WINCHESTER SCHOOL

Temuka Leader, Issue 2298, 29 December 1891, Page 3

WINCHESTER SCHOOL

A concert in aid of the school prizes was held in the Public Hall on Wednesday evening, 23rd inst., under the auspices of the school committee, The night was mild. The hall was well filled with parents and friends. As most of the programme was composed of pieces by the children, these for convenience were seated oii the platform, to the number of 50 or more. One of the pieces rendered by them was the "Annual Feast," and as they joined heartily in the song their bright faces showed the pleasure they felt in it. Their parents must have regarded the pretty sight of a " feast " in the best sense of the word, and will look forward to receiving it annually. The chairman of the school committee, Mr W Carston, briefly intimated that the Rev. T. A- Hamilton had kindly gonsented to take the chair. The rev. gentleman on arising said he had been asked to act as chairman for that evening, and had willingly consented, as he was- always glad to do all he could for the Winchester. people. He would not deliver a speech as the programme was a long one. The programme was divided into two parts, the first part for children and the second part for adults. The following are the different items :—Part I. : Overture, piano; solo, Miss L. Hawke ; song, " Annual Feast,"" senior pupils; recitation, l( Ciiadle's TJmbrella Lecture," Miss Ada McCarthy; song, " We'll ail go a singing," junior pupils ; recitation, " Little Jim," Master Willie Hart, rendered excellently; song, "Stormy winds do blow," senior pupils ; recitation, " Good advice to wives," Miss Ethel Patrick; action song, " The clock" junior pupils ; recitation, " How does the water come down at Lodorg," Miss Martha Woodley; song, " Nancy Lee," senior pupils; recitation, "Woodman, spare I that tree," Miss Alice Gimson; song, " He, she, and it," junior pupils; song, " Harvest home," senior pupils; recitation, " The unwilling thief," Miss Edie Langdown ; song, " The busy little mother," junior pupils; recitation,'.' The Spanish champion," Master C. Gimson; song, "Evening lullaby," senipr pupils; song, "Imitating," jujiior pupils,' Part II: Pianoforte* duet, " Qui vive," Misses Gimson; song, " The old Scotch songs," Miss McQueen, in response to an encore shesang " The wishing cap " ; song, " Genevieye," Mr Watson, who being recalled repeated tjie last part; song, " The song for me," Miss McQueen, and in response to the wishes of the audience sang « The bridgf)"; song,"Oil, Polly," j Mr Watson, who in answer to an encore ' rppeated the two last verses j " Qqd save

f the Queen " ended the programme. The chairman then informed those present that he had been asked to move a vote of thanks to the audience, and to save time the audience could move a vote of thanks to the performers at the same time. He would not keep them long, as it was time the children and mothers were home and asleep. A mother who wanted her little son to go to bed reminded him that all little chickens had gone to roost. "Ah!" replied the boy, "the old hens have gone to roost as well!" This neat comparison caused no small amount of merriment. He then referred to the bad behaviour of some young men in the back of the hall, and said the cat 3 in Temuka could not possibly have made more noise. A clergyman once rebuked one of his hearers for disturbing his congregation during divine worship, and vowed he would never rebuke another, having found out the man was an idiot. We trust next time someone will feel it their duty to keep the idiots from being at large amongst a quiet audience, for, as the chairman said, it requires great patience to sit and listen to shrill whistles and loud cat-calls. A word of praise is due to Miss Frances Hawke for the excellent way she taught the children to sing the different songs. The rev. chairman said he had heard many school children sing at concerts, but none of them could surpass what he had heard that night. Mr McCarthy also had taken great care in aiding the childrer to prepare the recitations, the expression used being good, especially so in the case of Master W. Harte, who delighted the audience with his piece " Little Jim." Misses R. Gimson, L. Hawke, and Langdon accompanied the singers on the piano. A dance followed, which was kept up with spirit till about 1 o'clock. Altogether the concert was a success, the only drawback being the annoyance caused by the noise of some of the rougher classs.;