TEMUKA SCHOOL CONCERT.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1159, 11 October 1883, Page 3

TEMUKA SCHOOL CONCERT.

The/ opening of tho Temuka Hieh School wns celebrated last Tuesday evening with/the most successful concert we have eeen in Temufea. The spacious hall of the school was crowded to excess, and, notwithstandiug that the evening was not altogether a 8 fine as it might have been for this season of the year, there were present people from all parts of the district. The Rev Geo. Barclay, Chairman of the Board of Education, occupied the chair, and on his right hand sat Mr K F Gray, Chairman of the School Committee. Tho Rev D Gordon and members of the Committee occupied seals on the platform. The Rev Mr Barclay congratulated the district on having such a beautiful building for scholastic purposes, and dwelt upon the history of education in Temuka. There were during last year 87,000 children the registerßof schools in this colony, and their average attendance was 68,000. The State paid £5 5s for the education of each of these, which was at the rate of 15s per head of the population. In Germany the State pays 3s l|d per head, in England 2s lid per head, in France Is Bd, in Spain Is 6d, in Italy lOd, and in Russia 3|d, for education. He again congratulated them on having a High School, as it was calculated to secure the widest diffusion of a first-class education, and he hoped the Temuka school would turn out as good scholars as any in New Zealand. He concluded by reading an extract from the report of Mr Sullivan, the Inspector of Schools in Auckland, and then introduced Mr Edmonds, who sang'The Midshipmite ' in a manner that elicited an encore, which, however, was not responded to. At a subsequent period Mr Edmonds sang •Jack's Reward,' and was again loudly applauded. Misses Thomson and McNair sang 'Y« Banks and Braes' with capital effect. Miss Goodey© gave a splendid recitation, and she certainly acquitted herself very creditably considering her you l hfulness. Mr Rutland sang ' Robin Goodfellow' in a fine voice, and with due regard to the music. Mrs Hargreaves made her first appearance before a Temuka audience, and created a most favorable impression. She has a full, deep, well-cultivated voice, which she uses to the best advantage. She sang ' Esmeralda' and ' Yesterday ' in a manner that made it apparent at once that she iB a great acquisition to the town as regards her singing capabilities. MrHT Clinch, as usual, created a furore, and the rule that no encores would be allowed had to be broken, as the audience would on no account hear anyone else until Mr Clinch responded. This he did, and his two comic songs gave immense satisfaction. Mr Harrison and Master Fauvel played a cornet duet in copital style, and Miss Brown sang ' Let Me Dream Again in a manner that won for her very pronounced approbation. Mrs Rout sang 'Alice, Where art Thou?' We have never heard her to greater advantage. She was in magnificent _ voice, and brought out every note with trve distinction. But the charm of her noging lies more in the clearness with which her words can be heard, and in the extraordinary feeling with which she expresses heraelf than anything else. One gets tired of most singers after hearing them a few times, but the more we hear Mrs Rout the better we like hei. As an encore she sang 'Within a Mile of Edinburgh Toon' and subsequently ' Ruby, and it is needless to say than she met with due appreciation. The first part of the programme was brought to a close by the Temuka Glee Club singing «I Met Her in the Quiet Lane.' A well rendered piano solo by Master Storey opened the the second part, which was followed by Miss Kirk singing «Juanita in a very nice style. Mr Aspinall sang 'The Kings Highway,' for which he was applauded, and Miss Thomson ' Dreamland better than we have ever heard her sing before. Miss Rowe recited a piece on the wreck of 'the Tararua with such effect that many were moved to tears. Mr Burrows played a concertina solo entitled 'The Chimes, and was encered. His playing was one of the gems of the entertainment. Master Fauvel recited ' The Frenchman and the Rats' well, and the whole programme was wound up by the Giee Club singing «Come Bounteous May,' Mr Gray moved a vote of thanks to the adies and gentlemen who had assisted at the entertainment, and in doing so paid a high compliment to the Rev George Barclay, to whom they were indebted to a considerable extent for the High School. He also moved a vote of thanks to Mr Barclay for presiding at the concert, and called on the Rev Mr Gordon to reply on behalf of the ladies. The Rov Mr Gordon in a humorous speech acknowledged the compliment on behalf of the ladies, and pointed out that the Education Board ought to furnish the school in keeping with the building. He also poipted out that the fencing needed attention, and that a proper dividing fence ought to be placed between the boys'and;girlß* play-grounds. The Rev Mr Barclay on behalf of the Education Board said everything could be done would be" done, but that it was a question of funds. If the Board found they had the funds Temuka would get its share. The proceedings were brought to a close by singing the National Anthem, A dance was afterwards held at which there was a very large attendance. Messrs Burrows and Levens supplied the music and dancing was kept up till a late hour. We should not forget that Messrs Inwood and Meager accompanied the oingerson the piano, and added considerably to the supcess pf the pongert-