PUBLIC SPEAKING

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 284, 26 August 1940, Page 5

PUBLIC SPEAKING

Evening Of Oratory And Debate COMPETITION AWARDS Percussion Band Gives Performance Saturday night was public speaking night at the Wellington competitions, the three classes in that section of the festival programme being judged by Air. K. Hardie Boys in the Concert Chamber. Seven entered for the impromptu speech, six of them as representatives of the Hutt Debating Society, who took both first and second prizes. The speakers were given a number of subjects from which to choose, and those which were popular choices were: "Is Life Worth Living?” “Milk” and “Should Physical Training Be Universal ?” The judge commented that most of the speakers spoke about some subject with which they were familiar and then related it to one of the subjects that had been set.

Four teams only entered for tile debate, three o£ them representing the Hutt society and one the Y.M.C.A, Public .Speaking Club. The Hutt speakers were given the first, three places. The subject of one debate was "That the hire-purchase system is economically sound. ’’ and the other, “That men can successfully replace women in the home."

In the oration, competitors had to s|>eak on some historical character. Mr. J. It. Scott, who spoke on Gandhi, was placed first of the nine entrants. Mr. Boys remarked that the class was a good one .with common faults, notably lack of attention to stance and gesture. Many of the speakers were too hurried and did not pause to measure the impact of their words on their audience. The children's matinee in the afternoon and the evening concert had as their features the playing of Miss E Stubbings's percussion band, from Masterton. The baud consisted of three drums, three pairs of cymbals, four tambourines, four eastenets, two dulcimers, three large triangles, piano, and juvenile conductor. They played ( "Hardie Militaire” and “Chinese March.” The children stood about the j stage grouped according to their in- ! strumeuts, two girls playing the piano for the first selection and Miss Stubkings playing the piano for the second | They were all of primary school age. j and wore a light cream silk uniform I with .cream silk pillbox hats. As is usual with percussion bands, the players changed instruments between pieces and a different child beat time. There are several percussion bands I in Wellington, and Dr. Staton, the adjudicator, said he hoped the visit of the Masterton band would result in a number of bands in future entering the class which the Wellington Coinpetitions Society has provided for such organizations, because they were very attractive to watch, very attractive to i listen to. and gave valuable education ' to the children in them.

Playing in a percussion band taugti. discipline and confidence. It required a lot of confidence for a child of, say. six years to wait carefully through four silent bars and then come in with the utmost confidence with a rap on ;; big drum. Playing a triangle, too, was not as simple as it looked, because it was generally spinning the wrong way when one wanted to give it a tinkle. In addition, it taught team work. Thaudience would have noticed how carefully the children had wateiied thf beat, and there were many oldet musicians in choral societies who itevet •vatehed the beat.

