CHILDREN’S COMPETITIONS.

Otaki Mail, Volume XXVIII, 11 August 1920, Page 3

CHILDREN’S COMPETITIONS.

A MARKED SUCCESS. . I my ‘ . , ( ! TUc success that attended the chib | tv | d, ' eiI ’ s ; competitions held by the -Jofcal I •ji i Lite r ar >' Debating Society last j j >' eal ‘ induced, the dub to arrange anseason. The j ' ■ , competitions were held ojTlCQtiay' 1 ' night and proved more successful than ever. It had been arranged to hold ' ! function in the supper-room of the j theatre, but at the time of starting (7 v ' p.m.) the room was filled to overflowI iug, and a great many people were un- ‘ ' l able to gain admittance. It was then ; " decided to adjourn to the largo theatre j adjoining, and it was well this step was , taken, for there must have been between three and four hundred children ' j and adults present. '• I Very numerous entries were received for nearly all the classes, the competi- ! lion being keen, and altogether every- 1 ° thing passed off splendidly. The change ■' . of the building, at the last minute, ' I caused some little delay and disloea- ' lion of arrangements, and' certain im- [ piovemcnts might well be made in the 1 arrangement of details at any future I function of the kind, but these matters I will doubtless receive attention. The ‘ large number of adults present took • | keen interest in the various competii tions. and the work of the children j was, on the whole, most meritorious, showing what excellent results can be attained by the exercise of a little careful preparation. The Rev. G. F. Petrie, M.A. fpresident of the Society) acted as director of ceremonies for the evening, and worked har'd in connection with the whole affair. He was ably assisted by Sister Lewis and •Mr A. K. Rudkin, these three being the committee set up by the Society to carry out the whole of the arrangements for the function. Sister Lewis is deserving of special thanks for the great amount of energy and enthusiasm she displayed in securing entries and prizes, and in | helping with the arrangements generally. / The judges, whose decisions apparently gave general satisfaction, were I as under:—Pianoforte playing, Mrs Stable; singing, Mesdamcs R. M. D’Ath and W. H. Wills; drawing. Sister Lewis, Miss Creilin and Mr A. ' it. Rudkin; recitations, Mrs Sargisson and Mr Frank Penn; essays, Rev. G. F. ; Petrie, M.A., and Mr W. H. Wills, i U.A.; spelling, Mr A. R. Rudkin. Following are details of the competitions:— Pianoforte playing, school children — Beryl D’Ath (80 marks), 1; Gwen. Slovens (72) marks, 2. There were six competitors. All did nicely, though some of the children were more advanced than the others. The winner, who played from memory put up an excellent performance. Drawing from memory (motor ear. boat or steamship)-—James Rikihaoa 1, Kata Ilori 2. Mamie Cole (Wailioanga) 3. There were thirty competitors in this section, nnd many of the children did splendidly. It was a pleasing feature tiiat so many Ha fives competed, and the two first winners I were Natives. j Local Conundrums: Children—Tris. J Harper 1. Eric Bills 2, Max Podcvin | 3, Dola Harper special for very young I children. Adults—G. 11. Fisher 1, \ Frank Penn 2. W. H. Wills 3, Mrs H. |l Nicolson li.c Some of the conundrums | are referred to elsewhere. Some 70 i were submitted to the judge. Singing, under 12 years—Majorie ; Stevens 1, Genevieve Barnes 2. There j were some half-a-dozen competitors, all of whom were listened to nttent- | ively. and with appreciation. Mar- J jorie Stevens gave a particularly pleas- j iug performance, singing sweetly, and j naturally. • Singing, over 12 years.—Maisie Colo : 1. Ella Cole 2. These were the only . competitors. A number of pupils of ' the Otaki Convent had intended to J sing in this class, but were unable, to l , do so. owing to (in outbreak of measles at the Convent. Essays (subject: The Visit of the Prince of Wales). —Pat tic D’Atli 1. Keith St. George and Molly D’Ath (equal) 2. Rev. Petrie, in announcing the above results, said that he and Mr Wills, in making their decision, had been guided largely by the fact that the winner was a second standard child, who was compefiting with children of all standards. There were some fifty essayists, therefore the judges had a most difficult task. Recitation (own selection), children standard IV. and under.—Phyllis Jones (130 marks) 1, Dorothy Watson (126 marks) 2, Joan Dwyer (125 marks) 3. There were no less than about oO competitors in this class, including children of all ages from four to twelx e years. Quite a number of the children gave eapital renderings of their peiecs. The judges recommended that little Joan Dwyer be given a special prize, as she did remarkably well for a child ;>f five years. Recitation (over Standard IV.). — [rene Dwyer (151 marks) I, Beryl D ’Ath (140) 2. Ray Noble (13S) 3. There were only seven entrants in this motion, but the work was very even, .vith the exception of the winner’s. Irene Dwyer gives promise of becomng a very successful elocutionist. The judges expressed themselves as very -.leased with xhe standard of the work lone in both sections as a whole, •ut pointed out a few common vhieh might easily be remedied. Spelling (over 12 years).—Ben Heap I. Keith St. George 2. Spelling, under 12 years.- Moby 0 ’Ath 3. Maisie Cole 2, A. Harper 3. A largo number of children competed in both the spelling competitions.