PUBLIC SCHOOL CONCERT, GERALDINE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1833, 27 December 1888, Page 4

PUBLIC SCHOOL CONCERT, GERALDINE.

Probably the roost successful concprt ever bold in Geraldme, in connection with the public school, look place in the Oddfellows' Hal! on Friday. The. building proved f»r too small to bold the Urge number of persons that sought admittance, and a gr>at many had to be turned away....'Asit was. the' hoi! was densely packed, every avniUble bit of room being mide use of, and even the window-ledges outside were used as a means whereby to see and hear what was going on inside. The evening being so worm, the heat was most oppressive, but despite these discomforts the aodience was most sppreciutive, and appeared to enjoy, iho entertainment thoroughly. Lest year the largo Volunteer Hall was used, but owing 10 there being no sitting accommodation provided by the hall trustees it was found by ihe School Committee to be such a trouble and expense to arrange for seats that they decided to fall back on the Oddfellows' Hall with the attendant inconveniences. It is to be hoped that by next y*ar seats will have been provided for the Volunteer Hall. The children taking part in the programma were admirably arranged on either side of the platform, the seals being erected in tiers and forming two sides of a triangle. By this arrangement every child taking port could be seen by the audience, and could also see the conductor (Mr Aitken), who wps thus able «n keep bis seat, and coneeqnenlly did not obstruct the view of the audience. In the oppn space formed by the tiers of seats the acting and singing in the " Kimlerspiel" took place, and the whole offeot of the staging w»8 pretty in the extreme. Mr W. S. Maslin, chairman of the School Committee, occupied the chair. Mies E. Dean acted as accompanist, a part which she performed with exquisite taste. Her. playing of the symphonies that occurred in some of the pieces was nneofthe mr>st enjoyable items of the evening's entertainment. The programme commenced with a song by the infants,' Ten little nigger boys.' Under Miss Pearßon's ab'e charge this was splendidly given, and denoted plainly that a'great deal of very careful attention had ,been given to the training of the children. In fact, every item performed pißsed off without a hitch, and the children from the youngest to the oldest, ieemedj to know their pieces thoroughly, and performed them exceedingly well. ;Too much pi aiso could hardly be given to-Mr Aitken and his assistanjsjfof the way they had schooled the youngsters in the various items, Tho second piece on the programme was I a song:andl choros by the children, 'Do you know tbejmuffin man?' Then came two action by the infants 'My hands, how nicely they are made,' | and ' We're all weaving,' which were capitally sung and acted, The distribution of prizes to the infants and Standard I. then took place, the presentation being wade by the chairman who addressed a few suitable words to each recipient. This ceremony over, the programme was again gone on with as follows': Song by the children, 1 Sninroer and winter'; song, 'Bonny Scotland, I adore thee'; song, ' Sing always'; 'Song of the Mftilese boatmph.' An internal of five minutes having elapsed, the second part of the programme consisting of an entertain-> ment, in character, entitled ' Kinder-1 6pel,' was acted by the senior pupils, j

Over sixty school children took part in this, going through a performance that must have required an immense amount of rehearsing without a single hitch, The parts were taken by the following, each of whom acquitted himself and herself well : frister Ami, Edna Sherratt ; MistreßS Mary, Fanny Gibson ; Hurnpty Duuipty, William Morrison ; Jack and Jill, William Maslin and Maggie Morrison ; Old Mother Hubbard, Maggie Dunlop ; Little Boy Blue, Ben. White; Little Jack Ilorner, Geo. Stonebouse; Little Red Riding 'Hood, Maggie Morrison ; Little 80-Peep, Emily Maslin ; Soldier Boys, Fred, Howard and Robert Scroggie; Standard Bearers, Leonard Taylor and Patrick Burke ; officers, Jas. Riordnn, Fred. Gaby, and Walter Maslin ; skipping girls, Hannah Coltman, Gertie Flemming, Mary Stonehouse, Annie Bowketr, and Mary Fisher. This performance was excellently done, the children keeping time to the music of the piano, and otherwise acting their parts in a manner thai elicited a hearty round of applause. The distribution of prizes to the senior scholars, and also of the good attendance certificates then took place. To obtain the latter a child has to be at school every time it is open to get a first class certificate, and not miss more than five half days in the whole of the year to obtain a second class certificate. Even with these stringent regulations there were no less than seven obtained first-class certificates, and eighteen who obiained second-class certificates. With the certificate was also presented a large photo, suitable for framing, of the twenty-six children who obtained the certificates, The presentation being concluded, Mr T. Hughes, formery head master of the school, notr of Papanui, who was unknown to most of the children one of the audience, was called upon to address those present. His rising was the signal for a storm of applause that took some time to subside, Mr Hughes expressed the pleasure he felt at being present, and congratulated the masters and committee upon the great success of the entertainment. He had, he said, been at what would probably be called better class entertainments, but could scarcely remember having been at a more enjoyable one. He assured those present that he did, and alwoys should, take a deep interest in the progress and success of the school where he had spent so many years. (Applause). Ihe usual voteß of thanks were then passed, and the proceedings terminated with the singing of the National Anthem.

