Entertainment at Awahuri

Feilding Star, Volume IX, Issue 14, 19 July 1887, Page 2

Entertainment at Awahuri

An entertainment for the benefit of the school funds 'was; held, as announced, in the A^ahuri School-room on Friday eyeningp-fesf. Mr 0. C. Howard, the' late principal of the Wellington Training College, who is a well-known " 'elocutionist, kindly ' offered to give some readings on the occasion of his visit to the district. A aumber of amateurs of the neighborhood also, undertook to give their services in the way of providing music fpr the entertainment. Unfortunately the weather was extremely unfavorable, being showery and threatening; in the afternoon, and qvercast with some rain, in the early part of the ejvening. This threatening aspect of the weather, joined to the darkness of the mgHt, had the effect of deterring many from attending the entertainment who had hoped to do so, and among these were some who had been announced to take part in the proceedings. Those, however, who were present were privileged to hoar some elocution of a character they might not often hear again. Many, even of the children present* listened with rapt attention. Mr Howard's rendering the Two Christmas Parties, Bob Cratchits, and Scrooge's Nephew's, from Dickens' Christmas Carol, deeply excited the sympathies of those who remembered Christmas festivities in the Old Country. In Tennyson's " Spinsters Sweet Arts" Mr Howard introduced the audience to a Lincolnshire dialect, unknown as a dialect to the younger portion of the audience, sounding very quaint, but sufficiently like the vernacular to .be understood by all. The interest of the audience was heightened on hearing " The Knight and the Lady" from the Ingbldsby Legends and rese to a climax at the reading of " Major Namby." The" readings were interspersed with musical selections. Among the performers may be mentioned Mr Monro who made his first appearance before an Awahuri audience, and who rendered two songs in excellent style. A gentleman of his musical powers is a decided acquisition to any district. The following is a complete programme as actually performed, Messrs Hunt, Monro, and Giltner, having kindly contributed additional pieces to supply vacancies caused by the absence, of other perfoTmers: — 1. Pianoforte Solo, Mr Hunt ; 2. Reading, "Two Christmas Parties," Mr Howard; 3. Song, *• Dream Faces," Mrs Fraser ; 4. Song, "True Blue," Mr Monro ; 5. Beading, "The Spifisfers Sweet Arts," Mr Howard : 6. Diiet, tL Suoner or . Later," Miss G. and M. Macdonald ; 7. Song, -'Tell her I love her so," Mr Gilmer : 8: Reading, " The Knight and the Lady," Mr Howard ; Italian Song, Mr Monro; 10. Song "Tile Scout," Mr Gilmour ; 11. Reading " Major Namby,'* Mr Howard ; Song* r'' ••The Fog Bell," Mr'HHut;n t; God Save the Queen., "Mr Weightman, the chairman' of the school committee, pr«- -- sided. The piano was kindly lent for the occasion by Mr Macdonald.