South Australian Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1858 - 1889), Wednesday 15 June 1859, page 2


ADELAIDE EDUCATIONAL INSTI-

TUTION. - '

EXAMINATION OF PUPILS.

The half-yearly examination of the pupils of the Adelaide Educational Institution was held on the 14th of June, at White's Assembly Room. At 2 o'clock, the chair was taken by Mr. B. H. Babbage, when about 130 pupils presented themselves for examination. Several ladies graced the pro-ceedings by their presence. Dr. Goss, Mr. Townsend, M.P'., Mr. Thomas Giles, and several other gentlemen were also in the room during the examination.

Tlie CHAIRMAN addressed a few words to the company, and concluded by introducing Mr. John L. Young, the Principal of the Institution.

Mr. YOUNG then read the half-yearly report, which will be found subjoined.

On the conclusion of the report, the CHAIRMAN called on Master James Robin, aged 13 years, and son of Mr. James Robin, of Grenfell-street, to read a paper which had been prepared during the preceding half-year- observing that it was usual at this Institution for each pupil to write three papers weekly, upon interesting subjects, and that the paper which Master Robin would read, entitled "Money," was one of a|regular series, though not written specially for the

examination.

The young gentleman then came forward, and read his paper in a clear, loud, and distinct voice. It was well received, and at its termination drew forth well-merited applause.

Mr. Young then examined the boys of the junior class in Geography; and put a few questions to the second class in History, on important events during the reign of George the Third-, in both cases the boys acquitted themselves in a very satisfactory manner. Master Joseph Coulls, aged 15 years, (son of Mr. J. G. Coulls, of Athelstone), was then called forward, and oneof his series of papers selected to be read. The paper was on "The Chemical Properties of Water." It was given with much clearness and steadiness, and the boy evidently was quite up in his subject. The following recitations were then given:-"Satan's Address to the Sun," by Master Clement Giles; "The King who sits upon a Throne," by 'Master Ingram; "Tecumseh's Speech," by Master A. Farr ; 'Extract from Young's Night Thoughts," by Master A. Scott; "Religion and Philosophy," by Master J. Robin; "The Death of Tippoo Saib," by Master Louis Giles ; " A Poem on the Slave Trade " by Master C. Gosse ; and "A Dialogue from Schiller's Wallenstein," in German, by Masters J. Gunn and Geo. Crase. All the above were delivered in a manner which reflect the highest credit as well upon the boys as upon the institution, and gave evidence of the great care which had been bestowed upon their studies since the last

examination.

A large number of drawings in pencil and crayon, executed by the pupils.ornamented the walls of the room. They were all very excellent, more particularly "Eton College," by Master E. Babbage; "Foliage," by Master J. Link-later ; crayon] drawings by Master W. Gosse, " A plan of part of the Park Lands," by Master Stephen

King ; and many others. It is unnecessary for us here to go into a particular account of their respective merits, but refer our readers to Mr. Cox's report which will be found elsewhere, upon the drawing class.

MR. YOUNG'S REPORT.

" Since I last addressedyou many of my best pupils have left me and gone forth into the world to begin the great battle if life. The Rev. Sydney Smith has said that ' the only mode of determining whether education is good or bad is in looking to the effects of education upon after life.' From this test I do not shrink, for I know that many of my old pupils will by honest effort and strict adherence to truth and duty, esta-blish the success of the system of instruction adopted in this school ; some of' them being possessed of superior abili-ties in addition to other nobler qualities will, I am sure, attain to high positions in the colony, and command the esteem of their fellow-men. I feel deeply interested in the future of those who .have been educated by me ; that they may acquire wealth, honor, and influence is a very natural desire, but I would prefer that they should distinguish them-selves by the unremitting exercise of all the duties of life, and excel in goodness rather than in greatness- that they may not live merely, but live well. Truly said Fellenberg-' It is nothing to say that my pupils cannot carry off prizes at Paris, V'ienna, Berlin, Oxford or Cam-bridge ; I train them not for that, but to return to their families in peace as affectionate sons, intelligent masters, vigorous in manly constitution, benevolent to their inferiors, loyal to their kings, upright in all their transactions. These are the objects I propose to myself, and by them I must be judged, not by academical honors.' The progress made by my pupils during the half-year has been on the whole, very satisfactory. Some have greatly distinf uished themselves by their persevering efforts, especially

F'inlayson, E. Babbage, W. Bishop, J. Coulls. C. Giles, J. Robin, J. P. Roberts, E. Roberts, and A. K. Whitby, in the first class ; A. Farr, L. Giles, Lang, Rose, and Samson in the second class ; J. Bishop, Cleland, C. Gosse, E. Linklater, H.

