COWLEY DIOCESAN SCHOOL.

On Friday afternoon, Dec. 9th, the Right Rev. the Lord Bishop of the Diocese distributed the prize books to the pupils who had most distinguished themselves in the annual examination, presenting also Oxford Local Examination certificates to those amongst the successful candidates belonging to the school who had not gone home for the Christmas Vacation.

The BISHOP expressed the pleasure with which he attended, and called upon the Rural Dean, representing the Diocesan Board of Education, to read the Examiners' reports.

The Rev. Dr. KING said if he, succeeding their old friend Mr. Ashhurst, swished about a bit, they must put it down to new broomism, and believe that at the bottom of his heart he most earnestly desired the welfare of this excellent institution. He then summarised the reports of the Rev. W. G. Sawyer, Holy Scripture; Rev. J. H. Blunt, the Prayer Book; Rev. E. Sturges, Euclid; Rev. J. Slatter, Algebra; Rev. J. Ashhurst, Arithmetic, and Religious Knowledge (junior classes); Rev. A. W. Pearson, Geography; Rev. G. Huntingford, Latin and French; Rev. E. Elton History; Rev. C. Rankin, Grammar. Enlarging upon

the difficulties of teaching and learning, the speaker showed how important it was to assimilate the knowledge accumulated. Boys should squeeze facts together as they did a snowball, so that they might hurl them with real effect at the difficulties they might meet with in their future lives. He told his young listeners the story of Kepler, who spent so many years of his life in a series of observations and studies in connection with one of the planets, practically discovering and demonstrating the theories which Newton had theoretically set forth. When a friend of Kepler's said to him, "How can you possibly have the patience to go on night after night ?" the astronomer replied to this effect: "My God was some 4,000 years waiting before He made known to any man the laws by which He governs the universe; and should I be impatient in spending 18 years of my life in order to verify these few facts?" In like manner should we all be patient in the endeavour to acquire real, sound knowledge.

After the Examiners, who were present, had made a few remarks on the work done in the various papers they had set,

The BISHOP Said he was glad to take some part in a work with which he was familiar. The reason why he was not present on the day he had first appointed was because he was engaged amongst other duties in doing a similar thing in a school in Berkshire to that he was there to do to-day. With regard to the school in Berkshire he might say there was