STATE SCHOOL CONCERT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXIX, Issue 3769, 25 July 1907, Page 3

STATE SCHOOL CONCERT.

We desire to congratulate Mr Adams and bis staff upon the unqualified success of. last night’s concert, and it was conceded on all sides that it was the most successful school concert 3 r et held in Foxton. The hall was packed and the audience was delighted with the programme submitted ; in fact they would have had the youngsters going till a late hour had it not been for the fact that encores were tabooed. There were -no delays, punctually at 7.30 the first item was rendered and the lengthy programme was carried through and finished a few minutes before 10 o’clock. One or two items were withdrawn, on account of sickness, but not a single hitch or breakdown occurred, and the children behaved themselves admirably. Those taking part were grouped effectively on the stage. The gorgeously attired coloured men on either side, in front the prettily attired girls, many in Japanese and other costumes, and at the rear the elder boys. The programme commenced with an opening chorus, “ Swinging neath the old apple tree,” sung very heartily, then nine little dots, Bert Dunn, , Alfred Ebbett, Fred Dunn, Heni i Spring, Stella Barber, Charlie Walbutton, Gladys McSaveny, Willie Robinson and Walter Walker said a few words of welcome to the audience and opening speeches were made with clear enunciation by Edgar McEwen, James Neville, Allred Arbon, John Wynd, Roy Coley and Basil Walls. Tom East’s comic song “Domestic Pets’’ brought him a hearty round ot applause. This lad also rendered a song in character in the second half entitled “The Empty Sleeve.” Tom did very we l !, but had to rely on a falsetto for his top notes. Tittle laa Coley, a wee mite, scored a big success with her recitation “An Oversight.” Phoebe Symons and Victor Betty, in the polka duet “I know a Song,” sung and danced very pelasingly. The Nigger items brought down the house. Those taking part were Weston Barber and Victor Betty (“The Bet”), Reginald / Barber and Eric Mackie (“My Sister Carrie”), Murray Walls and V Lewis Johnson (“Sailors”), Tom Levett and Warren Williams (double patter, “ Good old Aunt ” —this item simply brought down the house), Garnet Fraser and Bertie Wyeth (nigger drill). The action song “We are dear little dollies” by the infants was very effective. The comic item, song and chorus, “You Naughty boy,” by Wm. Nyeand Allen Walls was one of the gems of the evening. Walter Langley looked and acted the part of a regular young “ hard case ” in the recitation “ Bobby’s Complaint.” Myra Wanidyn sang in character “ Pandora,” and acquitted herself very well. Sketch — “ The Reciters ” by Rose Hadfield, Cissy Betty, Doris Small, Violet McSaveny, was roundly applauded. Harold Saville and Vivian Crichton created roars of laughter, accompanied by their cart, in the song and chorus “Wait for the Waggon.” Sketch and Chorus — “No Joke to be a Baby” by Hector Cargill, Alice Baker, Eileen Cummerfield, Janet Daw-

son, Maggie Procter. Avis Stiles, Hope Mackie, and Fred Duna was la pleasing turn and the little ones / looked charming in their cost umes. Phoebe Symons recited “Selected ’ ’ very effectively. Elsie Reeves possesses a very sweet voice and captivated her audience with the song “ Dreaming of Home.” The comic Interlude, “ Our School Elephant” by Cecil Robinson, PercyColey, Guy Edwards, caused the hall to ring again with merriment. Millie King sang withpleasing effect, “My Darling Dolly.” Little Mona McEwan’s recitation “The New Baby,” was particularly good. The action song by the boys, “ Physiology,” showed careful training. The round “ Ring, Ding, Dong,” was tunefully sung by the scholars. The School Brigade was a humourous item by the following small boys ; George Walsh, Tony Vidulich, Thos, Mitchell, Willie Easton, John Vidulich. Another star item was the quartette “Four Little / Maids from School,” by Floris I Osbojdstone, Millie King, Myra ! Wanklyn, and Florrie Cook. Bertie Wyeth’s recitation “ Der dog and der lobster,” stamped him as a first-class juvenile elocutic nist. The song and chorus “ Daddy wouldn’t buy me a Bowwow” by Phoebe Symons, was heartly sung. Eileen Linehan and Lindsay Aitken, in the duet “The Miller and the Maid,” deserve special mention. These two young people sang and acted ■ the piece to perfection. The mystifying “Topsy Turvy Song” by Kathleen Barber, Jack Frew, Stanley Barber, Nellie McDonell, Harry Robinson, Evelyn Langley, Douglas Walls, Ivy Richmond, Amy Ebbett, James Rodie, sent the audience into shrieks of laughter. Floris, Osboldstone acquitted herself very nicely in the song “ The Golden Stairs.” The antics of Herbert Wallis as Jack-in-the-box were side-splitting. The Japanese dance by Vida Walker, Emma Clemett, Elsie Reeves, Katie Berthold, Nellie Arbon, Hilda Cargill, Myra WankJyn, Millie King, Nellie Coley, Rita Crichton, Elsie King and Iris Crichton was very gracefully performed. A screaming Farce —“The BabyElephant” was next staged Chararters: Mr Grimes (an old fossil), Wm. Hennessy * Porapey, Percy Coley; Pete, Guy Edwards ; Ltea (a lively wench) Roy Lambess Horatio Tooth pick, afterwards Don Pedro Scratch-me-Back (a swindler), Gus Levett; Police Constable, Percy Reeves. The boys succeeded in keeping the audience

much amused by their antics and dialogue. A Concluding speech was nicely spoken b}’ Ernest Osboldstone and the following little mites wished the audience good bye : Heni Spring, Alfred Ebbett, Fred Dunn, Stella Barber, Charlie Walbutton. Willie Robinson, Glad) r s McSaveny.

The singing of the National Anthem brought the concert to a close.

Misses Adams and Jacobs (Patea) played the accompaniments.

The programme will be repeated again to-night when all who were not present last night should not miss the opportunitj r offered this evening.