Robin, T. Reynolds, and S. Reynolds in the junior class. A special prize for industry has been awarded to A K. Whitby, whose removal I much regret, as he was one of the most in-dustrious and most promising of my pupils. The first class in geometry have just completed the sixth book of Euclid ; the second class have read the third and fourth books ; and the third class have commenced the third book. In this very important branch of study several of my pupils have given me great satisfaction, especially Finlayson and E. Roberts, each of whom has during the half-year solved more than '20 geometrical problems. John Robinson also deserves honorable mention on account of the great progress he has made during the three months he has been at the; school. In Algebra the greatest improve-ment has been made by J. Coulls and E. Roberts ; in arith-metic by Woodforde. Miers, and T. Linklater. I have this half year commenced a course of lessons on chemistry, and am much pleased with the proficiency of several in the first class, especially E. Babbage, J. Coulls, Finlayson, Maud, J. Robin, A. K. Whitby, who have thorougldy understood the subjects treated of, viz., some of the most important of the non-metallic elements and their com-pounds. The sciences have always occupied a prominent place in my course of instruction, because such studies pro-mote the exercise of the mental powers of boys and en-courage habits of observation. The best papers on social economy have been written by J. Robin and Finlayson. The lessons have been very elementary, my object being principally to acquaint my pupils with those social duties which man owes to his country and fellow-creatures. The surveying class have been employed on Saturdays in making a survey of a portion of the Park Lands. I have received the following reports of the progress of my pupils in history, geography, drawing, classics, German, and bookkeeping :

" Adelaide, June 11, 1859.

" My dear Sir- In again complying with your request to examine your senior classes in history, I regret that I was not able to devote so much time as on some former occasions to the gratifying task. On this occasion I endeavoured specially to ascertain to what extent the acquirements of your pupils reached, numerically, rather than learnedly. That is to say, I strove rather to find out how many boys had learned something, than how much knowledge a few had acquired. And I am happy to say that the classes stood this test extremely well ; for with two or three exceptions the whole of the boys were eager to communicate the know-ledge which they had evidently attained by industrious ap-plication. This remark holds good still more par-ticularly in relation to a junior class examined chiefly on the topography of India, scarcely one of the little fellows failing to reply accurately to every question put to him.

"The subject of the historical lessons-the events of the reign of George III.-with the liberal interpretation you put upon it, would have afforded materials for many days' exami-nation. As it was, I was compelled to restrict myself to a few prominent events, with an occasional question in refer-ence to others of lesser note, just to see that the boys had gone thoroughly into the subject. I was pleased to find that while all were more or less familiar with the facts of the period under consideration, there were some who had labored to make themselves acquainted with the causes of those facts, and were able to trace their consequences even to the events of the present day. I think your pupils have studied this important period of the political history of our mother-country with a success which ought to prove of great advantage to them in that public career which it is not im-probable some of them will pursue in this land.

" I remain, &c.,

"WILLIAM W. R. WHITRIDGE. .'Mr. J. L. Young."

. " June 14,18S9.

" Dear Sir-I have examined the drawings executed by your pupils during the half-year, and would express my

satisfaction with them on the whole. Of course some exhibit the usual crudity of inexperience, but others give promise of

future excellence.

" I am disposed to award the first prize to William Gosse for a chalk drawing of Carved-work, in winch the lines are very firm, and the white lights very well put in.

" The second prize is due to Eden Babbage, for his drawing of Eton College, which, with the view of the Machno Mill, shows considerable power and much care.

" In the third place, for which I believe you give a certifi-cate, I should mention the Foliage-piece, with water in fore-ground, many parts of which are excellently well done, and with much artistic feeling. J. Linklater is the author.

'The Village Church and the Sea-piece, by Ebsworth, have also more than average merit.

"In mapping, the 'Asia,' by W. Bishop, bears the palm for fulness, neatness, and accuracy; though some of the others are not without excellence.

"I also inspected the Surveys of the Police Paddock, Botanic Garden, &c and was pleased to find an item of in-struction likely to be so useful in this country so well taught. Being told that they were all worked from the Field-book, they appeared very accurate, and some of them were neatly

drawn and well finished also.

'.I am, &c.,

"F. W. Cox."

"Adelaide, June 14,1859.

"Dear Sir-I beg to forward my report for the half-year ending June, and have much pleasure in stating that the general progress of your pupils in classics for the six months

has been as satisfactory as, considering the comparatively limited portion of time assigned to their pursuit, I could expect.

" In common with other teachers of classics, I regret to say that in this colony a serious obstruction to the pupil's pro-gress arises from the want of a supply of proper books, some of which we could not procure at all, while of others only those were attainable which, containing merely the text, without note or comment, afford no aid whatever to the learner, and are calculated rather to damp the ardour of the youthful aspirant in his efforts to master the difficulties of a strange language.

" I have, liowever, to the best of my ability, endeavoured to obviate these difficulties, and have continued to main-tain that spirit of emulation which I have found so gratify-ing to the teacher and profitable to the pupil.

