BIBLE KNOWLEDGE PRIZES

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2066, 18 December 1907, Page 3

BIBLE KNOWLEDGE PRIZES

GISBORNE SCHOOL. A pleasant gathering of school 1 children, parents, teachers, and others took place at the 'Gisborne School yesterday afternoon, when tho prizes won in connection with the (Bible classes were distributed. The chair was occupied by the A r eu. Archdeacon Williams, and there were also presentthe Rev. Messrs. F, AV. Chatterton, L. Dawson Thomas, AA'. Grant, and others. Air. Chatterton apologised for the absence of the Rev. Mr. Griffin. Standards I. to V. occupied tlio seats, Standard AM. being engaged in class-firing, and the girls were also •released. The Rev. Air. Chatterton said that

this was the first report of the ißiblo in State Schools Association, and ho wished to congratulate pupils ami parents on tho .success which had at-

tended their efforts. The number on the school roll was 700, and the attendance at tlio Bible classes was a little over 500. The touchers hoped that the number would be increased in the future, and next year lie hoped tlie.ro would be GOO present. An examination was held last Friday ; that of standards 11. co AM. was conducted on paper, and of standard I. and the infants the examination was viva voce. The attendance of tho 500 had been regular, and'out of that number'so had never missed a day. The prizes for the other classes would be g’ivon at 9 o’clock the following morning by Air. Rowley’s .permission. He desired to thank the teachers most sincerely for their kindness '.and the facilities they had given the instructors. He had been in New Zealand for many years, but never had he encountered better discipline or greater success than in this school. The Rev. Mi\ Grant, in the absence of the chairman of the School Committee, also congratulated the children on -the success gained. He ■believed that as the lower classes progressed this success would bo still more noticeable. In .regard' to the attitude of the teachers, no one could do more than Mr. Rowley and the staff under him had done. The Archdeacon said that when Mr.

Chattel-ton asked him to take part he was disappointed, as he thought ho would be unable to 'accept. However, he hail managed to get along, and lie was very glad lie had come. He would have been sorry had ho been unable to show his sympathy in some measure. The work was a very important one, and as the children grew alder they would realise it more. He paid a tribute to the work of the instructors, who, although they had other things to attend to, could always do the work. It- was very important that the children should know something about the Bible, and it would be a great factor in making them good Christian men and women . Some people talked about the Bible as if it was a mistake to read it. . He remembered seeing a man who desired to write a book to overturn the Bible, which was, however, like a cube. It was overturned very frequently, at least, some imagined so, luit, like the cube, it was all right. This man read the book very carefully, and found that there was no mistake, and lie wrote a book in its defence. He should like to hear that tho record attendance of 500, out of the 700, would become the rule. (Applause.) The prizes were then distributed, the recipients being cheered as they carried away the prizes. Tho following were the prize-win-ners :

Standard 6.—Boys: Colin Anderson 1, AVilliam Grant 2. Girls: Amelia Hawkins 1, Helen McLean 2. „ Standard s.—Boys: Edmund Davys 1, John Bremner 2. Girls: Doris Lo Quesne 1, Ivy Yardley 2. Standard 4.—Boys: Richard Simeon 1, Noble Lowndes 2. Girls: Zellma Hooper 1, Alice How Chow 2. 1 Standard 3.—Boys: Raymond Hansen 1, Addin Moore 2. Girls: Iteta Stevenson 1, Jane Sealy 2. j Standard 2.—Boys: Jack Rendell 1, Harold Bull 2. Girls: Rose Schwabo 1, Ivy Ilowarth 2. In. standard 1 prizes were awarded to those who had not. missed more than three, attendances. Boys: Lawrence Atkinson, Harold Lincoln, Andrew Murray, Benito Morris, Arthur Sceats. Girls: Frances Davidson, Alary Kempsey, Alice Fraser, Ruby Pool, Lily Sigley, and Ethel Yardley. A number of those who did not gain prizes were deserving of special mention.

Miss Morice presented Bibles to those who had not missed once, and Testaments to those absent once only to the following:—Bibles: Leah Spurdle, Pearl Hatherill, -Elsie Morell, Muriel Church, Kate Ambridge, Margaret Nasmith. Testaments: Ruth Roach, Daisy Andrew, Zelma Hooper, Sybil Lewis, Elsie Nicholls, Winifred East, and Evelyn Manning. Mr: Ohatterton intimated that Mr. Grant wished to give a Bible to Francis Ballantyne and Wlietu Keiha, who had never missed an attendance. They are to be given this morning. Mr. L. Dawson Thomas also came forward with a similar offer. Mr F. J. Rowley expressed his pleasure at what was said about the behaviour of the children. He had undertaken not to enter tlie rooms, and he had often wondered how they behaved. Ho was glild that the discipline of the school was good, and they must keep up their reputation; they must always bear in mind the necessity of keeping up the good name of the school. He expressed a dread of any sectarianism among the scholars. He had never seen any, -and he hoped ■he never would. He should be sorry

if every child was present at tho class as hoped by the Bible people, because he knew that that was impossible, as they .had. at tlie present time a fair 1 number of Roman Catholic children. v and;;they could not possibly -attend'. He cautioned the scholars that the people of other creeds ■were just as good as themselves, and they must not look down upon them in any way because of their religion. They had reasons for not coming, and those reasons must be respected. Years ago, ho remembered, trouble had occurred, both sides calling each other bad names, and he trusted that it would never occur -here. He had not seen a sign of it yet, and hoped he novel- would.. The Archdeacon explained that what was meant was that the full attendance was desired of those on the Bible class roll. The classes resume with the reopening of the school next February. Proceedings closed with three hearty cheers for the chairman.

K’AITI SCHOOL. During the interval of tho school concert last night the Bible class -prizes were presented -by the chairman-, Mr, J. AY. Bright. Tlie -Rev. -F. -AY. Cliatterton, secretary of the -.Bible Teachers’ Association, announced the -number oil the school roll to be 120, and stated tlnit tlie attendance at the Bible- classes lately had -averaged 100. (Mr. Cliatterton paid a tribute to the courtesy and efficiency of theBible teachers—-Mrs. Col. Porter, Airs. Hughes, and Air. F. Long. The prizes as in other schools were awarded as the -result of the examination held last Friday, and for attendance. Three special prizes were given by Airs. Col. Porter in her class and two bv Airs. Hughes. Cards will -be given to-day to all the infants who attended the classes. Following are the prize-winners:—Upper Standards —-Boys: Travers Alorgan, 1 ; Arthur Fyson, 2. Girls: May Fail-lie, 1; Christina Baty, 2. Lower Stand-ard—-Boys: Te Run Herivel, 1 ; Sidney Cleary, 2. Girls: Nellie Fuirlie and Ada Bell, 1; Grace Horne, 2. MANGAPAPA SCHOOL. The following are the -prize-winners at the -Alangapapa school:—Girls: Ellen Robb, 1; Una McLeod, 2. ißoys: Thomas Cochrane, 1; -Kenneth Hansen, 2. Infant division: Alec Robb, 1; Leah Evans, 2.