THE CENTRAL SCHOOL.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 April 1921, Page 8

THE CENTRAL SCHOOL.

SUCCESSFUL “AT HOME.” TAKINGS TOTAL £523. The Central School “At Home,” an event which has been eagerly awaited and discussed by the children of New Plymouth, opened at one o’clock yesterday and was continued throughout the afternoon and evening. The weather, after being very fick’e of late, proved ideal for the occasion, and the townspeople and their children turned out in their thousands to make a thorough success of the function, the proceeds of which are to be devoted to a worthy cause —the improvement of educational facilities. Z

Displays of bunting ranged across Liardet and Gover Streets left no doubt as to the route to the “At Home,” and the school and its grounds were gaily decked with greenery and flags, the whole combining in a most pleasing effect. The school buildings were crowded with numerous stalls, at which a great variety of articles could be purchased, all arranged in most attractive setting. Exhibits of school work, including very creditable writing, freehand drawing, mapping, black and white sketching, etc., and displays of Boy Scouts’ handiwork, formed one of the most interesting features of the show, while flower stalls, sweet stalls and stalls of every kind, and a lucky tree that macle the children gasp, transformed the erstwhile dingy schoolhouse into a fairyland. One room that drew a continual stream of patronage, the afternoon tea room, was very tastefully arranged by an energetic committee of ladies, who had an astonishing supply of good things at their command, and it must have been very gratifying though strenuous work to attend to the wants of the endless crowds who invaded this department throughout the afternoon. Provision was also made in this room for an orchestra, which under the management of Mrs. Woods, contributed to the attraction of this toothsome and highly appreciated corner of the “At Home.”

Outside, in the immediate vicinity of the school, were arranged the Punch and Judy show, the continuous picture show, the fish-ponds, cocoanut shies and soft drinks, fruit salad and tobacco stalls, while the “flat” was devoted to sports and drill, notable among which were the flag marching by the small girls, ribbon dancing by.the senior girls, and combined displays of physical drill. The flag marching and ribbon dancing were received with rounds of well merited applause, the complicated evolutions being carried through very cleverly, while the patriotic colors of the girls’ dresses and the ribbons, were most effective.

The picture show, which was run by the High School boys, proved an irresistible attraction to not only the young people, and excitement ran high as the small boys up in front picked out and screamed aloud the names of the various local celebrities whose pictures were screened at the instigation of someone with an eye to popular entertainment. Following is a list of the stallholders:—

Plain and fancy work.—Mesdames Martin, Coleman, Bullot, Feakins, S. Smith. Girling, Boyd. Doll stall.—Mesdames White and Firth. Misses Williams, Griffin, Frank and Peach. Cake stall.—Mesdames Cruickshank, Ryder and Waters.

Sweet stall.—Mesdames Hagger and Barnett.

Produce stall.—Mesdames Avery, Frethey and Baunton. Jumble stall. —Misses O’Brien, Roberts, Olson, and Mrs. Bullock. Flower stall. —Mesdames Hay and Douglas, and Miss Dorset. Soft drinks and cigarettes.—Miss Jemison and D. Coad, Mesdames Valentino. Munro and Pascoe.

Lucky tree.—Misses Pascoe, Roberts, and Whittaker. ]> t-.h —Smith and Shaw.

Afternoon tea. —Mesdames Milne, Cobham. Billing, Julian, Best and Whitehead, and Miss Henderson.

Picture show.—Messrs. Day, Dempsey and Moyes, and High School boys. Punch and Judy show. —Mr. L. Smith.

Nubian Dwarfs.—Mr. R. Day. At the conclusion of the function last night the depleted stalls bore ample evidence of the business done, and the total takings amounted to £523.