HELP FROM DAME SYBIL

Hawera Star, Volume LII, 27 February 1933, Page 2

HELP FROM DAME SYBIL

GIRL PRESENTED WITH VIOLIN. APPRECIATION OF TALENT. There is at least one young Aucklander .who has occasion to remember the visit of Dam© Sybil Thorndike. She is Zinnia Hodge, aged seven, and already she lias given promise of the possession of musical talents. Her mother, too, is musical, but owing to financial difficulties lias been unable to give lier daughter a musical education or buy her a violin, for which she has been asking for months. Recently Mrs Hodge met Dame Sybil and told her or her ambitions' concerning her little daughter’s l career. Dame Sybil asked her to bring the girl to see her at the matinee last Saturday, and after the performance when the mother and daughter went to see the famous actress in her dressing-room Dame Sybil and her husband, Mr Lewis Caisson, presented Zinnia with a violin, which they had purchased specially for her. The little girl was also introduced to Mr Bruce Winston, another member of the company, who, on hearing of her ambition, pressed into her hand sufficient money for the purchase of a music hook. Mrs Hodge said that a local man. who desired to remain anonymous, had undertaken to pay the fees for Zinnia’s music lessons. It was hoped to send the little girl to England in the future, and Dame Sybil and Mr Casson had promised to interest themselves in her future career.