South Australian Register (Adelaide, SA : 1839 - 1900), Tuesday 16 June 1857, page 3


ADELAIDE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION. ;

' The usual half-yearly examination of Mr. Young's pupils took place at White's Room, King William street, on Monday afternoon. The Hon. John Baker took the chair, and on the platform were also seated His Excel-

lency the Governor-in-Chief, the Hon. G. Davies, Messrs. Babbage, M.P., W.Giles, J.P., Peacock, Howard Clark, and one or two other gentlemen, in addition to Mr. Young and some other gentlemen connected with the school. Tho body of the room was nearly filled, the pupils alone numbering, as we understand, little short of 200, and at least as many parents and friends being present. Among them we observed tho Hons. John Morpnett. A. Forster, 'and E. Stirling; Bakewell, M.P.; Paisley, Private Secretary ; Lyon, Clerk of the Executive Council; Frew, Sandford, Wickes, Linklater, Whitridge, Colley, J.P.; Hamilton, J.P.; Tomklnson, &c&c, and a very large number of ladies. On the southern wall were displayed the various drawings of the pupils, comprising pencil and crayon pieces, in different styles, somo of them bold sketches and others elaborately finished; maps in several styles, and plans of portions of the oountry near Adelaide, surveyed by the unassisted efforts of the young gentlemen. The whole were deserving of praise, and some might merit the name of masterly. They were' atten-tively examined by many of the company. The Chairman referred with pleasure to the large number of ladies in the room, as sufficiently indicating the interest they took in tho progress of South Australia, which he was convinced would be materially influenced by the attention we bestowed upon tho education of our young colonists. If they had enjoyed, as he had done, the opportunity of reading and examining the work of somo of the boys in Mr. Young's establishment, they would see that we were not likely to be in any want of future statesmen, and that we should not be long without colonial literature of the very highest order. He had reason to believe that the examination would be so interesting that he did not think it necessary to detaln them from it by any further remarks, but would call upon Mr. Young for his report. He must congratulate him very heartily upon the present position of his school, which, though a private institution, had now become a public benefit. (Cheers.) '. Mr. Young then read the half-yearly report, as follows: — ' It gives me much pleasure to be able to roport more favourably than usual on tho general progress of my pupils. In every class there has been a decided improvement, especially in the junior class, consisting of boys from seven to ten years of age. The training of the minds of these children is the most interesting part of my work. As observation is the first step in the education of the young, I endeavour to awaken it by giving them lessons on the first principles of science, taking every opportunity of pointing out to them the goodnoss and wisdom of that Omnipotent Being who made them all. So much interest do they take in these lessons -that I have often great difficulty in checking their eager interrogations. All children delight in the acquisition of new ideas ; they hunger and thirst after knowledge, and it is the business of the teacher to gratify these burning desires, which cannot be done by setting them long tasks to learn at home, giving them at the outset a dislike to school, but by exciting thelr' minds to investigation. The questions put to me at times by some of these children often remind mo of nn anecdote of the celebrated Pascal, who, at a very early age, was taught the Ten Commandments. For several days after he was observed to be measuring the growth of a blade of grass. When asked tho meaning of this, he replied, ' The fourth commandment says, 'Six days shalt thou labour ; but the seventh is the Sabbath, in which thou shalt do no work.' Now I wished to know if hature obeyed this great law, and therefore measured the grass to see if it grew as much on Sunday as on other days.' A poet has beautifully described the first unfolding of this principle of curiosity in a child:— ' ' Take him between your knees, peruse his face, While all you know, or think you know, you trace ; Tell him who spoke creation into birth, Arched the broad heavens and spread the rolling earth ; ' Who formed a pathway for the obedient sun, And bade the seasons in their circles run; Who filled the air, the forest, and the flood, And gave man all for comfort or for food ; Tell him he sprang at God's creating nodHe stops you short with, ' Father, who made God ?' ' ' Besides unfolding this principle of curiosity in children, it is of importance that they should understand what they learn, otherwise they will often get into their minds absurd notions, which it is afterwards difficult to eradicate. Miss Hamilton, in her work on education, states that when a child she read a passago of Scripture, ' On this hang all the law and the prophets,' as a command, and accordingly she fancied the law and the prophets hanging up in a row on pegs. And she remarks, that so strong a hold did this error take of her mind, that it of'ten occurred to her after she arrived at mature years, ' It is a very common opinion that education imparted at school should be to fit boys for business. That any one engaged in business should possess such knowledge as is necessary to success, without which he could neither earn his bread nor serve the community, I do not dispute ; and the foundation of such knowledge is to be laid in school. But this is not the great end of education, which is, to train the intellect and heart, to cultivate those powers which will ensure peace of mind rather than those which will command wealth, and to make the child feel that he is something better than a mere machine. Children should therefore be trained in habits of reflection, which are worth much more than the actual amount of knowledge they possess. 