"HOBBY" EXHIBITION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2014, 29 September 1892, Page 32

"HOBBY" EXHIBITION.

To the Union street School, through the instrumentality of Mr Israel, belongs the honour of initiating in Dunedin a species of school display which has been very popular in Australia.It is well known that most children, more especially those of regular habits, have always some congenial pursuit to which they devote their leisure moments. If boys, this pursuit is usually the care of some pet, or the manufacture of some article, or the making of some collection, and the amount of patience expended and taste bestowed is frequently surprising to those of riper years. Girls, of course, usually busy themselves with affairs of a more domestic nature. The Union street School Committee, finding itself, as all similar committees do, possessed of barely sufficient funds for the mere maintenance of the buildings, and made aware of the urgency of procuring an additional supply of chemical appliances and other apparatus, were gratified some months ago to receive a proposal from Mr Israel, secretary, to organise a "hobby" exhibition, of which the proceeds should be devoted to the desired object. Accordingly the idea was taken up, and was warmly seconded by the pupils and ex-pupils, the result being seen yesterday afternoon. A large number of children had paid the necessary penny for admission, and a fair sprinkling of adults the indispensable silver coin, so that at 2.30 the playshed, where portion of the exhibits were displayed, was crowded. . Mr Stewart, the head master, called on the scholars to sing " God defend New Zealand," after which

Mr J. L. Gillies briefly addressed those present. He acknowledged their indebtedness to his Worship the Mayor for consenting to open the exhibition. The object for which the exhibition was got up was to obtain certain school appliances which the ordinary funds of the committee were not able to overtake. The whole of the proceeds were to be strictly applied to the purchase of appliances connected with the school and the education of the scholars ; none of the money was to be devoted in any way to the building or improvements. That was the object. The idea of raising funds by a "hobby " show proceeded from Mr Israel. He was the father of the thought, and, so far as the committee were concerned, the principal labourer in carrying it out. With him had been associated the teachers of the school and a committee of girls and a committee of boys, all of whom had worked most energetically. He had been asked to open the exhibition himself, but he felt that he had really so little to do with getting it up that he was not entitled to the honour. But he had thought of a means of adding eclat to the proceedings, and accordingly asked his Worship to open it. He would not only thus add the influence of the mayor's patronage, but he would introduce his Worship to a section of his numerous family. — (Laughter.} He then asked the mayor to open the exhibition.

His 'Worshjp said: The mayoress and myself have been asked to open this Children'? Hobby Exhibition, and we can assure you it gives us much pleasure to be able to appear here and do so. In addition to its being an exhibition of hobbies, it is one of home industries and leisure-hour occupations on the part of the children. This appears to be a new departure in the shape of an exhibition or entertainment, and we trust it will be successful. It is in aid of a fund which is being raised for the purpose of purchasing chemical apparatus and other educational appliances for the use of the scholars of the Union street School. This is therefore a good and worthy cause. There is here before us a vast display of innumerable articles of various degrees of usefulness, the majority of which are for absolute sale, and the children deserve a large amount of praise for this creditable exhibition. The sale will extend over two days — to-day and to-morrow — and we trust that you, boys and girls, will be able to turn the greater part of your exhibits into gold and silver. We now declare this exhibition open for business, and trust you will have a good sale. . The two smallest of the girls— Muriel Hurley and Mabel Munro — then advanced and presented Mrs Chapman with a bouquet. Cheers for his Worship and Mrs Chapman were then given on the call of Mr Israel, and The formal proceedings terminated with the singing of "God save the Queen." The business of admiring and purchasing then began. The room was decorated in the manner customary at bazaars, but the objects exhibited were more varied. On one side of the hall are the stalls containing the boys' exhibits. These are of the naturally-to-be-expected variety. There are several collections of stamps, of different kinds of marbles, of eggs, of ferns ; of picture frames in cork, coral, and shells ; of ships and boats. One little ship in particular was made entirely by a boy of 11, who had ingeniously mounted on a slate the material representing the sea holding the ship firm. There were also on the walls specimeus of school work in mapping, and on some of the tables plants grown specially for the exhibition. In the centre of the floor is a gigantic Christmas tree, and flanking it on the other side are ranged the exhibits of the girls. There is some beautiful sewing, neatly shown in glass cases — perhaps the most noticeable being that by the sisters Shearer and Agnes Stewart. A " lovely " doll, beautifully dressed and lying in state, has been contributed by an ex-pupil. Still further along are stalls groaning under the weight of confectionery and pastry, contributed by friends and prepared by pupils — all of it too handsome to be broken. This is all for sale. Next to it is the shooting gallery and fish pond, where the visitors may try their skill or their luck, or both ; and the corner opposite is ocsupied by tne refreshment s';all proper. The promoters of the exhibition are indebted to many friends for donations. Among these may be mentioned Mrs Reeves, Mrs Hurley, Mrs Rodger, Mr J. Jackson, Mr J. L. Gillies, Mr G. Strattotf, Mr J. Short, Mr W. Wright, and Mr R. Duthie (jua.). Ex-pupils 'have likewise been mindful of the occasion, as may be seen in the contributions of Miss Maggie Stewart, Mr D. Wright, and Mr Kilgour. The stalls are supervised as follow : — Girls' department — Misses White, Rodgers, Maxwell, and Turner ; flower stall, Mr Dagger ; refreshment Btall, Miss Barclay and Mr Hamilton; shooting gallery and fish pond, Mr Mathews *, Mr Line directs the musical and literary part of the arrangements ; and the ( whole number assisted by a committee of pupils. But we have not yet mentioned a portion of the exhibition which, will be mo»v attractive to.

the boy visitors. This is the pet department. .In the yard outside are 18 canine pets, ranging in size from a St. Bernard to a fox terrier. It is probable they would not .all be prize-takers at a dog show, but it is certain each of them ia as much prized by his owner as if he were. In one of the outer lobbies of the school are shown the smaller pets. There are some 48 of these, and they include almost all kinds of juvenile pets. Pigeons predominate, and bantams come next. Guinea pigs and white rats are shown. Rabbits are not so numerous as might be expected, but the rabbit is not popular in New Zealand. There are cats and kittens, a monkey which performs sundry tricks, and a laughing jackass, who is not laughing, but rather looks as if morosely resenting • his : translation from the sunny land of .Australia. The exhibition reflects the utmost credit on all concerned. No less than 556 exhibits Jiave been collected, and most of them are given for sale. No doubt the example of the Union street School will be extensively followed. The exhibition was crowded to excess in the evening — indeed the excessive number which attended to some extent defeated the object for which it was projected,, for so dense was the crowd, largely consisting of young people in a high state of excitement, that it was impossible to obtaiu a sight of the many beautiful articles around.