who would continue their studies through a university course if it were within their reach. Tho list of honours at the close of this report shows, nnd that but partially, the number of students from this sohool alone who, in spite of diatanco and expense, are pushing forward over all difficulties to tho goal of a complete education; und there are as many more who would follow in their steps if thoir meana weuld allow, a row years ago the- Sydney University, with a show or liberality, opened its doors to Queensland students who might wish to obtain their degree without residence in Sydney. It waa stated that if students here reached a sufficiently high standard at the annual examinations to make it evident that they oould liroaeoute thoir etudies satisfactorily without ectures, they would be required to preaent themselves at the university omy for the final examination ; but tho arbitrary refusal of the Senate to continue this privilege to an old pupil of this sohool, who had completed hia first year's course with the highest honours, should be a warning to auy credn- ous enthusiast Inclined to take advantage of this oonoasion. What wo want la a university of our own to conduct our public examinations—whioh ahould be an equivalent to matriculation, and so give the SHooessful candidates a definite university standing—to examine our grammar schools annually throughout, reporting to the boards ef trustees, but above all to place a complete education reasonably within the reach of all who desire It. aud to bo the life-giving centre of higher thought and culture in our community. A univeraity will, no doubt, coat money, and require care in its initiation; but if those gentlemen wno have already done so muoh for higher oducation in Queensland will now take up this work as tho crown and cornice of their labours, we need have no fear of its successful and speedy accomplishment His Honoar the Chief Justice distributed the following prizes :— Lilley Medals.—Gold, Ashworth; silver (Upper Sohool), Morrow; silver (Lower Sohool), Fowlea Prox. accessit, Roberta Bowen Prize.—Cooper. Sir J. Cockle's Prise.—Ashworth. Form Prises—Form VI., Ashworth, gold medal; Form V.. Morrow, silver medal; Form IV., r-atchtng; Modern School, Wuersching; Form 111. (A). Roberts; Form 111. <b), Bernaya, F.; Form 11. (a), Fowlea ailver medal; Form 11. (b), Graham, J. w.: Form 1., M'Mahon. language Prizes.—Form VI., Ashworth; Form V.. Morrow; Form IV.. Patching; Form 111 (a), Kobcrtn; Form 111. (»). none awarded; Form 11. (A),Fowles; Form 11. (b), Graham, J. W.; FormL. M'Mahon. Kngllsh History and Geography.—Upper Sohool: Set A, Ashworth; Set B,Morrow; Set C, Wuersohlng. Lower Sohool: Set A, Fowlea; Set B, Whltehtll; Set C, Preston; SetD,Stewart, A.W. Mathematlca—Upper Sohool: Set A. Ashworth; Set B, Hart; Set C, Morrow; Set D. Harding. W. Lower Sohool: Set A, Fowlea; Set B, Roberts; Set C, ttuncan; Set D, Enapp, A. (disqualified). Science.-Chemistry-Set A, Ashworth; Betß, M'Cowan. Mineralogy, wuerahing; Physiology, Fowles; Botany, noberts. Writing School.—Bookkeeping, Palfrey; Draw* ing. Atkinson; Greatest Improvement in Writing, Ha&aall; Mechanical Drawing, none awarded. practical Chemistry (Queensland Scottish Association Prizes). — Seniors—Ashworth; juniors— Barfoot. General Merit. — Brookes, 8., Ball, Canny, Jordan, Jones, 1., Cribb, Daniels, Fewinga, Muller, Graham, D., Jessup, Pegg, 8., Morse, Pepper, Reimers, Stewart, L., Walker, H. X., Pegg, ti. Gymnastic Prizea — Set A, Upper School, Palmer, H. C; Set B, Upper r-chnol. Bogle; S«t <<, Upper School. King; set A. Lower School, Anatln; Set B Lower School. Lewis; Set C, Lower School, Harding, W. C; Set D, Lower Sohool. Ranniger. Beat General Gymnast—H. Palmer. The Chief Justice aaid: I have been desired on thia occasion to offer a few words to the girls and boya who have won prizea Tbe number of the prizes has largely increased, and it ia no light labour now to diatribute them. I think that fact may be taken aa a gratifying aign of the actual progress of the school. It is a matter of very great pleasure to me and to my fellow trustees to find that the school is still maintaining its high character —that, with othor institutions of the same class in this colony, it is doing a great national work, spreading scholastic education amongst the youth of the colony of both sexes, and we hope giving them some measure of that wisdom which they will need in the course of their life hereafter. There are many topics of very great interest in the report of the head master. The first in importance and dignity is the need that we have for a univeraity amongat ua—a univeraity of our own, to which a larger number of our boys and girls may go for tbe completion of their higher education. Notwithstanding the very great expense and difficulty of going through a university course, especially when a student goes home to England for that purpose, we have a very goodly number of students abroad. At the S resent moment we have actually fifteen stuents who have either completed their course or are undergoing a course of study in the universities of the mothercountry and of the other coloniea. I have felt for a long time that we ought not to tie satisfied with that measure of success, and that the time haa come when we might enter en the work of establishing a univeraity of our own. lam aware ef the peril youths are exposed to when sent to distant countries fer the }urpQM of reodving education. lam a very

