3
E.—B
Girls' High School. The general working of the school has been conducted on the same principles as in former years, with the exception that the upper school only was examined by outside examiners at the close of the year's work. The roll-number for the first two terms (120 and 121) was identical with that of the same terms last year. The roll for the third term (119) was slightly lower, but the average daily attendance for the term' (111-2) shows an improvement on that of last year (107). Thirty-five pupils have held scholarships or exhibitions, sixteen being scholarships or exhibitions from the Board of Governors of Canterbury College, eighteen scholarships from the North Canterbury Board of Education, and one a scholarship from the South Canterbury Board of Education. At the December University examinations, one pupil gained a Junior University Scholarship, and another matriculated well up (seventh) in the credit list; two pupils entered for Medical Preliminary Examination, and both passed; thirteen entered for matriculation and twelve passed. Three pupils gained Board of Education Senior scholarships, one of them heading the list. Pupils of the school have individually gained numerous distinctions in connection with the awards of the Canterbury Jubilee Exhibition. In the literary section the gold medal for the essay under sixteen years was won by Alma Wells, and the gold medal in Class VI. (original papers on Maori legend, open class) by Rita Cracroft Wilson, while the certificates (third) in Classes I. and 11. were both awarded to pupils of the school, and the gold and silver medals in Class 11. to ex-pupils of last year. In plain sewing, pupils have won a gold medal and four silver medals for work done by them during school hours. In orignial decorative designs (under sixteen years) the first, second, and third (two equal) awards were given to pupils for work done in connection with the school drawing classes, and a pupil of the cooking class gained a silver medal and several special prizes in the cooking competition. In all cases these competitions were open to the whole colony. The chief improvements to the buildings and playgrounds have been the extension of the bicycle shed, which now accommodates about thirty bicycles, and the levelling and dressing of the asphalted portion of the playground. This will be found a great improvement in the winter, as considerable inconvenience was caused by water standing in the hollows of the asphalt last winter. Boys' High School. The number of boys during the last term was 205. There was an unusually large entry of boys in September, and. the decline in numbers seems to have ceased, while there is every prospect of a large entry next year. In May the playground was levelled and covered with fine metal; the result was very satisfactory. In the new part of the building the stones which showed premature signs of weathering have been replaced. The various departments of the school have progressed satisfactorily, and the general good conduct of the boys has been a source of great satisfaction to the staff. Of old boys, J. S. S. Cooper, M.A., has taken double-first class honours in physics and mathematics, M. Keane won a Senior University scholarship, and A. C. Sandstein the Gunning Victoria Jubilee scholarship for original work in obstetrics. Two boys won Junior University scholarships, being second and third on the list; one passed the Medical Preliminary Examination, and nine passed the Matriculation Examination. Three boys have won senior scholarships at the annual examination of the Board of Education, being second, third, and fourth on the list. Public Library. During the last session of the General Assembly an Act was passed empowering the Board of Governors of Canterbury College to borrow a sum not exceeding £4,000 for the purpose of extending the buildings of the Public Library. A generous bequest has been made by the late Mr. Arthur Postle for the purchase of books either for the reference or circulating departments of the public library. With a view of making some trifling recognition of benefactions, the portraits in oils of Mr. James Gammack and Mr. Arthur Postle have been hung in the library. The representatives of Mr. G. Coates have presented a £5 scrip of the old Mechanics' Institute to the library. Reference Department. —The annual inspection of the books has not revealed any damage, neither are any volumes unaccounted for. The department has been open to the public on 295 days, and the attendance continues regular. A considerable number of old New Zealand and Australian books have been purchased, and every opportunity is taken of adding to the volumes relating to the early history of the colony. The total number of books added since the last annual statement is 504, bringing the total in this department to 12,872 volumes. The subjects comprising the total are as follows: History, 1,238; constitutional history, 48; voyages, 667; literature—English and classics 559, poetry and drama 285, foreign 403; biography, 584 ; mineralogy, 24; astronomy, 95; biology, 27; geology, &c, 18.1; zoology, 298; natural science (general), 235; fine arts and Society of Musicians, 377 ; almanacs, calendars, &c, 1,075; legal, 70; mathematics, 123 ; architecture, 641; dictionaries, 351; political, 2,398; newspapers, 386; chemistry and physics, 74; divinity, 761; educational, 187 ; miscellaneous, 345 ; botany, 117 ; agriculture, 300 ; learned societies, 204 ; philosophy, 710 ; anatomy and medicine, 109. The donations for the year number 112 works. A large book-case has been added to this department. Girculatijig Department. — Steps must soon be taken for enlarging the accommodation, the whole of the available space being fully occupied. 348 volumes have been taken off the shelves as being unfit for re-issue ; cf this number 332 are volumes of fiction. The number of new books and renewals added during the year amounted to 1,264. The total number of books in this department is 19,235. About thirty copies of extra magazines have been ordered for the use of subscribers. This department was closed for the annual stock-taking from the 7th to the 12th January, when
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