Speech day and prize-giving, 13 December 1901

The Daily Telegraph, 14 December 1901, p 7: 

SCHOOL VACATIONS.

BOYS' PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL.

"Speech Day" at the Sydney Boys' Public High School, Ultimo, yesterday, was a gathering remarkable for its spontaneity and outbursts of boyish hilarity. Held in the large hall adjoining the Technical College in Mary Ann-street, the gathering was large and enthusiastic. Dr. Morris presided, and among others present was the American Consul, Mr. Orlando Baker. Apologies for non-attendance were received from the Minister for Education and several Parliamentarians.

THE ANNUAL REPORT.

The annual report, read by Mr. Waterhouse, showed that the retirement from the staff of several masters had necessitated a re-distribution of the work of other masters. For the last quarter the enrolment was 195, the figures showing a steady increase each quarter, and punctuality and regularity. In attendance were noticeable features. As was the case in every school, there were a few boys whose progress did not altogether satisfy the masters. Special consideration had been given to these cases, in order that they should receive special help. The headmaster was convinced that some of these boys were to be pitied rather than blamed, seeing that their mental calibre was small, or their mental powers lay dormant. He urged that parents should not expect impossibilities from the masters in such cases. With the exception of the cases just alluded to, and of a few in which the boys were apparently "born lazy," and consequently inherently so, the year's work had been highly satisfactory and successful. The masters had been enthusiastic in their work, energetic, painstaking, and thorough, and the boys had nobly responded to their efforts. In the school there was no special coaching, or keeping after hours, of a few bright boys, to the neglect of the rank and file; indeed, those who received most help and consideration were the dull boys. They believed in trying to develop all the mental faculties, and not to cram a boy in his favorite subjects, and the success which had attended those efforts was attested not merely by the results of the annual examination by specially selected officers of the department, but also by the University authorities. At the last University examination 30 boys passed on an average in 6.3 subjects, each out of a possible 7, gaining altogether 63 As, 65 Bs, 61 Cs, and winning 13 matriculation passes. For the fourth year in succession the school secured the blue ribbon of the junior examination —

M'Intosh and Tebbutt (with one other) winning the University prize for general proficiency. Pupils also secured the following honors: —

M’Intosh, medal for German, prox. acc. for English history, English, and arithmetic; Tebbutt (jr., 1900), English history, English, Latin; S. G. Lusby, medals for Latin and French, and prox. acc. for English; J. S. M'Farlane, prox. acc. for algebra: L. J. Shortland, prox. acc. for algebra; and S. G. Ellis, prox. acc. for German. The eight boys who went up for the recent senior examination all passed, and all secured matriculation honors, seven being qualified for matriculation and for entrance to the faculties of law, medicine, and science, and six of them also being qualified for entrance to the department of engineering. The Barker scholarship No. 2 and Horner exhibition for mathematics was awarded to H. Mottershead. A. Paul, G. L. Tomlinson, and one other equal. Tomlinson also gained the medal for physics, pt. 1, and prox. acc. for English and, algebra: Paterson, prox. acc. for Latin; and Paul, prox. acc. for mechanics. Paterson gained first-class honors in Latin and French, and second-class in German and mathematics; Tomlinson, first-class in mathematics and second in Latin and French; Ada, first in mathematics and second in French; Mottershead, first in mathematics and third in Greek; Paul, first in mathematics and third in French; Blanksby, first in French; Townsend, second in Latin and French; Walker, third in Latin.

Continuing, the headmaster said:— 

"I am often surprised and pained at the ignorance of people with regard to the Sydney High School. I fear that it arises partly from, 'caste' or 'class' feeling, and partly from the fact that the public press does not do us justice in reporting our proceedings. Although I am fully aware of the odium that will probably attach itself to my action, I wish to briefly institute a comparison to prove that the public ought to be proud of the distinction achieved by High School pupils, the majority of whom come from the middle and humble walks of life." 

At some length he proceeded to show that, although two Grammar School boys had secured brilliant successes, yet the average at the recent senior examination gave an average pass for the boys' school in 9 1/8 subjects out of a possible 10, whilst the Grammar School averaged about 7 1/8, or two subjects less, and, roughly, each of the successful boys of the public school secured twice as many As and Bs as each Grammar School boy, and only half as many Cs. After the applause had subsided, Mr. Waterhouse proceeded: 

"To what is the success of this school to be attributed? Chiefly to the fact that the majority of our boys come from the public schools, which some are seeking to belittle, where they receive a thorough, if elementary, grounding. The disgraceful, outrageous, and in my opinion disloyal behaviour of a section of the University under-graduates at the recent commemoration on the occasion of the visit of their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York (now the Prince and Princess of Wales) seems to Indicate that a Chair of Pedagogy is needed, not merely for the training of teachers, but also to instruct the professors themselves how to control their own undergraduates. ('Hear, hear.') I might also suggest that a Chair of 'Ceremony,' or one ‘to inculcate gentlemanly instincts,' be established. ("Hear, hear.') The professors might also obtain some suitable hints as to suitable methods of securing order and maintaining discipline by watching the 'much despised' pupil teachers whilst at work. Probably it may be news to Professor Anderson that Frederick A. Todd, a scholar who reflected great credit on the school, and afterwards on the University itself, was on of the 'belittled' pupil teachers. From what I can learn there is widespread dissatisfaction at the way in which the University is conducted, and I sincerely trust that if a Royal Commission is appointed to inquire into matters pertaining to public schools, its scope may be enlarged so as to deal with University matters generally." (Prolonged applause.)

Dr. Morris delivered a short address, and congratulated the boys upon having such an excellent staff of masters to lead them on the road to learning.

PRESENTING THE PRIZES.

Dr. Morris, at the request of the headmaster, presented prizes and certificates to those who had passed with distinction the senior and junior University examinations. The sports prizes were also presented to the successful competitors. To each a few words of commendation were addressed by Dr. Morris, and prolonged cheers greeted each recipient. The principal were: —

Headmaster special prizes: For passing senior examination with distinction — G. L. Tomlinson, A. Paul; in Latin, J. Paterson; junior examination with distinction, A. H. Tebbutt, A. M'Intosh (equal).

After the prizes had been disposed of, Mr Orlando Baker (American Consul) gave a little talk to the boys, and gave them some good advice. It would be a pity, he thought, to interrupt so much good harmony by making a long speech. (Laughter.) "Never talk to a man when he is hungry" — that remark applied to a boy, only more so. (Cheers, and cries of "Oh, oh.") He knew a little about education, having been a teacher for between 25 and 30 years, and concluded by giving a few humorous anecdotes.

….

The Australian Star, 14 December 1901, p 8:

… Mr. Orlando Baker spoke briefly and said that while the proceedings were in progress his mind reverted to similar scenes in America. He was impressed with one thing, and that was, the boys here were equally fond of a noise as the American lads. (Loud laughter.)

The proceedings concluded with cheers for the King, Dr. Morris, Mr. Baker, the teachers, the visitors, and the Girls' High School, and the prize winners.