SCHOOL CONCERT.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3731, 17 December 1927, Page 2

SCHOOL CONCERT.

A SUCCESSFUL FUNCTION.

The Town Hall seating accommodation was taxed to its utmost on Thursday night on the occasion of the annual school concert and the performance was thoroughly appreciated both by audience and those taking part. The wonder is that time was found to organise a concert this year owing to the prevalence of sickness among both the teaching staff and scholars, and the efforts required to make up lee way before the examinations. In fact the programme submitted was arranged and carried out with very few rehearsals. A special feature of the entertainment was the dancing by Ada Roore, Hazel Owen, and Douglas and Harold Newton, the two last mentioned gave a fine exhibition of the sailor’s hornpipe. Other dances in which several girls took part, fairly captivated the audience. Mrs. Goodman was responsible for the training of these pupils, and subsequently received well-desei-ved compliments. The second half was taken up with an origisal cantata by Mr. J. Holmes Bunnicles, entitled “Fun at the Fair,” which kept the audience in fits of laughter. Master Edward Murphy, offiieiat,ed as announcer. Opening heralds by the school buglers Masters 11. Tongs, B. Reader and N. 'Lockwood. The flag song by the infants was very effective. “Rainy Morning,” which Gwenyth Yardley, Enid Coley, Ethel Walls, and Thelma Sutton, each recited, called forth hearty applause. A chorus by the infants “Daisy Nurses,” the little ones representing the flowers, was nicely rendered. Alan Coley recited “Great Surprise,” with pleasing effect. Action song by t'he infants, “Chinese Fan,” was gracefully executed, as was the “Swing song,” by infant girls. The seniors then assembled on the stage and put the audience in good humour with the chours, “I want to be Happy.” Mary Martin and Joyce Shaw created a hit with their duet, in costume. A shopping scene was next depicted in which buyers and sellers took part. Arthur Craig recited the story of “Mother’s hairpin.” The boys gave an exhibition of physical drill. The secondary girls sang a chorus “German Band” with local allusions, which created much amusement. Ada Roore gave an exhibition of operatic solo dancing, which called forth thunderous applause. This young lady dances with a grace of movement rarely seen in an amateur. Hazel Owen also did remarkably well in a clog dance. A sketch, “The Hat Shop,” by the senior girls was very minth provoking. The first half concluded with a spectacular “flag march,” by standards 3 and 4, with Britania as the central figure concluding with a grainl ensemble and the singing of “Rule Britannia.” The second half .was taken up with Mr Holmes Runnicles’ cantata “Fun at the Fair,” in four acts. The cantata dejDicted the visit of two New Zealanders to England, and their visit to a village fair. Appropriate songs and dialogue and a picnic scene were carried out. The fun at the fair was most realistic, with showmen yelling and the pelting at “Aunt Sally,” which shots more often missed the mark and struck the heads of onlookers. Farmer Giles’ ride on the double-lieaded donkey sent the au--dience into fits of laughter. Dancing and- choruses were intermingled and a final patriotic chorus “New Zealand, our Homeland,” made a fitting climax. Ken Rossiter, as “Farmer Giles,” was a host in himself, Nancy Stokes as “Gill,” Mary Martin as “Mrs. Enzed,” Gordon Stone as “Mr. Enzed,” Brian Walton as “Mr. X,” and Horace Tongs as “Jack,” were the principal characters. During the fair scene some capital dancing was introduced and the two little Newton boys in this particular created quite a furore. The entertainment concluded with the singing of the “National, Anthem.”

Mr. J. K. Hornblow, thanked the audience, staff and children on behalf of the Committee.

PRIZE GIVING. There was a good attendance at the D.II. School yesterday afternoon, when the Bock Memorial prizes, proficiency and attendance certificates were presented by the chairman of Committee (Mr. J. K. Hornblow), and the infants were presented with gifts from a wellladen Christmas tree by Father Christmas. The names of the dux boy and girl in the primary and secondary divisions and those who obtained proficiency certificates have already been published. The following were awarded

ATTENDANCE CERTIFICATES. Secondary Department.—Elizabeth, Crowe form V, Malcom Mason form V, Donald Chrystall form HI. Primary Department. —St. VT: Caroline Satherley, Meta Mason, Howard Gardner, Mina Ebbett, Frank Davies, Greta Coley, Leo Bloomfield.

St. V. —Hope Thynne, Lexie Tollison, Gordon Stone, Reginald Howe, James Chrystall. St. IV. —Clifford Garment, George Coley, Alfred Mounsey, Ruby Morgan, Mary Thynne, Ruby Wilson, Jean Coley, Albert Coley, Colin Chrystall, Denis Hussey, Roy Fowler, Tui Prentice, Bertram Reader, Douglas Speirs, Wilfred Symons, James Wilson, Gladys Kennedy, Kathleen Leach, Joan Mason, Constance Robinson.

St. 111. —Douglas Newton, Frederick McPherson, Neil Cummerfield, Beverley Potts, Jessie Kennedy,

Christina Heath, Frances Good, Nina Botaroff, Frances Coley. St. II. —Matenga Baker, Keith Coley, Henry Robinson, Glen Small. St. 1. —Nancy Chrystall, Percy Leach. P. II. —Lily Mounsey. .Congratulations were conveyed to the teaching staff, prize winners, and scholars on the year’s work and cheers given.

SIDE SCHOOL CONCERT. The annual concert in connection with the side school was held in the Beach Hall on Wednesday evening last. The only disappointing feature of the function was the comparatively poor attendance, for the performance itself merited a packed house. As it was, neither Beach residents nor visitors from Foxton were as fully represented as they should have been. The programme was varied, interesting and entertaining, and consisted of school songs, sketches, recitations etc., all well prepared and excellently rendered. The outstanding items were: “Nursery Rhymes Illustrated,” by Abe infants; a humorous dialogue entitled “Rock Cakes,” by pupils of the upper classes, in which Noel Steer, dressed to represent “Baking- Powder,” Ford Steer as “Flour,” and Zillah Hartley as the cook, were especially good, and a skit, “House Hunting,” introducing a medley of popular airs, caused much laughter.

At the close of the actual concert complimentary addresses were delivered by Mr Perreau and Mr F. A. Mason, headmaster, both of whom referred to the untiring efforts of the teachers, Misses Clover and Thompson, in training the children. In this work the teachers had received great assistance from Mrs Bain, matron of the Children’s Home, who played the accompaniments, and who was presented with a bouquet of beautiful roses by one of the tiny tots as a mark of appreciation of her efforts. Mr Alsop, representative of the Beach residents on the Foxton School Committee, also spoke, and at the request of the Headmaster presented the children with their gift prizes. At the 'instigation of Mr Perreau, rounds of cheers werp given, followed by a dainty supper and a dance. ;