EDUCATION – Redcar Grammar School Prize Giving Event

Accreditation The Redcar and Saltburn-by-the-Sea Gazette 10/08/1877.

COATHAM GRAMMAR SCHOOL.

            The annual distribution of prizes* in connection with the examination of the school, recently held by the Rev. W. Dunn, M.A.., Took place in the Central Hall, Redcar, on Friday last (03/08). There was a large attendance of parents and friends of the school. The Ven. Archdeacon Hey presided, and on the platform were the Revs. L. Towne, T. Robson, J. Wawn, W. Done, examiner, and J. Davey, headmaster, &c.

The Rev. W. Dunn read his report of the results of the examination as follows. :-

“To the Governor and Trustees of the Coatham Grammar School.

“Gentleman,- I have examined your school in Classics, Mathematics, Divinity, and English, and beg to lay before you the following report. The work generally shows that the boys have been diligent during the past year, and I deserve that considerable progress has been made since the last public examination. The boys who have worn prizes must have been patient and diligent learners; for their position is due to no exceptional ability, but solely to superior accuracy in reproducing that instruction, which all have received, and in a greater degree retained. It is right to mention here that a Scholarship at the Charterhouse has been gained by a boy from this school (Henry Cautly), and that he has now reached the fifth form in that school. The examination in Classics comprised papers in Latin, French, and English Literature; the principal subjects being Virgil, Ovid, and Tiballen.

“The price for Classics in the sixth form was gained by Harpley; Smart comes very close behind and is only beaten by a funeral well earned marks. The Latin paper of Cautley deserves a word of commendation, and so do the English papers of Saniter.

“In the fifth form the price for Classics is gained by Jones, and gained very creditably; Coke has done well in Latin, and Taylor in English.

“In the fourth form Lees takes the prize, and he has done well enough to encourage the hope that he will someday take the sixth form prize. Honourable mention must be made of the Divinity paper of Croft, the Latin of Rhodes, and the English paper of Hood.

“In the third form, Smith gains the prize. The Latin of Wilkinson, and the English of Bale are commended.

“In the second form Knibbs gains the prize, and Aryton is commended for Latin.

“A special prize is given for Greek, and this has been earned by Harpley, who acquitted himself in a manner that does him credit. The best work that has been done is the Greek, the junior boys taking over half marks in every case, and thus bearing witness to the care with which they had been taught to be accurate.

“The work of Ridley, Lees and Wilkinson, in the second division, is especially commended; and in the first division, Cantley and Rhodes.

“The examination in Divinity is eminently satisfactory, and there was remarkably little of that. guess-work which examiners in this subject have frequently to complain of.

“In the sixth form Hartley gained the prize, and Saniter is commended.

“In the fifth form the papers of Jones and Taylor deserve much praise, and those of Brown in the third form.

MATHEMATICAL EXAMINATION

            “In the first division Ridley gains the prize, as standing highest in Euclid, Algebra and Arithmetic. Stuart has done well in Algebra and Arithmetic.

“In the second division Cook takes the prize, and Fitzmaurice is commended.

“In the third division Saniter takes the prize, and Croft is commended for Euclid and Algebra.

“In the fourth division Wilkinson gains the prize,

“In the fifth division Doughty, after whom comes Sellers, is beaten by one mark only.

“The mathematical work was carefully done, and no boys fell very far behind; this remark indeed applies to all the work; no boys appear to have been allowed to lag behind, while boys with quicker Intellect advanced; and Eddie School of which this can be said may be warmly congratulated on its condition.

I have gentleman, the honour to be, your obedient servant,

“Wm. Dunn, M.A.,

“Clare College, Cambridge, Examiner.

“August 3, 1877.”

The Revs. T. Robson, and L. B. Towne, Trustees, congratulated the masters and the parents on the excellent report they had heard read, and said it was a great satisfaction to know that year by year the school was increasing in usefulness. The report showed that not merely a feel boys were worked up to win prizes, but the greatest attention was given to the whole school, as was evinced by the close competition in the various subjects.

The Ven. Archdeacon Hey, before distributing the prizes, in the course of a few remarks, said he had for more than thirty years been engaged in education, and was naturally much interested boat in masters and boys. The work of education was not to cram boys with a lot of information as a sort of stock-in-trade, but to teach them certain subjects fulfil the objects he had named. Languages and mathematics were the most useful instruments of education. Some persons thought there were royal roads to learning, but earnest, diligent work was the only royal road to success. He thought the work done during the past year had been well done, and he was glad to present the prizes, which were well deserved. The Archdeacon then presented the prizes and certificates to the successful pupils.

Votes of thanks were heartily recorded to the Chairman, which was suitably responded to. After which the proceedings terminated. An extra week’s holiday has been given the school in honour of the birth of a son and heir to the visitor of the school, A. H. Turner Newcomen, Esq., Kirkleatham Hall.

(A prize list can be seen, referring to the above newspaper)