MANAIA SCHOOL

Hawera Star, Volume L, 8 May 1930, Page 5

MANAIA SCHOOL

ANNUAL CONCERT.

VARIED AND SUCCESSFUL PROGRAMME.

A striking success was scored by the Manaia primary and secondary school pupils alt their annual concert held in the Manaia Town Hall last evening. There was a very large attendance ot parents and friends. The items given were most diverse in character and all very attractive, and were performed in a way that did the utmost credit to pupils and teachers. They were uniformly excellent and were given a very hearty reception by the audience. A special word, of praise is due to the parents and teachers who were responsible for the costumes worn by the children. They were artistically made and perfectly in keeping with the characters represented. The ideas of the schemes of colour and design were most fitting and attractive and called forth many encomiums on those responsible for that part of the work of the concert.

Then the children, from the oldest to the youngest, entered fully into the spirit of the items presented, and the folk dances were performed with a very nice attention to rhythm and tempo, while the performers showed an intelligent appreciation of the subjects of the various numbers., Special mention must be made of the part songs rendered by a mixed chorus of boys and giris. The parts were well balanced and were sung with keen attention to tempo and expression. The alto was firmly and correctly sung, and the trebles were clear and distinct, the blend being remarkably good and effective. The young people sang, too, with a marked confidence throughout and reflected real credit on their instructress, Miss A. Hides. The part songs were given unaccompanied and this added to their charm.

The staff all took a part in the training- and organisation of the children and did their part well, co-operating cordially in the work. Messrs McKenzie and Sherson acted as stage managers, while Misses Wells and Hilles played the incidental music for the dances and action songs.

All concerned were naturally gratified at the success of a big undertaking. The various items were as follow: Songs, “Birdie’s Toilet,” “I won’t get out of the bath,” and “Golden Slumbers”; action song, “Blackbirds” and Nursery Rhymes, all by the* infants; folk dances, “Cochin China,” by Standard 2; “Ribbon dances” and “Sellenger’s Round” by Standards 5 and 6; fancy drill .displays, girls of Standards 5 and 6, and also by boys; part songs, “All through the night” and “Before the sun awakes the morn” by school choir; recitation, “The rainbow fairies,” by Betty Rees and Standard I pupils. In the second part there were three dramatic efforts, “The visit of Chief \Vi rernu, by standards 5 and 6, in which the characters were taken by Harold Vincent (Chief Tamihana), Dave Walker (Chief Wiiemu), and Charlie Washer (Messenger); comic sketch by high school boys, the characters being as follow: Rev. Donald Mildew, K*ew. Sky Pilot, P.C. Flannel, Mr. Mossgrown (band conductor), Mr. Fairyfoot (schoolmaster), ■ Mr. Jeromslcy (mechanic), George Black (caretaker), Firemen, The Old Soldier, Mr. Robbie (reporter), The Band, Town Board Member; and a playlet, “The Bishop’s Candlesticks,” the cast being as follows: Escaped Convict, Lloyd Walker; the Bishop, Frank Dick; the Bishop’s Sister, Eila Gundesen; Sergeant of Police, Neil W alker; Servant Girl, Myrtle Gamlin. In these plays the characters were capitally portrayed, the dresses were very effective and the staging altogether good. A feature of the Maori playlet was the liaka “Waiata Maori.” The remaining items were a song, “Fairy Pipers,” by Ella, Gundesen; chorus, “.Song of the Volga boatmen,” High School and senior pupils, and clarinet trio -by C. Sproull and Co. All were cordially’appreciated. The whole concert was a real triumph lor the staff and the pupils, and stands out as one of the best and most interesting seen and heard in Manaia.