PARENTS' DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 47, 24 August 1931, Page 11

PARENTS' DAY

PJATA KINDERGARTEN

The pupils of the Piata Kindergarten and Preparatory School, Lower Hutt, entertained nearly ninety of their parents and friends last week at their end-of-terin demonstration of the lighter side of school work. The hall was well filled, and for two hours the small performers kept the attention of a most appreciative audience. The first part of the programme was very attractive, and consisted of rhythmic band selections, songs and recitations b.v Form I. The kindergarten children then gave examples of rhythmic work, followed by singing games, which deliglitoci (lie audience, and were enjoyed by tin: infants themselves, especially when it was lime to put. ou a Red Indian heacMresc of coloured feathers for the song, "Ton J\itt!» Indians." A demonstration of French conversation by Form I. (children of. six and seven years of agO I'ollowed, th« children conversing freely

with the teacher about their woolly toy animals, etc. They also told the aiuli-ciH-o in good French sentences the names of all the requisites on a fullyprepared breakfast table, which was set out iv front of them on the platform. The children next played a French game, in which they counted up to twenty, and then 6ang two verses of a French song, "Au Clair de la Lune." A typical lesson in eurhythmies to the children iv Form I. was given, the children beating different time values. Those rhythmic stepping gnmes help the children to develop good poiss and carriage of tho body, and also a true sense of rhythm and time. Afternoon tea was served in the ,hall, after which the children acted "Scenes from Hiawatha's Childhood," by Longfellow, in wonderfully effective style. The brightly coloured costumes, wigwam, and scenery all gave a most realistic touch to the scenes, and the "dark and gloomy forest" was well represented by masses of tree-ferns and other greenery with which the stage had been tastefully decorteil. Keith lv.yen (Hiawatha), Suzanne Duncan (Nokomis), Peter Marchant, Roger Graham, Gerald Strickland, and Wyndham Goodwin (Bed Indian chiefs), Winifred Dawson, Joan Chaytor, and Pat Ban-on . (squaws), and Janet Marchant and Joyce Climie (Hiawatha's little playmates) wore all in tho picture effectively. At the conclusion of tho play Mr. D. A. Ewcn, j speaking from the parents' viewpoint, I expressed his great, pleasure at being present at such an interesting ent'.-i--tninment, a demonstration, he'said, of modern preparatory school work. lie reminded tho parents that they were only seeing the lighter side of the work The general school subjects received full attention, and the pupils were examined by the Government inspector. A. great amount of time at the school was spent iv character building. Thanks were expressed to Miss Thorp and Miss Williams ou behalf of the parents present for the entertainment and the trouble they had taken with the. children. The singing of the National Anthem by the children brought a very successful afternoon to a close.