Speech day and prize-giving, 13 December 1906

The Sydney Morning Herald, 14 December 1906 p 7:

SPEECH DAYS.

SYDNEY BOYS' HIGH SCHOOL

The annual distribution of prizes and "breaking-up" ceremony in connection with the Sydney Boys' High School took place in the large hall of that institution yesterday morning. There was a very large attendance, including Mr. J. Waterhouse, M.A., headmaster of the school, who presided; Mr. P. Board, Under-Secretary for Public Instruction; Mr. J. W. Turner, director of technical education; Mr. J. Dawson, M.A., chief Inspector of Schools; M. Charles Deschars, Acting Consul General of France; Professor David; Mr. R. C. Forsyth, president of the Old Boys' Union; and Messrs, J. D. M'Lardy and M'Lelland, Inspectors.

Mr. Board apologised for the absence of the Minister for Education, whose political duties had prevented him from being in attendance. Mr. O'Conor, he said, had been anxious to attend, and had spoken in appreciative terms of the work done by the school during the year. There was no doubt that the institution had fully maintained the reputation it had won in the past. Apart from the excellent results that had been attained at the public examinations, it had to be remembered an establishment of this kind had other and more important work to do, especially in regard to school "spirit" and school "tone"—concerning which public examinations could give no results. Those who had had an opportunity of seeing the inner workings of this school had always been able to report most satisfactorily, in regard to those matters. It was a gratifying fact that the school records contained the names of many who had taken a prominent part in academic and public life after having left the institution. (Cheers.) As time went on these growing records of the school would constitute a history and a tradition on which they would be able to look back with pride, and would so provide a stimulus to greater efforts on the part of the scholars.

The Australian Star, 14 December 1906 p 6:

The headmaster of the school, Mr. J. Waterhouse, M. A., referred to the fact that the Sydney High School was on the up-grade. There had been many alterations in the personnel of the teachers in consequence of removals. He referred more particularly to Mr. C. R. Smith, who had been appointed to the headmastership of the Newcastle High School, and Mr. E. E. Weatherburn, who had gone to Cambridge to further pursue his studies. Forty-six probationary students had been added to the school roll, and much credit was due to Mr. J. D. Sullivan, B.A., for his efforts with the boys in the arena of sport.

The Sydney Morning Herald, 14 December 1906 p 7:

Mr. J. Waterhouse, M.A., in the course of his address, reported that at the University examinations nearly 25 per cent. of their boys had undergone the test, and taking that into consideration the results showed that the staff had done its work conscientiously. In the junior examination 39 passed in an average of 6.6 out of a possible seven subjects. Two thirds of these secured matriculation passes, Division A, which was one-fifth of the total matriculation passes gained by the 173 competing educational establishments. (Cheers.) For the senior examination 14 scholars went up, and all passed, with a general average of 77 3/4 per cent. Eleven of these 14 qualified for all faculties and departments. The other three, by means of junior and senior, had also matriculated. One out of every four or five who qualified for the higher matriculation passes this year was a High School boy. (Cheers.) Nine of the boys also secured matriculation honours. The general proficiency prizes at the senior examination were gained; also four medals for individual subjects, and one first, for which no medal was awarded. One of the High School boys was also bracketed for the mathematical scholarship; and to crown all the scholarship for general proficiency at matriculation came to a boy of this school. (Cheers.)

The university certificates, medals, and special prizes were then presented by Mr. Board, as follows:—

Senior Examination.—R. C. Blumer, captain of school, Aitken Scholarship for general proficiency, bracketed with two others for Barker Scholarship for Mathematics and Horner Exhibition, first-class matriculation honours in Latin, French, and mathematics, and second-class honours in Greek, winner of the John West medal and Graham prize for greatest proficiency at senior examination, also medallist in Latin and trigonometry; A. C. Ross, medal for chemistry, first in physics, first-class matriculation honours in mathematics; A. Wenholz, medallist in algebra, first class matriculation honours in mathematics; T. M. Furber, R. B. Bush, E. N. Austin, J. D. Herlihy, F. F. Brown, H. R. Hodgkinson, H. C. Fry, J. Dawson, J. M'Kenzie, W. Simmons, and T. C. Roughley.

Junior Examination.— C. Chapman, A. Buchanan, L. May, S. Shaw, G. Smith. C. Parkinson, H. Webster, A. Robson, E. Southel, F. Cotton, J. Rue, L. Lonsdale, A. Tuckerman, N. Richardson, F. Agar, C. Lang, J. M'Kinnon, K. Boulton, C. Thompson, J. Simonds, W. Espenhahu, J. Palmer, F. Tidswell, A. Todd, A. Fry, and J. Steel. Matriculation: A. Butcher, C. Current, S. Walker, H. Hudson, J. Millar, E. Goard, A. Williams, H. Ross, H. Amery, W. Byrne, W. Audsley, M. Moore, and A. M'Naught.

Headmaster's Special Prizes.—Senior examination: R. C. Blumer and A. C. Ross; junior examination, C. L. Chapman and A. L. Buchanan.

Old Boys' Prize ("most popular boy").--Malcolm Moore.

A large number of prizes for athletics were presented, chief among them being:—The school cup (presented by the Girls' High School), A. C. R. Todd; 100yd championship, A. C. R. Todd; and 100yds swimming championship, F. Christensen.

Mr. Board announced that in view of the success of the school during the year, the Minister had granted an extra week's vacation, a declaration that was received with vociferous cheering.

See also: The Daily Telegraph, 14 December 1906 p 6.