THE OTEKAIKE SPECIAL SCHOOL

Otago Witness, Issue 3275, 20 December 1916, Page 5

THE OTEKAIKE SPECIAL SCHOOL

(Feom Oub Own Correspondent.) OAMARU, December 13. Tho announcement that the children of the Otekaike Special School would give au entertainment in which a school operetta, "The Happy Family," would constitute tha main part of the programme, drew an audience of some 300 people last night. _ The venture was one of some daring, for it involved an experiment in a doubtful field hitherto unexplored, no institutioufor mental defectives ever having attempted anything of the kind. The result'more than justified the venture, and Mr Benstead, th» head of tho school, and Miss "V. E. Lees, an assistant teacher, who had a large share in the work of preparation, are to be congratulated upon having attained such a remarkable measure of success as to justify investigation as to what may bo accomplished with mentally defective children or those backward in brain development, through the medium of music. Not to indulge in exaggeration, tho entertainment can be pronounced a success to the degrefl of a revelation to those present, of whom your correspondent was one. There ha<s evidently been,a great amount of attention to the instruction of tho children and to details of preparation. The large room evolved by tho removal of folding partition! had been transformed into a miniatura theatre, with an improvised stage, furnished proscenium, and scenery, and lighted by electricity.V Then the whole of the characters were properly costumed, and everything was done to preserve the illusion and render tho representation as complete as possible. All this work of preparation resulted in gratifying the eye and giving pleasure to the largo_, audience. But tne surprise came in the 'maimer in which tha children acquitted themselves. I have seen the same work performed by normal children selected from largo classes in ordinary schools, but never better than bv the inmates of this institution for defectives. The teaching of the dialogue and lyric? had been spread over several months, and taken in easy stages, all pressure being thus avoided. The remarkable circumstance was that tha children should have been able to memorise everything so thoroughly that sit no tima was there any hesitation or need for prompting. More than ihat, the performers did not forget , for a moment the characters they were representing, and there was nob a single instance of departure from the business in hand, all seeming to be thoroughly in earnest and to be finding for themselves enjoyment by entering into the spirit of the work. All the "business" of tho pice© was attended to in an easy and natural way, and without any hint or direction. Thosei points are emphasised because they go tc show what can bo accomplished with children whoso brain power is poor in relation to their years and physical development, As to the musical aspect of the question, the success was even more pronounced. The singing- of the solos disclosed the possession of true musical voices amongst the children, though these were more noticeable for sweetness and purity of tone than for robustness. These points were particularly pronounced in the cases of the boys chosen to represent the female characters—boys, of course, who had not reached an age when their voices might be expected to "break," to apply tho technical term. Tho chorus work all through was good. There waa a ready response to the baton, which was wielded by Mr Benstead, the attack in every case being prompt and regular. Another notable point was the general clearness of enunciation, and finally lapses from time were rarely discoverable. I may add that special notice is taken of this unique performance because of its surrounding circumstances and conditions, and because it goes, to show what an aid music may be made in the cultivation of the minds of those whosa mental condition is described as defective.