SCHOOL CONCERTS

Evening Star, Issue 12208, 28 May 1904, Page 5

SCHOOL CONCERTS

An entertainment in aid of the ground improvement fund of the High street School was given last night in the Gymnasium If all, which was well failed, the juvenile elemtnt predominating. The Mornington Band, under Bandmaster Smith, played outside for half an hour prior to the opening, and four of their members (Messrs Smith, Grenfell, Simpson, and Green) took part in the concert programme, their share of it being a pleasing quartet and two solos. Mr E. Black's comic song was encored. Miss Cooper and Miss V. M'Farlane each sang very sweetly, Mr Dall gave a nice rendering of an o'd song, and Miss Major's exhibition of club-swinging and the dumbbell exercises by some smill boys from one of her classes in the school were deservedly applauded. Mr Trevena was quite at home in his sleight-of-hand business, Miss Rosa La Venda (a juvenile impersonator) had to supplement her first item, and the gramaphone, selection? by Mr C. J. Payne, being new and good, were much enjoyed. Rodda Perry (of the Alhambra Theatre), who was announced to appear, being indisposed, Mr Ben Fuller gave the services of Mr Walter Melrose (another member of the company), whose spirited rendering of 'The old sunny window' called forth the inevitable encore. Mr 11. Austing played all the accompaniments in a finished manner. Mr Walker, chairman of the Comimittee, who presided, in thanking the performers for their services and the householders for their patronage, stated that the proceeds of the enter-

tairanent -would be applied to the erection of an iron fence, the cost of which would bo nearly £2OO. The St. Clair School Committee arranged a concert for last night in aid of the school funds, and, in spite of the cold weather, had the pleasure of seeing a good attendance of parents and friends—this being «ver so much more encouraging to a committee than to tind, as is the experience in some districts, that the fathers and mothers dodge the entertainments personally, and send the children to represent them. Mr D.' S. Jolly and Mr J. H. Hancock managed the concert on behalf of the Committee, ;ind in the absence of Mr R. Ewing through indisposition the Rev. A. Hodge acted .as chairman. Miss Fraser played a pianoforte solo from the score of ' The Country Girl' and also supplied the accompaniments throughout the evening. Mr James Coombs gave a violin solo in excellent style, causing many present to express the wish that his finished performances were more often heard in public. A superior gramaphone, bdonging to Mr W. M. Kirkcaldy, delighted the audience with reminiscences of Carmen' and ' Faust,' as well as some eccentric and new selections. Mr Fitzgerald's recitations were also highly appreciated. The singers were Mrs A. C. Loring, Mrs Vickery, Mr J. Davidson, Mr A. Wright, and Mr C. Clark, and, whilst all the vocal items were well received, those by Mrs Loriug. (whose accompaniments were played by Miss Cowie) were, of course, singled out for special approbation and encore, for it is a rare treat to hear so good a singer at a school concert.