'Although tho boys in the junior class have not been compelled to prepare long tasks at home, many have been very industrious, writing papers regularly on the lessens given at school, particularly Alfred Giles, who has much improved this half-year. 'In the second class the following deserve honourable mention for application and good conduct : — Joseph Rose, George Davies, Henry Martyn Smith, William Finlayson, and William Bottomley. ' 'So many exercises were written at home by the boys in the senior class this half-year that I was obliged to engage the assistance of a gentleman to examine those on science and political economy. Many in this class have worked very hard during the whole of the half-year, scarcely allowing themselves time for recreation. When boys, after being confined five hours a day in school, go home and devote the greater part of the night in studying philosophical works, and preparing long and well-written exercises (from five to twenty pages of foolscap), to the number of four every week — this work not being enforced but voluntary— too much praiso cannot be awarded to them. Such boys ore George Jamieson, Hubert Giles, and Robert Finlayson. The former, George Jamieson, was entitled to no less than five prizes— for industry, English, political economy, geography, history ; but as so many prizes awarded to one boy might have discouraged others who had been equally industrious, I gave these prizes to those who otherwise would have had Certificates, and rewarded George Jamieson with a special prize. ' I will now briefly notice some of the subjects that have engaged tho attention of my pupils this half-year :— ' In this colony, where the Government is placed in the hands of the people, it is of great importance that they should acquire such knowledge as will enable them to form just opinions upon all the great questions of life. It has, therefore, been my practice, during the first six months of every year, to give on elementary course of lessons on political economy to the senior class. The exercises written by several of my older pupils on this subject were very creditable productions, showing that they were not only very attentive to the lessons, bat acquired additional information by reading. 'In teaching history I direct the chief attention of my pupils to those circumstances which stamp the character' and decide the destiny of a nation ; inform them why it has been powerful or weak, by sea or land, wherein consult the excellencies and defects of its civil institutions; trace the introduction of arts and manufactures, and observe the changes that have taken place in manners and in laws. Of course this is a slow method of teaching history, but it is the only method of giving boys a taste for historical reading. I have this half-year been through the reigns of Charles II and James II, using Macaulay's History of England for my text-book, which has also been well read by many of my pupils. ' In geometry, algebra, and arithmetic, there has been great improvement, several of my pupils having highly distinguished themselves, particularly Charles Babbage, Philip Santo, and Edward Opie. The two former commenced this half-year the differential calculus, and havo for some time been applying it to the solution of problems in maxima and minima. ' In science, a course of lessons on mechanics and hy-drostatics has been given to the senior class, on which I shall examine them. 'The two large plans on the wall show that the work done by the surveying class has far exceeded what has been done during any previous period, and that there has been some improvement in mapping. The smaller plans have been done by beginners. ' As not much time is given to drawing it is hardly possible for any to excel; there has been, however, a

marked improvement, as you will observe by the specimens exhibited.'The 'The first class in Latin have translated the conclulion of the first and nearly all the second Æneid of Virgil; in addition to this they have rendered a consi derable portion of Ellis's Exercises from English into Latin. The second class have made much progress in grammar and delectus as to justify their being put into Caesar and Virgil the next half-year. The senior class ire sufficiently advanced to undertake Cicero and Horace. The following is Mr. Greffrath's report of the French and German classes: ' Dear Sir— At the end of this half-jear I send you a brief report relating to the classes of modern languages. Beginning with the conduct of the boys, I have to state that during the last quarter it was free from blame— indeed there is not one boy whom I am entitled to except from the list. Boys that I had to exclude from this honourable attribute the first quarter have, to the advantage of the class, since then left. I have great pleasure in especially mentioning the names