PETERSFIELD.
Agent—Miss DUPLOCK.
NATIONAL SCHOOLS.—The public examination of the children attending these large and flourishing schools was held on Wednesday last; that of the girls and infants in the morning, and of the boys in the afternoon. The clear and intelligent answers which were given to the numerous questions put to them in sacred and secular history, geography, and other subjects, afforded convincing proof of the sound and sterling character of the education furnished in the various departments of the institution. The attainments of several of the boys belonging to the commercial class were highly creditable alike to themselves and to the head master, Mr. Macfarland. Masters Thos. Butler and Anthony Newman especially distinguished themselves by their ready and accurate solution of several problems in Euclid; the latter went clean over Pons Asinorum without a single false step. Prizes were awarded as follows:—Commercial class—Masters T. Butler, A, Newman, W. Newman; H. Nichols, J. Cobbald, and A. Wyatt. Ordinary school—W. Patrick and A. Emm. As further evidence of the high character of these schools we may mention that Her Majesty’s Inspector, the Rev. W. H. Warburton, on his official visit a week or two since, expressed himself in most decisive terms of commendation with reference both to progress and discipline. On Thursday, the day following the examination, the annual treat was given to the children. They assembled at the school-room at half past two, and went in procession to church, where an appropriate sermon was preached to them, and young persons generally, by the Rev. M. A. Smelt, from 2 Tim., iii. 15, after which they again formed a procession, headed by the juvenile band of the Rifle Corps, passing through the Square, High-street, and Dragon-street, to to Mr. Small’s lawn, where they (to the number of about 400), partook of tea, &c., and, with the company, who afterwards took tea in the school-room, disposed of about 14 gallons of bread, 12 pounds of butter, 28 gallons of cake, 5 pounds of tea, 30 pounds of sugar, and 6 gallons of milk. After tea the children adjourned to a meadow at the Grange, kindly lent for the occasion by Mr. Baker, where they engaged in various games, and frolic and fun were kept up during the rest of the evening.