SHAKESPEARE CLUB.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 21, 4 June 1908, Page 3

SHAKESPEARE CLUB.

FIFTH ANNUAL MEETING. The fifth annual meeting of the Wellington Shakespeare Club'was held at the Chamber of Commerce Hall last ovening, Mr. J. W. Joynt, M.A., occupying tho chair. ANNUAL REPORT. The report stated that the club had entered its fifth year of existence and of usefulness, for, although the past year had not been so successful in some respects as could havo been wished, they could still look with satisfaction upon the work the club was doing, and upon the amount of good the members derived from its meetings. Tho club was, however, capable of doing much better work and of making the meetings still more profitable and interesting. Last year's meetings commenced as usua lin May, and continued with good averago attendances on both Mondays and Saturdays until Octobor, in which month thore was always a falling off. It would, perhaps, be as well to consider the advisableness of 'commencing in April for the future, and finishing in September. The two plays studied during the year -were " The Merchant of Venice" and "Julius CaesaT," both of which were gone through with caro and thoroughness on the part of members, and tho result of their work was shown in two excellent and well-received public readings on July 23 and November 14. The interval at the leading of " The Merchant, of Venice" was filled by songs sung by Messrs. J. F. Carr and Arthur Ballance, to whom tho club was once more indebted for willing and valuable assistance. On the occasion of the reading of " Julius Caesar," the interval. was occupied in tho presentation of the prizes won by the pupils of the Wellington State Schools at tho club's reading competition held in tho Technical School on October 26. Tho winners were Frank Picot,' of the Thorndon School, with 90 per cent, of the possible marks, and Dora Pope, with 89 per cent. As' in previous years,. tho prizes were of tho value of £1 Is. each in books, and the thanks of tho club wero due to tho President, Mr. Joynt, for his donation of £1 Is. to the prize fundi Special recognition was also due to the arduous work undertaken in -tho preparation and judging of this competition by Miss England, Miss Holmes, and Mr. George Toogood. The question of' possible extension of the competition would also ho considered. 'During last year the following papers, original and selected, were read: Mrs. Hecksher, "Portia"; Miss A. Hyams, "Shakespeare and New Thought," "The Character of Portia," and "The Character of Brutus"; Miss Holmes, "With the Immortals"; Mr. J. W. Joynt, "History of the Time of Julius 1 Caesar." One feature of the year's work which the special attention of members should be drawn to was that the President, Mr. Joynt, was to deliver one of the lectures of the series > arranged by the City Corporation. '.The lecture would bo given on Wednesday, June: 24, in tho concert chamber of the Town Hall, and would be entitled "Shakespeare and Modern Life." The accounts of the club did not show the satisfactory state of things prevailing for the two previous years, and it .was hoped that the coming year would be an improvement. It was pleasing to record that the membership was now 105, of which number 41 were men and 64 women.

: METHODS OF WORK. The mjestion of tho methods of work was raised, but the secretary (Mr. W. D. Gorham) did not think that there was anything seriously wrong with tho methods; certainly nothing that could not be put-right; but ho noticed that there had hot been that keen interest that would characterise'a thoroughly "live" organisation,\and there was not tho cntliusiasm shown last year that one would like to see. Complaints had been received that tho proceedings tended to become dull and prosaic and unattractive, but he did not consider this view general. He would suggest _ that . more plays bo studied from tho artistic and dramatic points of view. Nice points of interpretation of words or passages wore' interesting, but, to his mind, more a matter of home study. Moro use might bo made, he thought, ~of tho material the club possessed in the shape of really excellent, readers, ,who, .-should, bc : more frequently called-upon in the-temporary castes that are made at the weekly meetings. The secretary would ask members to bear in mind that the work of the cutting and casting committee was by- no means easy, and it was .-only fair to those' who undertook the work that their decisions should bo looked upon as final, except in exceptional cases, such as illness or absence from town. Ho appealed to both officers and/members to put forth all their energies in an endeavour to make the club what it should bo and might easily become—a of intelIcctuaMife and a constant stimulus and holp to everyone 'who joined . The balance-sheet showed that the receipts from subscriptions, etc., amounted to £50 3s. lid., and the expenditure amounted to. £50 Is. 5d., leaving a credit balance of 2s. 6d. In moving the adoption of tho report and balance-sheet, tho Chairman, said that for this year the plays to'be taken were' " King John" and. The Merry Wives of Windsor." It was to be hoped ' that next year that tho session would be commenced at an earlier date. 1 Tho. question of the methods of j.work had ofteii been discussed, and any good suggestion should.be adopted, but tho present system had been arrived at from long experience. Members would be aware of the existence of the British Empiro Shakespeare Society, and it would bev of considerable importance and interest to the club to be connected with it. The report and balance-sheet were adopted. Tho following officers were elected:—Patrons, Sir Robert Stout and the Hon. Dr. Findlay; president, Mr. J. W. Joynt, M.A.; vice-presidents, Misses England, Holmes, Harilinge-Maltby, and Messrs. H. E.' Nicholls, J. R. Palmer, P. P. Webb, J. C. Webb, and W. R. Bock; cominitteo,'Misses Simpson, L. Van Staveren, E. Luke, Eraser, Stevens, Mesdames Sutcliffe and Hecksher, Messrs. G. Toogood, N. Phillips, C. H. Mackay, J. G. W. Dalrymple, and J.- Zachariah; secretary and treasurer, Mr; W. D. Gorham; assistantsecretary, Mr. N. Phillips; honorary auditor. Mr. P. P. Webb. It was decided to forward a recommendation to the committee that, the present methods of weekly readings be maintained.

MR. GRUNDY OBJECTS. A sub-committee,' consisting of Miss Holmes, Miss England, and Mr. G. Toogood, appointed for the purpose of considering the advisablenesd of extending the'prize for reading Shakespeare's plays to secondary schools, recommended that tho competition at present hold be extended to all secondary schools in the city, including Catholic secondary schools; that there be a separate competition from secondary schools as apart from the primary; that.the competitions.be held earlier,; in, the year, about June or July, so as to enablo-'tlio -scholars to devote more time to / Miss England, had , kindly offored to give" a prize-'to the best reader from "Miss Richmond's kindergarten l school..

A letter from Mr. W. T. Grundy, headmaster of the Clyde. Quay school, dated November 1, 1907, but which had not been brought up-before, was read. Tho writer wishod'to make his'attitude quite clear to prevent any misunderstanding regarding his objection to' the scholars entering into tho club's competitions. Personally, ho wished to help, the clubj i.but he held that any competition which . evoked rivalry was productive of more evil than good,' except in tho caso of games, inasmuch as the names of the: winners were published iji the daily Press, and until this was altered, ho rogrotted that ho' would -be tinablo to send forward competitors. The .Chairman did not ' think that there was any ground for tho complaint. Tho competition between school and school was common onougli in moro than games, : and thoy went in for scholarships against', ono another. Tho secretary remarked that they could not very well accede to the request to refrain from publishing tho results. Tho matter was referred to the incoming committee. Tho moeting concluded with a voto of thanks''to .tho- Chairman..