Waikaia School Concert.

Mataura Ensign, Issue 213, 10 November 1896, Page 2

Waikaia School Concert.

« _ The annual entertainment in aid of the prize fund of the above school was held on Friday night, and proved to be by far the most successful of the .many ventures of the committee in this direction. Heavy showers of rain and snow on Tuesday and Wednesday had not tended to sweeten the tempers of the members df the School Committee. " Just onr luck," was the remark of one enthusiast who for several 1 years has taken a deep interest in the ; education of young Waikaia: "Floods ( one year, sickness and counter attractions L another, while now, in the month of . November, we have snow and hail two days before the concert." Oa. Thursday i the weather was fair, Friday was fairer ' ■ B till, and by the evening of that day all pain had evidently departed from' the tempers of the .above-mentioned mdi- . viduals. Our enthusiast, however, was not even yet contented, and a few minutes before the opening of the concert wt_ __• cussing with his brother cqsribittoemcn '.' the ways and means of .meetfag a nr-h-__l- ; deficiency in the prize f_ nQ . -To me, a silent observer, the face' of this individual presented a play in about five acts. An angry frown succeeded in about ten minutes by more composed features, at another similar interval by a light smile ; at about half-past eight, when the hall was well filled, by a look of quiet satisfaction, and at about nine, when I was ' almost knocked over by him in his hurry to exclaim, " 1 say, old man, we are all right this year," by looks of positive joy. 1 Apparently we were all right. The hall ' was crowded to the doors. Between _14 , and _15 was taken, and, as the ex- ' penses are small, there will remain . a large balance for tho purchasing of • prizes. Mr Colin Robertson (Chairman of tho School Committee) presided, and in his 1 opening remarks referred to the success | that had attended the j rear's work in the ' school. The increased attendance had - [ brought with it a consequent increase in. the teaching staff, and said tho school ; building would shortly be enlarged. At the last scholarship examination a pupil , of the school had been successful,-; and two boys had competed successfully at the last junior Civil Service examina- . i tion. The recently formed local Brass Bana • opened the concert, and its performance, i being far beyond expectation, was long • and justly applauded. Two other seleo--1 tions were rendered during the evening 1 by the band, and both met with similar rounds of applause. The appearances of the several bauds of school children on the stage were greeted with rounds of applause. Their mammas and big sisters' had evidently spared no pains to make the little ones most attractive-looking, and the stage, prettily decorated as it -_ was, was ornamented to a much greater *•, extent during their occupation of it. The whole scene during each of these intervals : might well serve as a subject for a bud-, ding artist : the happy looking and tastefully dressed children devoured by the . . looks of their admiring parents. Four items were contributed by these parties, • and on each occasion the little ones were •; justly applauded. Their performancescertainly reflect great credit on their . instructress, Miss Bayley. Mr Wilson. (a ■.- visitor) contributed two very amusing: sketches. The comic element is here --' most appreciated, and Mr Wilson's, efforts "' were so impressive that on both occasions his return was imperatively demanded. ' Mrs Moffit contributed "Auld Bobin^ Gray," with violin obligate by Mr George . Taylor; Mrs Milne, "The Arab's Farewell to His Steed "and "Beautiful Isle-, of the Sea " ; Mrs Kent, two solos ; Miss . Hardman, one solo ; Mrs and Miss Hardf . man, the duet "List to the Convent Bells " ; Miss Ethel Sproal and Miss Herlihy, "Won't Tou Buy My Pretty" Pretty Flowers " ; Miss Bayley and Mr "~. Edwards, " Home to Our Mountains "; : Miss Hardmap hßd^jff Stewart, "The-" Gipsy Countess" ; ' Mr Edwards, two. solos ; Mr Stewart, two solos ; and Mr ' ' George Taylor, " That is Love.'.' Piano- ' forte duets were most tastefully rendered . by Misses Moffit and Taylor, and by Miss Delargey and Mr Edwards. The whole of the above performances were most credit- . able, and each was deservedly applauded. The accompaniments were played by Miss Moffit, , Miss Delargey, and Mr Edwards. At the conclusion of the programme, Mr Robertson, after thanking the audience for their attendance, attontion, and good order, announced that refreshments would then and there be handed round. The' married Indies of the district bad provided no end of good things, and the various ; eatables were done ample justice to: The usual dance followed, and the company dispersed at about 4 a.m. Mr - Wm. Christie again officiated as M.C., and gave further evidence of his adaptibility to that position. The complete success of this year's entertainment must be most gratifying to . '." the School Committee, and the members of that body have, no doubt, heen amply .-'.■ repaid for any effort on their part by '••;' the appreciable interest displayed by the ' parents in the welfare of the school.— Own .-.respondent, "