OTANE SCHOOL BALL

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 161, 24 June 1935, Page 10

OTANE SCHOOL BALL

Most Successful So Far

BRILLIANT COSTUMING (Own Correspondent). OTANE, June 22. The annual ball of the Otane School, which took place in the Town Hall on Friday night, was one of the most enjoyable and successful functions the school has yet held. For once the clerk of the weather was kind, a fine clear night following a gloriously sunny day.

The hall with its tasteful decorations of greenery, festooned with streamers in the school’s colours of red and black, made a harmonious setting for the beautiful, quaint and multi-colour-ed costumes of the children; and the scene, when the children assembled for the Grand March, all holding gailycoloured balloons, was one of animation and charm. The floor was filled to capacity with an eager and manifestly happy throng, ranging from a diminutive frock-coated, silk-hatted gentleman, to a tall, graceful and demure Victorian lady, who mingled fearlessly with pirates, brigands, cowboys and sportsmen, while daintily attired little ladies from countries far and near tripped merrily around. The parents are deserving of a measure of praise for the dressing of the children, for a prettier or more comprehensive display of fancy costumes it would be difficult to imagine.

After the spectacular Grand Alarch, which was splendidly executed, a varied programme of folk dances, polkas, waltzes, schottisches, mazurkas and two-steps was performed, the skill and grace of the young dancers being a joy to watch, delighting the large number of spectators and reflecting credit on the headmaster and his staff, Misses Carnachan, Ingleton and Moore, who were responsible for the training of the children,

Mrs. Collett, Waipukurau, formerly infant mistress at Otane, graciously supplied all the music for the children’s dances, her action no doubt giving the children added confidence. At the conclusion of the programme the children were regaled with supper, those responsible for this arduous, though undoubtedly pleasant part of the entertainment were Alesdames Page, Stevens, Scrimgeour, Oram. Spargo and Williams, and Alessrs. Black and Steven, while Mrs. Macdougall, Miss J. Steven and Messrs. T Bruce, A. Budge and M. Higgs gave invaluable assistance in the supervision of the supper-tables. At 9.30 p.m. the adults took the floor and spent a no less happy time than did the children, youth and age tripping the light fantastic to excellent music supplied by the Buffs ’ Orchesfra, Napier. The popular old-time melodics made many forget their years as the hours sped swiftly by. Aluch-appre-ciated extras were played by Airs. A. B. Collins, Aliss V. Smith and Air. Neville Mundell, while the genial M.C.’s, Messrs. Page and Oram, kept the dances moving merrily. The secretary, committee, teachers and all helpers are deserving of congratulations on the success of their efforts. The committee is deeply grateful to all those who in any way assisted it, especially Messrs. Roach, Harper and J. Stephens. An interested spectator at the dance was Mr. A. E Jull, M.P.