Wilmington daily commercial., 1872-06-28
GENERAL.
Our Pnbllc schools.


THE HEALD AND OTHER PkizEs- SPEECH OF MIR.
NIELDs.
The school examinations we're continued yes
terday at Nos. and IS. At NJ 4 the exercises
commenced at o'clock, in Miss Is " is division.
To this division are the SCHOLARS promoted from
the Primary schools OF the city. Tho examina-
ton which was satisfactory to the committee,
lasted half hour. Miss Susan Pyle's division
came next. and in this teachers and pupils ac-
Quilted themselves we'll. The only draw back.
was the urual One-the absence of many Of the
scholars. Miss Reeds examination, IN the
third division. occupied an hour. Miss il an
experienced teacher, and her scholars showed
much readiness with their answers. The 4th di
vision, the highest in the boys department of
No school, and from which promotions are
made to No. /. IL in charge Of a new teacher,
Mary J. Francis who IL proving horsoh to be
an instructor of the very best class.
The afternoon exercises commenced at two
O'clock in the presence Of a large cOncourse of
friends aud members Of the Board Of Education.
The prngtamme consisted OF music, led by Prof.
Clemmer with Misc Eva Crouch presiding at the
piAno essays, examinations III history, arlthme-
tic, geography, and select readings. Each
scholar and class called forth the warmest dem
onstrAtiOns Of applause from the large audience.
On table, in front OF the scholars, were placed
the prizes that were to be presented to the most
successful scholars in learning, and the most
dilligent in their attendance.
Vino we're to be the happy recipients Of these
prizes none Of the pupils knew. No wonder then
that many an anxious glance was cast towards
that table, with many wonders OF who the happy
ones would be.
After the examination was over, seats were
arranged, and Mr.. Nields taking his stand close
by the table, called over the names of those
who were to receive the prizes. The feelings Of
each may be more easily imagined than de-
scribed, as they took the seat allotted upon the
platform. The awards OF what il known ~ the
- Heald prize was az follows =
The first to NJ. Irene Hawkins, Paper Mache
writing desk. $40
To Susie Farra, the second, group of statu-
ary Sl2
To Annie Full ton:the third, websters Una
briged Dictionary, Ss.
line award for the best attendance, Of the $50
prize, from some unknown friend, was divided
between six scholars who were equal in their at
tendance neither having been tardy or late dur
ing the last year. The following are their
Maggie B. Mcdonnell Two vol. whittior's
Poems.
Geurgretta Jones, " Cuba with Pen and *
Lizzie Savers. ''Roses and Holly"
ZeliA Pierce, 'The Josephine Gallery"
Tillie BURNS, "The Wonders of the Yosemite
Eva Wollaston. "Swiss Pictures"
In addition to the above, little boy named
Deacon Taylor, was called forward, much to his
SURPRISE to be presented with two books, one
young America;" the other, "Child's History
OF England" This present was provided by the
Visiting Committee Of the School, for not miss
ing a day during years, and not being tardy or
late in all that time.
Mr.. Nields in presenting the prizes, made the
| following remarks
expectedly called away from the city, and there
| fore could not bo present to present the prizes
| in person. He had, however, requested linn to
present them, and to say for him, that "the ed
ucation of the people was the cdptdt as against
| wealth. and TO state further that whilst he
was bookseller and publisher IN this city, that
| he always applied to No school, Tor his AeniH
| tants and invariably found them industrious,
/ capable and reliable" , =.
| Mr.. Nields said that history tells us that
MANY centuries ago, long before the days OF
Christianity, the people in the nations OF Greec
| came together every four years at place called
| OLYMPIA. TO witness and celebrate, what were
then known al the Olympic game-games IL
which the young men Of Greece, after severe
training and discipline, entered to compete tol
the prize offered for the strongest, the mos
| Aaile or the swiftest runner, etc. The prll'
usually consisted Of garland, made OF th'
leaves of the Olive. This prize had no, or YER.
| little instrinsic value but was the representa-
tion and acknowledgement of victory aud triumph
over almost unsurmountable obstacles IL wa
the representation of that which all tue Wealtl
OF Greece could not purchase. This simple gar
land OF Olive leaves conferred not only honor OF
the victor, but also honor upon his parents an'
the state TO which he belongs. His name, tn
name OF his parents and Of his county were pro
claimed, by a herald throughout the country
In that day of warfare, peace also mad lie
| victories. -, Il,
Wa have come together to-day, as did tn
| people of the nations of Greece In the anclen
days to witness and acknowledge excellence Il
| the growth OF our city. The intrinsic Nalu'
| here presented, like the garland OF ohVe leaves
was nothing compared to what they represents
They represented perseverance,, well dlrecte
| energy acauired knowledge and talent-thes
all the wealth OF the State could not purchase
that this was Mr. Heald's idea OF Capital a
against wealth.
These prizes conferred not only honor o
those who have received them, but Oh thel
parents and the city to which they belong Du
| chiefly ON their teachers and our public schoolf
Mr.. Nields SAID that he never enters one OF on
public schools but the great results that "eI
being accomplished by them were not lmpresse
upon him, that during the past year about 56u
} children were brought into the schools thaI
! there we're no public schools, more than hali {
l these children would not be educated that mar
5 parents could not afford to, and others WON
, not send their children to pay schools I'M
. private enterprise would not build the scho
y | accommodation we now have that huhdreus
children annually left our schools who could NJ
, be otherwise educated, and their places hied
| others like them tnht IL We Wouiu iiui'iP'J ~
t number thus annually educated, by the numo'
r of wears our schools had existed we would th'
9 have an approximate idea OF the good WORK th
i had been done by the founder OF our puDi
schools. .
" AT the Olympic games. women were n.
a allowed to be present, and il one was seen hei
II there she was put to death, but in this day thah
II to christianity and the necessities OF our ioi
| Of government women az well as men were
: lowed to compete for the highest honors attal
D." able in scholar hip Christianity would Il
In it's duty il all VINO were embraced within
le we're not taught to read the reveal ed word
IN the God whom they worship that the safety
or the State requres that all people should be Cd
l. Gated . that whenever there was class OF pc
t. nle within a State uneducated, the State "
r. endangered in proportion to the number Il
an ignorance and crime go hand in hand.
~ oThe prizes we're received on behalf OF the
v, ciniants by Dr. GrimshaW, President OF
Of BOARD of Public Education in brief and We
re annropriate address, who complimented the 81
ceIsful pupils on being amongst the best sch
ars M the best school in Wilmington.
The exercises of the afternoon reflected mu
il credit upon the able and efficient teachers "
~, | have charge OF this school Miss Mary Millei
no the Princpal and Misses Mary j. Francis, Elm
ta' A Yates Wilhelmina Slocum, Anna Reed, Bus
he pyle. and Sallie G. Boyd assistants. Win
te. Atkinson and Benjamin Nelds are the VISIT
sS | Cnnmittea and j. O. Morrow and Lewis LyI
re. | the Waiting Examining Committee.
az | No lathe examination commenced at y
he A. M. Measrs Speakman and FrAim, commit
vor on examination, and Mr.. Stewart OF the visit
- | a.s,,;tt.a ~ the achool were present The