Prize-giving, 1 March 1887

Sydney Morning Herald, 2 March 1887, p 6:

SYDNEY PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL.

Yesterday morning, the Hon James Inglis, Minister for Public Instruction, attended at the Sydney Public High School, Castlereagh-street, and presented prizes to a number of pupils in each of the two departments of the school.

Mr W J Trickett, M.L.A., was present as an ex-Minister of Public Instruction, and one who had taken great interest in the progress of the High Schools in the colony. The school has been open for a little more than three years, and the head master, Mr Coates, reports that the number of pupils in the boys’ department has gradually increased from 47 to 237. A similar increase is also said to have taken place in the girls' department. The school has had a fair measure of success in the University examinations. At the last public examinations held in October all the senior candidates (12) were successful, and this was a larger number than any other school succeeded in passing. Two of these were placed in the first class, and obtained the University medals in arithmetic and physiology. In the junior examination 25 of the pupils of the school were successful, making a total of 37 from the boys' department alone. At the matriculation examination to be held next week nine of the senior boys will present themselves, and it is hopes that all will be successful, and that some will distinguish themselves. As these schools are intended to be a connecting link between the primary schools and the University, the headmaster is anxious that some assistance should be given to deserving boys proceeding from the High Schools to the University. What particular form this scheme should assume, he does not say, but he suggests that ten exhibitions be offered for competition at the matriculation examination to all State High schools (and to Superior Public schools if advisable). Even if these exhibitions, he points out, only ensured exemption from lecture fees it would be a very welcome assistance to many parents, who otherwise could not give promising students the advantages to be derived from a University course.

Mr COATES addressed a few words of welcome to the Minister on his arrival at the school, and explained that in inviting him there, he had had two objects. The first was that Mr Inglis might see how inadequate the accommodation in the building was for the number of pupils it contained; and the second, that he might present to certain of the pupils who had been successful in the examinations of the University and school certificates, several medals, and also a few prizes, which were the gift of himself (Mr Coates).

The prizes were then presented by Mr INGLIS, with in each case a few words of encouragement or praise, amidst the plaudits of the school, and at the conclusion of the presentation ceremony the Minister delivered a short address. He could give no hope, in the face of the existing public deficit, of providing for the school at the present time the additional accommodation which, on the statement of the headmaster, appeared to be necessary, but he advised the boys to use to the best advantage the opportunities at their hands for pursuing their studies, and to extend their efforts beyond mere book learning to a constant and close observation of nature.

Mr TRICKETT also addressed a few words to the boys, and he and Mr Inglis then proceeded to the girls' department, which is presided over by Miss Walker, and there a ceremony similar to that in the boys' department took place.