SCHOOL ENTERTAINMENT.

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 84, 15 July 1895, Page 2

SCHOOL ENTERTAINMENT.

The entertainment organised "by the Star of Egmout Lodge of Druidsmail of the Patea State School funds took place on Friday last, and was a decided success. The committee worked hard in preparing the material and stage for the tableaux, and had what promised to be a most excellent programme, but the old proverb, g* “ Man proposes, but God disposes,** crept in, and Mr T. E. Hamerton had to apologise for four absentees, two of whom only notified their inability to contribute their items after seven o’clock on the evening of the entertainment, while a third only became aware in the morning of Friday that a stubborn cold rendered it impossible for b’m to attempt to sing. Given reasonable notice, organisers can generally manage to fill up gaps, but something less than an hour before an entertainment pats it beyond the power of anyone to fill the places, and the public have, accordingly, to suffer, and the management be blamert. A few minutes after the advertised time Miraes Jacomb played the piano duet, “ Murche Huns grois” in the style usual with tho.se young ladies, and at its conclusion the curtain rose for Half-an-hour with our School Children, and a really pleasant half-hour it proved, the children putting themselves on excellent terms with the audience before the curtain was properly drawn up, as its rising displayed an excellent picture of “ Our school children,” the girls being ranged round the full width of the stage, while in the front centre was a pyramid of boys four tiers high, the crowning youth bring Master T. Graham, holding a huge card bearing the word “ Welcome,” in large, coloured letters, nnd at the back another pyramid of four tiers, Master J. Hotter being the “ top sawyer,” with a similar huge card bearing the words “ Success to our School.” On the curtain falling, the “ pyramids ” were removed, and the certain rose for “ Our School Song,” which was capitally rendered, the children keeping splendidly together to the baton of the Headmaster, Mr Adams. This was followed by “ Our School Duet,” given in character by Master G. and Miss S. T, Adams in most capital style, and completelv broughtdown thebouse, they being compelled to repeat it before order could be obtained. The “School Niggers” was next, Masters E. Adams and H. Brown being the two niggers who gave a short “ Nigger entertainment, * which was followed by another school song, also given in excellent style, “Our School Beggars ” —the blind, the deaf, and the halt—Masters G. Adams, L. Titchiner and E. Larking, taking the respective parts, and singing a capital discriptive trio with an excellent chorus by the rest of the children. “ Our School Elephant” was the next to occupy the attention of the audience. The ‘ * animal ” being supplied by Masters G. Hammond and R. Finnerty, while Master Lewis Mann filled the role of showman, and gave a short account of the beast, as wall as proved its docility to the audience. He acquited himself in capital style, and the elephant was obliged to return on to the stage, where its docility was further proved by the animal allowing one of the niggers—H. Brown — to ride him across the stage. “ Our School Bound ” followed, and proved a real treat, the youngsters taking their parts admirably, and producing a most excellent effect. “Our School Football Club,” representing the forwards of the school teams engaged in a packed scrum, with the referee (Mr Adams) just in the act of throwing in the ball, closed the half-hour with the children, which pr ved all tuo short, as every one was sorry when it was over, and every one also was loud in their praise of the promptitude and precision shewn by the children in following the indicating baton of their headteacher. The concert portion of the programme opened with the song, “ Beauty’s Eyes,” given by Mr Holtham, with violin obligato by Miss C. Jacomb, which proved a good number, and was deservedly applauded. Mrs Larson followed with the song “ Listening,” and. despite extreme nervousness, gave a capital interpretation of the theme, and was loudly applauded. Misses Jacomb then gave the duet “ The Star and the Flower ” in their usual finished style, and were followed by Miss Millar’s song, “ Your Voices,” which proved the gem of the evening, and was loudly redemanded. . Miss Millar, however, only bowed her acknowledgements. The Druidical ceremony followed this song, being the installation ceremony, with the charges as delivered to the Arch Druid after taking the obligation, with a picture of the Druids in the sacred days of old to shew how nearly the rites and dress conform to those of centuries ago. After the close of the ceremony. Miss Isa Paterson sang “ Dear Heart,” and being in excellent voice, gave an excellent rendering of this favourite song, Mr Munro then gave “ Let Me Love Thee,” also a capital number, which was loudly applauded. Miss Jacomb, followed this with the bemriful song, “ My Dearest Heart,” which was rapturously applauded and encored, to which she very kindly acquiesced, securing an equal success with her encore. This portion of the programme was brought to a close by a Druidical tableau representing the Royal Arch triangle, enclosing the grave scene, the organ in the wings playing the Dead March, the effect being particularly telling and solemn, and forming a fitting close to the musical programme. The Hall was then cleared and the floor well swept and prepared for dancing, when about fifty couples thoroughly enjoyed themselves until th(‘S-horthours|of the morning, when the Druids annual entertainment in aid of the school funds came to a close everybody havingfully enjoyed themselves and being satisfied with the “ bill-of-faro ” provided for their delectation, and the school committee have good reason to be well satisfied with theresult of this effort on the part of the Druids, as their funds will be considerably augmented without any trouble on their part ; and we have no doubt the children will reap the full benefit of the success.