of Bean, Vosz, and George Davies as boys of most exemplary conduct. For diligence, Bean, DeMole, and Barringer in the first German class have distinguished themselves; these three, but especially Bean, were always well prepared with their lessons, and wrote their exercises regularly. The boys of the second German class deserve my approbation. At the general examination during these last few days, the questions given to them were in general quickly and correctly answered. At the head of the second class I have to put Frederick Platts, a member of tho class for six months. The best progress has been made by DeMole, Bean, and Barringer in the flrst, and by Platts In the second German class Of Barringer I will further state that he would have certainly received a prize had he not been unavoidably prevented from attending school the first threo months of this half-year. ' In the French I have to name for the most diligence and progress, Robin, Charles Babbage, and Vosz; Robin —who received at tho last examination the first prize — being the head of the first, Vosz of the second class. . 'Those boys who appear to me to have more especially a talent for learning languages are Robin, L. Egan, DeMole, and Platts. ' I remain, dear Sir. yours trnly, 'Henrys Greffrath.' A paper on science was then read by C. Babbage, selected by himself from among those written during the half-year, and not prepared for tho occasion. It was on the subject of gravity, and was illustrated by the young author with diagrams upon the black board. Mr. Young statcd that the next item on the programme was an examination of the juniors in geography, but this he omitted in order to avoid occupying too much time. He proceeded to question the seniors on science. They acquitted themselves exceedingly well. Recitations followed, namely:— 'Tho Erl King' — Alfred Giles, Acland Giles, C. Gosse, and A. Farr. ' King John and Abbot of Canterbury '-S. Goldsack. One of Hood's poems ('Oh. when I was a Tiny Boy')1— C. Giles. 'Irish Travelling'— F. Hack. ' Freedom '-H. Gosse. ' Kossuth's Speech '— H, Giles. -

French and German recitations were also delivered by Bickford and Platts. Tho Chairman then distributed the prizes and certifi-cates, as follows : — First Class.— Special prize — George Jamieson. Good Conduct— Prize, Edward Opie. Industry— Prize, Hubert Giles. Geometry— Prize, Philip Santo ; certificate, John Letchford. Algebra— Prize, Charles Babbage; certificate -Franz Bayer. English— Prize, Robert Finlayson : certi-ficate, Adolph Vosz. Latin— Prizes, Joseph O'Halloran certificate, William P. Auld. Modern Languages-Prize, — Bean (German); certificate, 1st, — DeMole German) ; 2nd, Adolph Vosz (French). Political Economy— Prize, Robert Finlayson j certificate, Hubert Giles. Science— Prize, Charles Babbage; certiflcate, Philip Santo. Geography— Prize, Hubert Giles ; certific-ate, Philip Santo. History— Prize, Robert Finlayson certificate, Hubert Giles. Poetry— Prize, Walter Sam-son. Drawing— Prize, 1st, Charles Davies; 2nd, — Ward; certificate, Herman Henning. Surveying— Prize — James Frew; certificate, Charles Babbage. Second Class.— Arithmetic— Prize, William Bottomley certificate, John D. Thomas. English— Prize, Joseph C. Rose certificate, William Bone. Latin— Prize, Henry W. Clausen; certificate, Charles B. Wooldridge. History —Prize, Joseph C. Rose; -certificate, George Davies. Geography— Prize, Joseph C. Rose ; certificate, Thomas Linklater. Science— Prize, William Finlayson: certifi-cate Edwin S Berry. Writing— Prize, Robert Slater. Third Class.- English -Prize, William Starnes: Science— Prize, Alfred Giles. Writing-Prize, Charles Gosse Arithmetic'— Prlze- Roland Robin. Geography —Prize, Alfred Giles. The prizes were all very handsomaly bound, and some of considerable value. Each had the name of the Institution included in tho ornamental gilding. Tha certificates are beautifully engraved upon large sheets of drawing-paper. It was noticed as a somewhat interesting fact that whilo our English boys (Bean and DeMole) took the prize and certificate for German, the certificates for English and French were gained by a German pupil (Vosz). Thus, whilo we seem beating our German friends in their own language, they are pressing'us very closely in ours and in French. Mr. Young announced that he had determined upon giving a boarders' prize for good conduct. This he awarded to William Patrick Auld, to whom it was' handed by the Chairman. The Rev. Mr. Dewhurst gave an oxtra prize to Robin in the first Latin class, remarking that, though he could in no way be expected to compete with O'Halloran, who was facile princeps, he deserved encouragement for the progress he had made. Mr. J. H. Clark said that, according to his usual custom at his friend Mr. Young's examinations, he had ' come forward to give a prize for the best English com-position. He might be allowed to congratulate his friend, upon the success of his exertions, for it was less than five years ago that ho could remember him with only three pupils in a room lent him by a gentleman then upon the platform— Mr. Peacock— and. now they saw how large his establishment had become. He could con-gratulate him the more, and was glad to do so in that public manner, as being able to testify to the fact, from his own personal knowledge, that his success was well earned. It was his own merit which had placed him in the position he at pre- sent occupied, There were many