METHODIST CHURCH.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1641, 23 November 1916, Page 3

METHODIST CHURCH.

The annual Sunday school social and prize-giving in conned ion with the above was held in the Masonic. Hall last night. Apart from the scholars, there was a good attendance of the public. The Rev. W. Howe presided. The children were grouped on the slage and on an improvised plalform. Several of the special hymns sung at the Sunday services were repeated, and songs, duets, recitations and dialogues were given by the scholars, (o (he evident delight of 1 lit* audience. Some of the items were particularly good. Aleut ion must be made of one lit lie lass of nine summers, Elsie Clark, who astonished the audience by her singing of “A Perfect Bay.'” It was a really lirst-class interpretation of the song, and llm enunciation was excellent. Other little girls displayed vocal talent ahove the average. One lad, Sam Hussey, not only sang well, Iml exhibited a good stage presence and histrionic ability. Other contrihulor.> were: Recitations by Bulcie and Alfred Staff, Violet Bangs, Boris Sherralt, Mary and Avis Osborne, Lucy Hussey, Mona Littlejohn, Cbrissie Honor, Hoy Parker, dialogues by nine lit lie girls (the grievances of baby—very amusing am! well spoken, the little ones being attired in night dresses), Tessie Hussey and Aloana Littlejoint (well rendered, Tessie creating hearty applause by her cpiaint deliverance to the storekeeper), Sam Hussey and Douglas Littlejohn; quartette by Vera Parker, Boris •lane, Tessie Hussey and Dougins Littlejohn, songs by Verna Slierralt .and Bollie Spiers, pianoforte duet by Miss Honore and Hoy Bullard, and (dosing item, “Thank Yon,” by eight little girls . Miss Honore (school secretary) presented a very business-like bal-ance-sheet and report, which showed the school to be in a nourishing condition. Air Huntley (superintendent) gave parents a good insight into the working of the school and paid a tribute to the enthusiasm and hearty co-operation of the teachers. The Hev. Mr Howe said Unit the Sunday school was the most healthy and vigorous department of Hie church life, which spoke volumes for Hie superintendent and staff. He added that it was infinitely heller (o inculcate Christian principles in the life of the child as a safeguard against the evils which lieset (heir path and for which the Sunday school stood, than to redeem a soul after (he life had hecn practically spent. The Minister* presented the prizes, three of which wore awarded for merit in each class, but every scholar received a prize. Several were overlooked last night, and there will be distributed at school next Sunday. Votes of thanks were accorded to Air Hetty for his able eondiielorsbip. Mr and Airs Huntley and staff, tile children who contributed to the programme, the accompanists, Misses Evans, Honore, D. Signal, instrumentalists, Airs Chalk and Air Mormon, and the press. Refreshments wore provided on a liberal scale. The anniversary as a whole was the most successful in the historv of the school.