State School Entertainment.

Manawatu Herald, 14 December 1899, Page 2

State School Entertainment.

Everyone connected with the entertainment given at the Public Hall last night by the scholars of the State school deserve the highest praise, and though the hall was crowded, we do not think one regretted the necessary expenditure of coin to gain admission. The general sickness in town almost interfered seriously with the entertainment, as Miss O'Brien, on whom rested all the work of the first portion, and under whose care and training the seventy odd children were, was suffering severely from an attack of influenza, and she had great difficulty in keeping up. Likewise some of the youthful performers, but most of them understood the patriotic cry of Nelson's that " England expects everyone this day to do his duty," and did it. Not only is it well for themselves to do what they have undertaken at the cost of inconvenience to themselves, but it shows the right feeling being in them to their fellow scholars and teachers. Mrs Stewart, on whom had fallen all the training of the actors in the Commedietta, was also not well. Thus the condition of matters last night boded ill for the success of the show, but nothing is so black as it looks, and instead of failure a very great success was secured. The children deserve a good word, if not many good words for their exemplary behaviour, as in the hall there must have been close on 150 of them and there was no whistling and no stamping, and this was simply accomplished by asking them not to do so. Miss McKenna is to be thanked for I presiding at the piano and playing all I the accompaniments in the first part. The piano at the hall is not an instrument on which it is a pleasure to play, some notes being dumb, and in one of the children's choruses there was a difficulty in getting a start as the B flat, the leading note, was wanting on the instrument. The Rev. W. Woollass, the chairman of the school committee was present and helped in everyway, and and at the close thanked the audience for their attendance. We understand that by the sale of tickets and money taken at the doors, over £16 was received. PROGRAMME— PART I. i 1. Chorus—" The Gipsies." 2. Action Song—" The Railway Porter." 3. Song-^-"The Little Soldier" (S boys). 4. Lullaby—" Sweet and Low " (Girls.) 5. Recitation— " Peony Jane's Fainting Fit," B. Dudson. 6. Action Song— "Merry Sailors" (Boys.) 7# Song— " The Fairies." 8. Rounds—" Early to Bed," " Come, come here." 9. Song and Chorus— "The Birdies' Ball" (10 Girls.) 10. Recitation—" Boys' Rights," B. Westwood. 11. Chorus— " Christmas Bells." The sight of seventy odd children, all nicely dressed, on tiers ot seats reaching to the ceiling was a great exhibition, that the cause of the decadance of France was not one with which the inhabitants of Foxton could be reproached with. The young performers were : —

Girls— Amy Jenks, Edith Wakefield, Florence Simpson, Mollie Rhodes, Adeline Collins, Myra Webb, Maggie Hennessy, Florence Darvill. Kate Satherley, Rose Foster, Bertha Dudson, Agnes Walls, Jessie Coley, Cissie Morton, Connie Howan, Ivy Lee, Agnes Hooker, Annie Neylon, Nellie Gray. Ethel Collins, E'hel Coley, Mary King, Ada Newth, Mabel Robinson, Esie Jukes, Graca bobinson, Kate Spelman, Rose Dudson, Hiida Cook, Fiorrie Cook, May Hunter, Minn c Walker, Irene Langley, Ethel Webb and Hilda Barber.

Boys — Gordon Robinson, Edward Collins, Alfred Cook, Walter Cook, Cyri Wankiyn, Hugh Hughes, Cifton Satherley, Joseph Jukes, George Walls, Harry

Hughes, Alf Cummerfield, Godfrey borate. , Herbert Langley, Norris Newth, Stanley Morton, Eric Gray, Leslie Bradcock, David Imrie, Vivian Wright, Eichard NeWtll, Cyril Collins, Leonard Howe, Martin Doesen, Tom Westwoodj Willie Gray, Willie Hennessy, Percy Overend, Char'.ie Dunckley, Fred Jenks, Fred Bobinson, Bertie Westwood, Arthur East, Tom East; Elric Forster.

