FANCY DRESS BALL

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume 53, Issue 32419, 17 April 1944, Page 2

FANCY DRESS BALL

WAITAKARURU FUNCTION SUCCESSFUL EVENING PRETTY .DANCES BY CHILDREN The annual children’s fancy dress ■ball held: by the Waitakaruru branch of the Plunket Society, took place on Wednesday, April 5 in the Waitakaruru Hall. There was a splendid attendance and even after more than four years of war, the costumes of the children were in turn becoming and amusing, in fact there were signs of much ingenuity on the part of the mothers in improvising materials to make something out of little. It had always been a feature of these balls that the school teachers have undertaken the training of the children in dancing items and the grand marches have also been well organised. This year it would seem that the good standard has been excelled, as two dances in particular were well above ordinary school standard. All the girls participating wore white muslin dresses made simply with full skirts and scalloped hems. One group which performed a hoop dance was composed of girls from five years to ten. They each carried hoops gaily decorated witn coloured paper and took orders from Colleen Ganley, who stood in a large hoop in the centre. The picture thus made, with the tiny figures moving around in rhythmic measure was a delight to watch. The older girls wearing dresses made in the same way, but with the addition of a shouldei 1 spray in red flowers, performed a ballet, “Step Stately.” Without seeming effort the movements were gone through in a most graceful manner. Other dances were, “Captain Jinks,” “Floral Dance,” “Clap 'Dance,” “Keel Row,” “Heel and Toe Polka,” “Sing a Song of Sixpence,” “Teddy Bears’ Picnic.”

The grand march which was undertaken by the older standards took a formation depicting the Panama Canal, with one of the locks opening and closing. This won the admiration of the onlookers.

The Girls’ Club gave two brackets of songs, these being, “There’s a Big Lot of Sunshine,” “Plantation’ Lullaby,” “Johnny Doughboy Found A Rose in Ireland,” and “Chin Up, Cheerio, Carry On.”

Prior to the supper adjournment Mr C. W. Parfitt, speaking "on behalf of Mrs Parfitt who is president of the Waitakaruru branch of the Plunket Society, thanked the teachers for the amount of time they must have spent in training the children to reach such a high standard, and' also Mr Hinton for the share he took in helping tj make the ball the success it undoubtedly was. He also expressed the hope that the Waitakaruru branch would continue to flourish and that the membership would still further increase.

Four small children, Edith Thompson, Valerie 'Duffin, Sylvia Hall and Dorette Perry then came forward and each presented Mrs Parfitt and Miss McKenny (infant mistress), Miss Abercrombie (assistant teacher), Miss Davies (probationary assistant) and Mrs C. Wallace (girls’ choir), with, beautiful shoulder sprays.

A delightful supper was then served and dancing followed, Harrison’s Orchestra supplying the music Great credit is due to the secretary. Mrs Gordon, who also found time to make costumes for children other than her own, to Mrs Donaldson and other members of the committee who are Mesdames R. Duffin, P. Harris, J. Edens, L, Hill, A. Henderson, W. Simpson, H. Wallis. The profit for the Plunket Society will be well over £2O as the door takings were £34. Details of costumes of children: —

R. Connor (Fairy); S. Coxhead (Fairy); H. Hibell, (Fairy); A. Hill, (Fairy); A. Taylor, (Fairy); W. Edwards, (Red Riding Hood); K. Nicholls, (Gipsy); D. Taylor (Fairy); J. Bathurst, (Nurse); B. Ganley, (May Queen); M. Thompson, (Hula Girl); D. Coe, (Queen of Hearts); M. Catherwood, (Bridesmaid); C. Rawiri, (Fairy) l ; H. Gordon (Chicken); R Yeager, (Fairy); 'N. Wilson (Dancer); B. Baigent, (Flower Girl); F. Roycroft, (Fairy); Z. Tate (Fairy); Y. Roycroft, (Fairy); K. Burling, (Gipsy); N. Harris, (Bridesmaid); M. Caie, (Grandfather); I. Caie, (Mr Churchill); G. Burling, (Jockey); D. Linley, (Fairy); C. Arthur, (Leaf); C. Blackler, (Fairy); B. Neale, (Bo Peep). M. Stretton, (Egyptian Princess); B. Sole, (Indian Princess); W. Gordon, (iSpanish Princess); P. Donaldson, (Miss Old World); M. Rawson, (Young Lady); J. Crosbie, (Reckitt’s Blue); M. Coxhead, (Arabian); D. Paton, (Persian Princess); Q. Con-

nor, (Shepherdess); J. Mitchell, (Drummer Girl); E. McPherson, (Russian Dancer); C. Quinn, (Turkish Girl); M. Syme, (Young Lady); P. Thompson, (Chinese Lady); M. Baigent, (Prince Charming); R. Broadbent, (Arab Girl); G. Ganley, (Sonja Henie); S. Hall, (Mandarin); M. Jensen (Drummer); R. Ramora (Fairy); R. Rhind, (Bridesmaid); M. McClean, (Butterfly); N. Blackler, (Fairy); D. Sears, (Fairy); W. Broadbent, (Dutcn Girl); P. Coe, (Queen); iG. Connor, (Fairy); S. Ganley (Knave of Hearts); M. Gordon, (Cornflower); H. Neale, (Fairy); W. Ramora, (Gipsy); E.' Thompson, (Fairy); R Corner, (Fairy); A. Death, (Fairy); V. Duffin, (Fairy); H. Hill, (Fairy); V. Lee, (Toreador); J. Olsen, (Usherette); D. Perry, (Fairy); N. Rawson, (Drummer Girl); L. Syme, (Young Lady); J. Taylor, (Fairy); E. Wilson, (Sunflower); T. Roycroft, (Snow White)'.

R. Cox, (Arab); C. Stewart, (Pirate) ; G. Olsen, (Cowboy.); C. Edwards (Frog); M. Wilson, (Night Time); P. Brocklehurst, (jockey); T. IRawiri, (Cowboy); Tom Rawiri, (Pirate); G. Baigent, (Robin Hood); T. Christofferson, (Jockey); P. Ganley, (Cook); S. Edens, (Sailor); F. Parker, (Footballer); 0. Adams, (Drummer Boy); J. Adams, (Clown); T. Wilson, (Bed Time); R. Bathurst, (Cowboy); R.

Olsen, (Drummer Boy); J. Nicholls, (Clown); W. Wallis, (Hot .Water Bottle); D. Burling, (Clown); K. Blackler, (Pierrot); J. Mounsey, (Sailor); B. Yeager, (Tin .Soldier); R. Coxhead, (Arab); I. McClean (Page Boy); N. Gordon, (Drummer Boy); G. Perry, (Cossack); R. Berney, (Cricketer); J. Crosbie, ’(Huntsman); G. Edlin, (Red Indian); . D. Francis, (Red Indian); T. Gordon, (Clown); W. Hinton, (Mandarin); J. Rawson, (Red Shadow) ;W. Bathurst, (Engineer); J. Baigent; B. Bates; R. Duffin, (Old-Fashioned Gent); G. McGaffin, Indian); R. Thomasen, (Pirate).