who thought that schoolmasters had light work — that, because they were engaged in tho actual duties of the school only five hours a day for five days in the week, and had a month's vacation twice a year, they had something like a holiday life of it. He could vouch that this had not been the case with Mr. Young. No man had worked harder to secure success than he had done; and he (Mr. Clark) would urge the boys to do their best, by attention and industry, to make him a suitable return for the pains he bestowed upon them. They knew the old proverb that one man could lead a horse to water, but ten could not make him drink; and it held good in tho rela-tion between Mr. Young aud his pupils, for Mr. Young might waste his energies in vain, unless they gave him their close attention. The list of prizes was sufficient- to show that this caution was not needed by them all, but there might be some, who, seeing no present chance of obtaining distinction, might think it useless to exert themselves. Perhaps they would allow him to remind them of what they had no doubt heard from Mr. Young in his scientific lectures— that the study of dynamics proved no motion; however' small, to be wholly without its effect. The leap of a little child would affect, to a certain extent, the very globe on which wo lived, and in the same way the least effort of a favourable result. He had chosen as the subject of the prize essay the life of Sir Isaac Newton, a man whose constant application aud industry, as well . as his moral virtues, they might all imitate, though they might not all possess his intellect. He briefly glanced at the character of the great philosopher, and concluded by handing the prize to Hubert Giles, as the author of tho best esssay out of 10. The second, by Joseph O'Halloran, was nearly as good; he had taken the prize once before, and might parhaps do so again on some future occasion. His Excellency was happy to express the feelings of gratification with which ho had witnesed the proceed-ings of the day, and could not but remark that a gen- , tleman who, like Mr. Young, had collected so large a school around him, and maintainod so well the confidence of so many parents, might with truth be said to havo done good service to South Australia. It was well known that he (Sir R. MacDonnell) took great pleasure in meeting the colonists on all occasions, but he could assure them that he did so on none with more gratification than on those when they thus evinced their gratitude to the Almighty for his many mercies to the colony by securing, to the best of their power, its continued pros-perity. In his opinion the attention of parents to the education of their childron was a proof of the interest they took in what should interest them all— the fitness of our rising colonists to perform their duties to society, and to merit a continuance of the prosperity which it had pleased Almighty God to grant us. He trusted the boys would all do their best, and he would not have those discouraged who had taken no prizes. He had been a member of a University himself, and had noticed that it was not always the student who began best who camo off eventually with tho highest credit, or made the most distinguished man. It was rather he who continued to exert himself with the greatest diligence and application. Ho could not speak to them of tho progress they had made since their last examination, as not having had the pleasure of being with them on that occasion, he had no personal know-ledge on the subject; but, having been invited by Mr. Young that day, he trusted he would allow him to in- vite himself to go among them some time when he was not expected, and then his opinion would be of more value as the result of actual experlence. He was not much addicted to compliments, and therefore he would say that, well as they had done that day, he did not . think their education was likely to be quite finithod . before the next six months— (a laugh)— and so he might probably have an opportunity of judging of their im provement at another half-yearly examination; (Applause.) Mr. Young would be happy at any time to have the boys subjected to private examination, and he thought they would distinguish themselves much better in that way than before so many people. He expressed his ac- knowledgments to the gentlemen who had taken part in the proceedings of the day. Dr. Davies suggested to the boys three cheers for His Excellency and the Chairman. Mr. Giles seconded this, and remarked that he had attended every examination since the school was com- . menced with two boys, his own son Hubert, and one of Mr. Peacock's sons. He believed the children were as well taught as in any other establishment, and he had never asked for more, but he hoped and felt convinced that the instruction thoy received was such as would make them good members of society. The cheers were given with enthusiasm. The Chairman, in closing the business of the day, explained that it had been somewhat abridged from the necessity of concluding sufficiently early to admit of country visitors reaching their homes before dark. For the same reason he had refrained from making remarks in presenting the prizes to the boys, and would not add anything than beyond mentioning how highly he considered that many of them merited commendation. The company then separated, after having listened -to tho examination with close attention and much apparent pleasure.