" During the half-yenr we have been reading, . Satires of Horace,' 'Eclogues and ^Eneid of Virgil,' 'Caaar's Com-mentaries,' Greek Testament, togetherjwith the greater part of Latin Delectus, Grammar, Sec, and have rendered into Latin a fair portion of Ellis's Exercises.

" The successful pupils in Greek are Robin, primus, Coulls, sr. ; in Latin, Robin, primus, Caulls, sr. ; Babbage, Wood-forde, Hill, Martin, H. Finlayson, Davies(,) Augusta, Way, Davis, Sydney.

" I beg especially to bring to your notice Finlayson, whose unwearied application to every branch of the studies merits the highest commendation.

" I remain, &c,

" GEORGE NEEDHAM.

" To J. L. Young, Esq., Adelaide Educational Institute."

" Adelaide, June 14.1859.

" My dear Young-Having been again requested by you to examine your book-keeping class, I yesterday devoted upwards of two hours to that purpose.

"The recommendation I made six months ago, to the effect that the attention of the class should be confined to the simplest transactions and processes to double entry, appears to have been carried out with good effect. The class generally had a much clearer notion of the objects and uses of the journal and ledger than they had six months ago, and were far readier in entering the transactions I proposed to them. I think, however, that they might still go on practising these simpler processes with advantage, as practice only will im-press the principles upon their minds, and render them familiar with their working.

" I consider that Linklater answered my questions best, and displayed most knowledge of the subject, and next to

him I rank Horwood.

" I remain, &c.,

" J. HOWARD CLARK.

" J. L. Young, Esq., Adelaide Educational Institute."

" Green's-colonnade, June 13,1859.

" Dear Sir-At your request I examined the pupils of Mr. Greffrath in your German classes on Friday last, and have much pleasure in bearing testimony to the marked progress they have made since I last had an opportunity of ascertain-ing the extent of their attainments in this useful language.

" The facility with which George Bean and E. Roberts translated the rather idiomatic language of Schiller's ' Wallenstein's Camp,' and the general correctness of their answers on the irregular verbs, and of their pronunciation, were very creditable to their teachers.

" Letchford and Gunn, in the Junior Class answered with great'readiness in German dialogue, and with A. Bean acquitted themselves well in translation and parsing.

" I am, Sir, Sec.,

" "W. VERNON HERFORD.

" J. L. Young, Esq.' '

PKIZES AND CERTIFICATES,

FIRST CLASS.

Good Conduct-Prize, C. Giles.

Industry-Prize, J. H. Finlayson, first ; A. K. Whitby

second.

Algebra-Prize, J. Coulls ; certificate, E. Roberts. Arithmetic-Prize, F. D. Woodforde. Mental Arithmetic-Paize, J. Coulls.

Geometry-Prize, J. H. Finlayson, first; E. Roberts second; certificate, J. Robertson.

English-Prize, E. Roberts ; certificate, T. Linklater.

Classics-Prize, J. Robin ; certificate, J. H. Finlayson.

Modern Languages-Prize, E. Roberts; certificate, A.

Bean.

History-Prize, J. II. Finlayson ; certificate, J. Coulls.

Geography-Prize, J. II. Finlayson ; certificate, J. P.

Roberts.

Science Prize, E. Babbage ; certificate, J. H. Finlayson.

Political Economy-Prize, J. Robin ; certificate, J. If.

Finlayson.

Book-keeping-Prize, T. Linklater; certificate, J. W.

Horwood.

Drawing-Prize, W. Gosse, first -, E. Babbage, second ;

certificate, T. Linklater.

Surveying-Prize, S. King; certificate, W. Gosse. Mapping-Prize, W. Bishop.

Boarder's Prize-Prize, S. King,

A Prize for the best Essay on the "Irish Rebellion" has

been awarded by J. H. Clark, Esq., to Master J. H. Fin-

layson.

SECOND CLASS.

Arithmetic-Prize, A. Davies ; certificate, W. Coulls. English-Prize, W. Samson ; certificate, - Way. Latin-Prize, C. Hill; certificate, H. Martin.

Science-Prize, W. Samson ; certificate, G. W. Rose. History-Prize, W. Samson ; certificate, A. Scott.

Geography-Prize, A. Giles; certificate, W. Samson. Writing-Prize, L. Giles.

THIRD CLASS.

Arithmetic-Prize, A. Clausen. Geography-Prize, C. Gosse. Scieuce-Prize, J. Bishop.

English-Prize, A. Clausen.

Writing-Prize, E. Linklater.

The prizes and certificates, as per list at foot of report, were then distributed, and the Chairman moved a vote of thanks to Mr. John L. Young, the Principal of the Adelaide Educational Institution, which was carried with warm en-thusiasm by all present. Mr. Young briefly replied, and the

proceedings were brought to a close.