'lho following is the prize list:— Standard I.—Arithmetic, A. Hogkmgs; reading, M. Finlayson ; writing, M. Spillane, T, Twigg, K. Clouslon ; apellieff, A. Rennie ; spelling and reading, F. Dunlop; drawing. 8. Willoughby, A. Willoughby; general proficiency, J. Eisrdan, A. Eamblo, Geo. Stonebouse, Mary Scott, J. Mundell. Prepurutory Classes—lst: Goneral proficiency, E. Cciltman, M. Shiers, S. Femi, L. Russell, F. Ma Jin, A. Berry, H. Walton, J.Spillane, and W. Fenn; 2nd :T. Aitken, C. Grindtill, G. Booker, A. Major, N. King, H. White.

Standard IL—Class work, George Knyv?tt Totton 1, Alice McCaskey 2, Neville Speecbley 3; writing, Robert Scroggie 1, P<itriok Burke 2 ; mental arithmetic, Ernest O'Brien 1, Francis G. T. Richards 2; drawing, Mary Ellen Broughton 1. Standard 111. —Class work, James ftiordan 1, Gertrude Fleming 2, Jane Fyfa 3; writing, Fannv Jones 1, Daisy Colbert 2; drawing, James Joe 1, Fred. Howard 2; mental arithmetic, William Prouting, Walter Maslij.

Standard IV. Class marks, Thomas Lafrentz 1, Hannah Burke 2, Maggie Morrison 3 ; mental, Edna Shorratt 1, Wm. O'Brien 2 ; writing, Frank Bhiers 1, Maggie Morrison 2; drawing, Alfred Waters 1, Seymour Willoughby 2.

Standard V. —Class marks, Jane Scroggie 1 (presented by Mr Alf. White), Mary Morrison 2, Gertie Fyfe 3; drawing, Wm. White 1, Jano Scroggie 2 ; writing, Fanny White and Wm. White (equal); science, Henry Gore 1, Jane Scroggie 2; mental arithmetic, Jane Scroggie 1, Gertie Fyfe 2.

Standard Vl.—Class marks, Wm. Gore 1, Mary Maloney 2, Maggie Dunlop 3; drawing, Mary Stonehouse 1, Charles Burridge 2; writing, John Burke ], Mary Maloney 2 ; science, Wm. Gore 1, Maggiw Riord&o 2 • mental arithmetic, William Gore 1, Wm. Maslin 2.

prize for drawing, offered by Mrs Dunlop,and open for competition to Standards IV., V., and VI., Wm. White. Regular atiendunoa certificates- Seven first olusa (pupils nob absent at all since school opened), Jane Scroggie, Maggie Scroggie, Robert Scroggie, Samuel Shiers, Fred. Wallock, Cclilia Annan, Donald Finlayson. Eighteen second class (pupils not absent more than 6 half-days), Andrew Rennie, Maggie Dunlop, Mina Dutilop, Kate Shier?, Mary Shiers, William Morrison, Mary StoHflhouse, Alfred Berry, Gertie Fyfe, William Fyfe, Jane Fyfe, Alice McCaskey/ Ada Hoskint', George Bloomfield, Louisa Howard, Fred. Maelin, Gertie Flemmmg, Gertie Ward.

Needlework (one prize in ouch standard)— Standard 1., Rosetta Taylor 1, Ada Hosking 2 (special, siven by Miss Pearson) ; Standard 11., Mary Eugrue 1, Maggie Sugrue 2 (special, given by Mrs Dunlop) ; Standard 111., Fa'ony Gibson and Jane Fyfe, equal (prize given by Mrs Gibson) ; Standard IV., Maggie Scroggie 1, Mina Dunlop and Margaret Morrison, equal (specials, given by Messrs Fishor and Aitken) j Standard V., Jane Scroggie 1, Alice Jones (special, given by Mrs Aitken); extra prize for the best piece of work, given by Miss Pearson, in Standard V., Jane Scroggie; Standard VI., Mary Maloney 1. The examiners (Mrs Barclay and Mrs Cunningham) remarked on . the uniform excellence of the work done, which made the difficulty of discriminating very great.