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HOBART STATE HIGH SCHOOL
V
FIRST ANNUAL SPEECH DAY.
A SUCCESSFUL GATHERING.
The Memorial-hall was crowded last
night with pupils of the High School,
their parents, and friends, the occasion
being the first annual speech day of the
Hobart State High school. Mr. J'.
Mitchell. headmaster, presided.
The Headmaster, in presenting the first
annual report, expressed his pleasure at
seeing SUCH a large attendance, notwithstanding
the wet weather. This was a
sign of the parents' interest in the school.
co-operation between parents and teach.
us would result in benefit to the scholars.
ANNUAL REPORT.
Following is the annual report:
"Our school was opened in January,
1913, with an enrolment of 36 boys and 60
girls. Last year there were 211 pupils,
of whom 50 took the teachers' course, 39
the secondary course, leading to the Oni
wearily, all the commercial course, in the
iiid'.ititrlul course, and The the. domestic
course. When a new pupil comes to the
school, it is desirable that be should
bring a communication indicating the
parents' wishes in regard to his future
career. A suitable com- so can then be
chosen, and a good deal of unnecessary
trouble and possible retardation of the
pupil can be avoided. The prescribed
course of study by which we work requires
that pupils shall sit for the junior public
examination at the end of their second
year. In consequence of special circumstances
connected with the inauguration
of the school, a number of pupils were
allowed to sit for this examination in
1913, after being but one year in the
High School, and 32 were, successful, two
being placed in the scholarship list. This
year 42 pupils succeeded in passing the
junior public, and 47 fulfilled the department's
requirements for an intermediate
certificate, namely, a pass at the junior
public in five subjects, regular attendance
at the school for a period of two years,
satisfactory reports in regard to diligence,
conduct, and personal character, and a
certificate to the effect that the pil has
satisfactorily followed the subjects of the
prescribed course of study other than
those passed at the examination. Altogether,
these candidates obtained 83 credits
and 276 passes, at the junior public
examination, Latin, French, chemistry,
physics, shorthand, algebra, and geometry
being included in the subjects, in addition
to the above, one lad was successful
at the Naval College examination, and
two others left to enter the Training College.
,
"The full course occupies four years,
and to gain the greatest benefit a pupil
needs to remain the full period. One year
at the school is of very little value, as
the pupil only makes a start at several
new subjects, and does not go far enough
in any of them to gain much good, in
my- opinion', children should not be allowed
to enter the school for. less than two
years. As the men of the school is all
sound development, the-training of the
body as well as the mind has been catered
for. Physical drill is given regularly to
both boys and girls, and the school has its
own senior cadet detachment. In the
competition last year our boys showed to
advantage, but were unable to beat the
teams with the older lads. Each scholar
is expected to take, an active part in some
branch' of the school sport. Ii, 1013 our
boys were successful in both football
matches against the Northern High
School; also in the cricket match. Last
year we lost both football matches after
two-well conU'bted games, but won the
cricket match, and also defeated the Northern
boys in lowing. In the latter
sport our crew gained second place in
the Clarke Shield contest, after a few
weeks' practice, and again in the North
lowed second out of five crews for the
Bourke Cup. The girls I have a choice of
teams, swimming, cricket, ? basket-ball,
and baseball, "and have had some enjoyable
inter-class matches, as. well as a few
outside matches.
"In April a most successful sports
ii meeting was held. The weather was perfect.
? There was a very fair number of
parents, and the racing was good. We
hope this year to have still larger mine,
bee' of parents and friends present to
show their interest in this side of our
school life. Our thanks are. due to the
following for trophies presented for our
sports meeting The Director of Education
(Mr. W. T. MCCOY). Messrs. Downie,"
Gibson, J. Walch. and Sons, Butterfield,
Nettlefold, Moore and Coogan, Sharp,
Murchison, and' Leitch. Last year li
Literary and Debating Society was established.
In connection with this we, have
to thank Mr. Davenport Hoggins for his
Dickens evening, the direct result of
which, was the establishment of a special
ei curing class for her study' of the works
of this popular author.
"The school being so recently established
we have many wants to be satis-
fied.- We have been severely handicapped
in the matter of sports by the lack' of
school grounds. With so many suburban
scholars who remain for lunch, play-
grounds are essential, so that the boys
and girls may occupy- themselves during
their spare time in the dinner hour.
We hope in the near future, to occupy
new premises that will accommodate as
more easily, provide more room for play-
grounds, and have a central hall, so that
such meetings as this one may be held
in our own building. Whilst the greatest
praise is due to all the staff for Ino
keen interest they have taken in the welfare
of the scholars generally, and the
enthusiastic way in which they are ready
at any time to forward- the interests of
the school, special thanks are due to Mr.
Stephens for his work in connection with
the sports, to Mr. Wood for his work
with the cadet corps, to Miss Weaver
for giving up every Friday evening to
the Dickens class, and to Mr. Higgins for
the interest he has shown in the Camera
Club.
"Amongst-' the various social gather
.ings'that'wo have had during thereby,
one of the best was an evening at which
the senior class and old scholars met.