Commencing at 7 o'clock tonight, the Ten tap dance class will be judged in the Town Hail. Fourteen dancers, aged 10 and over, have entered. Following it at 7.15 there will be the usual evening variety concert. The ..oncert Chamber' will be occupied from 7 o’clock tonight with the class in which the entrants have to sing get songs for a prize given by the "publishing house of Boosey. The senior humorous musical monologue and the women s Scottish folk song will follow. This morning there will be junior dancing classes in the large hall rind junior vocal classes in the Concert Chamber; this afternoon further junior dancing classes in the large hall and junior elocution classes in the Concert Chamber. Saturday’s Awards Awards in classes judged on Saturday are as follows:— *BPEECH. (7 entries.) -Mr. Giddings, Hutt Debating Society, u-1 points ; 51 r. J, It. Scott, Unit Debating” Society, GO-l points , 2 slr. C. Spratt, Wellington, GO ’points 3 very highly commended: Air. D. Benton, Hutt Debating Society. IMPROMPTU DEBATE. (4 entries.) Hutt Debating Society (.Messrs. Giddings ami Brown), 135 points .. J Hutt Debating Society (.Messi's. Benton and Hart), 129 points 2 Hutt Debating Society (.Messrs. Benton and Scott), 127 points 3 ORATION. (!) entries.) •Mr. J. It. Scott, Hutt Debating Society, GG points I •Mr.- G. Tewart, Lyall Bay, G 4 points 2 Mr. C. Hart, Hutt Debating Society, G2 points' 3 SPECIAL CHAPPELL VOCAL SOLO, loan or woman, own selection. (22 eulrie-.) Miss limit .Marchant, Hafaitai .... 1 Miss Audrey Lawson, Wellington ... 2' Miss Vesta Emanuel. Wellington, and •Miss Jean Curtis, Wellington, . eqmil 3 \ ary highly commended: .Miss Joan Bovis, Shannon; Mrs. Edna Dearlove, Te Aroha; Miss Malefic (I. Lewis, Napier' Mr. Clair Shirrifl's. Aslihnrst. ' Highly commcmled: Miss Eirone Halbert, Wellington; Mr. Ernest Gardner. Wellington. Commended: Miss Muriel Bridie. Napier; .Mr. Thomas Morrison, Johnsonville. VOCAL SOLO, restricted class, men, own selection. (14 entries.) Mr. George Morrison, Johnsonville, 87 points ’ j .Mr. .Joseph Miller, Lower Hutt, 85 points 2 .Mr. Lionel Bailley, Miramar, 82 points ;; Very highly commended: Mr. P. J. •'Brien, Lower Hull. HRLS' SONG, 12-14 years, own seleetion. 130 entries.) Beulah Hirst, .Masterion. SG points 1 Natalie Wallace, Islam 1 Bay. 83 points 2 Doreen Lyons, Island Bay, and Mnrnin Thompson, Rangiotu. 82 points, equal 3 \ er.v highly commended : Valda Crawhird, Wellington; Shirley Adams, Wellington; Betty Bremner, Wellington. Highly commended: Valerie Jones. Wellington ; Shirley Treen, Pctone. The judge. Mr. E. Moss, said that it was an excellent class', and the winner had n voice of good quality ami true nusicai elmr.’icter. She had a good ktmwedge of tone colour, ami i-reatcd the forrect atmosphere. ACTION SONG. 9-12 years, boy or girl, own selection. (]) entries.) t'ameia Walker, Wellington, 83

points 1 Beatrice Tnylor. Lower Unit. 80 points 2 Dawn Sargent, Wellington. 7G points 3 Mr. Moss said that the winner had a sweet. voice, very clear and expressive. Her facial work was good, and her actions were appropriate ami not. overdone. SKIPPING DANCE, .8-10 years. (38 entries.) Kay Johnson. Pctone. S 3 points .... 1 Barlmr.'i Dawson, Lower Hull, and Dawn Sargent, Wellington. 82 points, equal 2 Very highly commended: Patricia Knighton. Wellington; .lune Preston. Lyall Bay. Highly eoinmemlcd : Joy Dick, Wellington ; Ai'tiol Bircham, Brooklyn. The pretty t rucks in I he class were I lie subject of favourable comment by the dancing judge. Miss Beltiim Edwards. OPERATIC DANCE, 14-1 G years. (19 entries.) Recalls: Ngaire Byimm. Lower Hut:: Alexander Grant. Wellington. - Very highly commended.: Kathleen Caldwell. Petone; Dawn Larsen, Lower Hutt; Keith Wood. Lower Hutt. Highly commended: Edna Whitelaw,

Miramar: Audrey Allardice, Brooklyn; Ralph Wilkin, Wellington. Miss Edwards commented on the absence of "atlaek" in a number of the performances. 'There was. she said, a lack of snmrlmss in a good den] of the work in this class, though, inking it as a whole, there were few in the section who were not. capable dancers. OPERATIC DANCE. 14-1 G years. (P.) entries.) Alexander Grant. Wellington. 81 points I Ngaire Byn.am, Lower Hutt, 82 points 2 SOCIETY'S ELOCUTIONARY SCHOLARSHIP, IG-21 years, "The House by the Side of the Road" (S. W. Foss), and own selection. 120 enlries.) Miss Shirley King. Wellington, 15-1 points I Miss Shirley Austin-TurtJe, Wellington, 153 points 2 Miss .loan Prendergast, Hamilton. 152 points 3 Very highly commended : Miss Joan Flack. Wellington. Highly commended: Miss: Ngaire McNeely. Miramar: Miss Patricia Trower, Petone.