great believer in a child being pretty near to home when undergoing a course of instruction. Youths may be placed under very good g jidance; but, after all, tho good home ana the excellent parent can never be fully supplied by the professor or the schoolmaster. I think, moreover, that education in thia colony, a 8 everywhere else, would receive a great stimulus from the establishment of a local university. A university, as has been said by Mr. Roe, is the life of an educational system. A university, of course, may and will embrace, aa far aa means will allow, the very widest possible field of instruction. It may undertake the teaching of a very wide field of human knowledge, but we cannot hope that the smaller vessel —the student—can hold all that the univeraity may have the capacity to teach. We must, therefore, moderate our expectations in that respect. I agree with Mr. Roe in saying that the field of study for tho individual student haa been very unduly enlarged. It ia impossible within the period that a youth can devote to education in these schools, or even in tho higher training of the universities, that he can undergo a very widely extended curriculum. I believe tho time is near when teachers must resolve — and the public must find it out for them if they cannot find out —the actually essential subjects which it is necessary to teach, and which can possibly be taught at school, college, and univeraity. The after education of life must be in the cose of every student a work of his own. The greatest men who have ever lived —the foremost men in all our communities— are men who have mainly built up their own education in after life, and it is well that a student ahould understand that the teaching he gets in achools, colleges, and universities is not a finishing process, but simply the foundation for a structure which he himself must afterwards build. I hope therefore that we shall by-and-by be able to restrict our curriculum to essential subjects. I know that thero is a desire on the part of parents that their children ahould come out of school, college, and university with a universal knowledge, like walking encyclopedias, of the languages and of all human knowledge. That desire is, I think, a very wrong one. The extension of the field of science and of human knowledge is now ao wide that it is impossible for any human being to compass it at all. I have found myself that there are aome thinga of which, if we are not content to be wholly ignorant, we must at all events know only a little about. There must be a foundation of general knowledge, but the right man for work in the world must be essentially a specialist in some line or another. Reverting, however, to the eatabliahment of a univeraity, whatever ia done in that direction most be initiated by tbe public. We cannot go to the Legislature and aak for a grant for the eatabliahment of a univeraity, unleaa we first show by our own generosity that we recognise it aa a pressing need. There are wealthy men in the community who could give substantial aid. In the other colonios, and particularly in South Australia, universities have been founded mainly by the munificence of private individuals, and then the Legislatures have come in to complete the good work. I think that we must by-and-by start a subscription for founding a Brisbane University, and I hope we ahall receive aome substantial grants from generous donors. I must again congratulate the boys and girls on tbe good work they have dona One feature common to both schoola, according to the reports, ia that the general average of industry in the two schools has been high. I believe it ia not leas important that we ahould produce a large general average of learning than that we ahould produce some brilliant specimens of scholastic training. The truo influence of a school is to be found in the raising of tho average of the oducation of tho community. I am therefore rejoiced to find that tho lady principal and the head master arc both ablo to report that great satisfactory progress has been made in that direction. I hope, now, boys and girls, that you will enjoy the holidays before you, and come back fresh, and let next ?ear tell even a brighter atory than the past Applause.) Cheers were given by the boys for Miss Beanland and Mr. Roe, and the proceedings terminated. Just before the company separated, news arrived that Mr. Thomas M'Leod, a master connected with the school since June, 1870, had died after a week'a painful illness. There are now many hundreda of old pupils in Queensland who have passed through hia hands, and all will remember the strong personal influence that he brought to bear on the character of his pupils, the clearness and method of his teaching, and the firm kindliness of hia heart The trustees feel that they have lost a servant it will be most difficult to replace, and hia fellow-masters a colleague whom they regarded with equal affection and respect.