All the choruses went .well and tfee action songs .we're well given: Mir Walden was a jiivenile poittef - and took the fandy df the house. ■ Mias|p B. Dudson's recitation, As well as Master B. Westwood's, was encoded. The girls lullaby,, " Svveet and jLow;" was a very jirett^ itetj}, being tfretf matched by the boys " Merry Sailors,'* A The little soldiers were Masters Cyril w Collins, Fred. Jenks, G. Dunckley, F. Robinson, B. Westwood, A. East, T. East, and E. Forster. The following girls sang the "Birdies' Ball," viz., Misses Hilda Cook,- F« Cook. Ethel Collins, tfeliie (.fay, 8. Dudson, A. Walls, H. Barber, E. Webb, R. Dudson, and K. Spelman. At the fall of the curtain very loud*; applause was given to the children, 'ty PART 11. School Debate " Are we overeducating our Girls " was taken part in by 15 boys and the chairman (Mr L. M Furrie). The young debaters were ™ Masters L. Cozens, J. Robinson, R. Spiers, Garnet Honore, F. Whibley, E. Spelman, B. Kemp, B. Westwood, C. Spiers, W. Stevens, Guy Rhodes, P. Jenks, W. Braddock, and K. Furrie. The debate was well contested by both sides, and terminated by the twist that instead of over educating our girls we are wrongly educating them. The first speaker (L. Cozens) suggested doubtless girls haVe wonderful memories, but give them a ' simple problem in arithmetic to solve, which a boy could do in a minute, they will puzzle their little brains over it for an hour or two and then cry because they cannot do it. Evidently he was in favour that we were over-educating our girls. J. Robinson found on the contrary from his experience that girls not only learn more quickly than boys, but they do it more willingly. . And thus opinions swayed from side to aide. We must not omit a remark of this speaker's wh d after pointing to the female intellect being <.qi.al, if not superior to man's, instanced that in the art of government we had the Queen and Mrs Yates of Onehunga. Guy Rhodes brought down the house by the calm statement that he was a family man, and after recounting the education his girls had received, mentioned that they made an awful mess of his porridge and boiled his eggs so hard that he had to eat them with a knife and fork. Every speaker had some good " point " to make, and it was pleasing to notice the care with which they enunciated their words. Great credit is due to Mr Stewart, the headmaster, and Mr Furrie, his assistant, for th<|||, training these lads have received. Part 111. Comedietta — "The Lucky Sixpence," Dramatis Persons. King Grumbo Master Harold Collins Queen Violina Miss Jane Imrte Eliza ' Miss Ethel LiddeaT , Blackbird Master A. Shadbolr Fairy Moonlight Miss Elsie Cook Fairy Baker Boy Master W. Morton. Thi) was a simple little piece, staged very prettily and very w 11 dressed, and Mis Stewart who designed, and in some case?, as for instance; - the blackbird, made . the dresses, deserves very much praise. Tbe King was a g'orious old monarch with snowy hair and beard, and dvess<d in satin coat and knea breeches and si k stockings, took ng, as he should, every inch a King. His Qneen was likewise appropriately dressed and looked very pleasing. Eliza made a first rate housemaid, and the fairy was a dream in muslin and spang'es. The blackbird was a fine creation and very cleveriy designed. The baker boy was cheerful and active. Every praise is due to these young actors for the manner they acted, and tha king was particularly gentlemanly. During the piece which was to represent that alt is not that glitters, the king shows a miserly disp sition, bat acting nnder the influence of the fairy is led to discover tbat in his queen he has one above price, and on the fairy's demand hands over his money t> save his queen from danger, remarking " My dear, mo t dea-\ I have paid a lot for you, but you are worth it." Daring the piece, the Blackbird who had risen from a sick bed to take his part, sang a duet with Eliza, " Eliza put the kettle on," a so'o, "Look at me said poker," "Little blackbird had a crown," "In the morning, oh my grumbo," and " My lodging was on the ground floor." These were nicely sung but they wonld have been given with more power had the singer been 'fi'. The king" and queen sang the duets, "Something strange impels this change," and " Baa,: baa, blackbird have I any gold." The king, whose singing was much admired, sang " Drink to me only with thine eye'," aom ( 14 There was a king and a strictly sobßr" '' king." The song of Eliza's " Weel may I '1 c' and ' >c," was a great deal of a djnci>, joined in by a'l the company and was a very pretty bit of the piece, lhe king and queen h*d a duet, " D »rling when we are growing old," the chorus of which was * take a up by the comp ny, and the effect was very good. The company also gave a go d song in " Sing a song of sixpence."