This year we intend to establish an Old
Scholars'' Association, and we hope that
all the ex-fttiholors of the school will do
their best to make it worthy of the
(school. One means by which ex-scholars
can keep in touch with the school is by
subscribing to the School Magazine,
which is published quarterly, and by
sending in articles and notes of interest
for-this magazine. .
, "In conciliation,. I would like to express
the pleasure that the whole staff
lode in the continued interest shown in
the school by most of the ex-scholars."
The Director of Education (MEAN. T.
McCoy) apologised for the absence of the
Minister of Education (Hon. J. A. Lyons),
who was greatly disappointed that he
was prevented by illness from being present.
The programme presented he considered
was excellent, especially in view
of the fact that the boys had reached
an age when the voice broke. The choir
of girls on the platform sang well and
looked well. (Laughter.) He had a feeling
of pride in the pupils of the High
School. A. well-known writer had said
that a nation could no more afford. to
neglect its schools than to neglect its
armaments. It was fortunate for them
that the policy, of-standstill in regard to
education was out of the question. A
progressive system was required to meet
the needs of the time. Throughout the
whole range of education, from the management
of a school to the training of a
single child, attention was required.
During the past few years the Education
Department had done something to im-
prove primary and secondary education
in Tasmania. In the latter field they had
established two high schools. The- object
was not so much to turn out fine
scholars as to turn out line citizens, self
relying, intelligent men and women
(Cheers.) A great deal of fuss was made
by some citizens about examining the
children. That was exactly what they
were not doing. They were making good
citizens, and were certainly not ciam-
among the children. Referring to points
in the headmaster's report, Mr. McCoy
said it was no use sending children to
the High School for less than two years,
because it look them that time to catch
the spirit of the new work At the High
School pupils took up new subjects they
had never heard of in the primary
schools, and if they remained for only
six months they could get only a smattering
of those subjects. He asked parents
present. especially those of first-year i
pupils, to let their children stay two
years, or keep them away altogether. Of
course, there were exceptional cases
where it was necessary to take a pupil
away. Only 50 out of 130 saw the first
year out, and had nothing to show for
it 'The department did what it could
to block those folk. They had a qualify-
ing examination, which debarred children
11 on joining the High School UIIICM
they could prove they were likely to "set
benefit by it. Parents should appreciate
this, and leave the children in the High
School for two j ears. (Hear, hear i
There were fire still met courses in
the High School, the first being
the teachers' courses for those
who wished to become t sachets, or go
on to the University, a secondary course,
a commercial course, a mechanical
horse for those who wished to take up
some form of manual labour, and a
course which, unfortunately, was badly
put ionised the domestic course. His
tory, geography, and physical culture
were common to all the courses. After
taking these subjects, pupils were given
a choice of subjects which would fit them
for the walk in life They intended to
take up. The teachers' course was for
pupils who all ended to become teachers
or enter the Civil service. The secondary
course was designed to give a good
secondary education, irrespective of profession.
The pupils of the commercial
course were taught bookkeeping, office
practice, shorthand, husmoT principles,
economics, commercial louespomlonce,
and typewriting, and after two years
should be able to enter the railway or
post-office department, Slate and Commonwealth
services, banking, insurance,
or commercial offices. 11 parents desire
their boys to enter any of hose businesses,
They should send a note to Mr.
Mitchell. In the industrial course boys
were taught ironwork, woodwork, etc.,
the object being to give pupils a bias to
wards those trades. After two years a
lad would be fit to be an apprentice,
and after four years would be on the
way to become a sound mechanic.
(Cheers.) He was glad spoil had been
mentioned in the report. He could
assure the parents that all the teachers
took their share of sport. Well organis
eel, properly supervised, and clean sport
would do more to breed for co of. character
than all the lessons in the schools.
He congratulated the school and the
teachers on the phenomenal success they
had achieved that year-, and hoped it
would be the former miner of still greater
success in the future. (Cheers)
The Director of Education then presented
the prizes, addressing appropriate
remarks to the prize winners, and making
racy comments on the scholars, which
were much appreciated by his audience.
He announced that a prize of 100 each
would be given the boy and the girl getting
the best leaving certificate in the
junior public examination next year, audi
£5 each for the intermediate.
Following is the prize list:- .
Class A. Commercial, Kathleen Street;
secondary. Cedric Duncombe.
Class B. Secondary, Harold McCoy;
commercial. Amy Murchison. Best pass
in junior public Boys, Harold McCoy,
7 credits, 2 passes; girls, Violet Bush, 4
credits, 5 passes. '
Class C-Commercial, James Crawford;
secondary, Ronald Leitch; industrial,
Reginald Emmett.
The following musical programme was
contributed by the pupils:-Gills choir,
"I know a bank;" "Nocturne," song,
Miss Norma McGuffie; recitation, Miss
Adeline Stephens; choir, "in the Spring
times" "In the dusk of the twilight,"!
violin solo, Master Baden Cameron;
song, Miss Aggie Munro; choir, Boys of
the King of England.
The proceedings closed with the sing-
ing of the school song by the assembled
pupils, and "God Save the King "
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