ALTON.

Patea Mail, Volume XLVIII, 17 December 1926, Page 3

ALTON.

SCHOOL CONCERT. A SUCCESSFUL FUNCTION. There was a crowded attendance at the Alton Hall on Wednesday, on the occasion of the annual school concert. The whole of the items were excellently rendered by the children, and spoke volumes for the careful training they had received at the hands of their teachers, Mr. H. G. Clcmance and Miss Smith. The stage was tastefully decorated with ferns and streamers, a large fern being placed in the hall on each side of the stage, lending a rustic appearance to the stage. The proceedings opened with a welcome speech wxdl delivered by Stanley Leigh, after which the nursery rhyme cantata was rendered, each performer coming in •'for applause, ‘ ‘ Humpty Dumpty” (Cedric Allen) appearing to be the favourite. The Swedish drill ■by a squad of boys was wxdl executed, and the departure of the boys from the stage on the word dismiss caused a lot of amusement, the boys going off first pick-a-back and afterwards as in a wheelbarrow r race. The next item, a gavotte by Nellie Robins, and Joan Illingworth and Claire MacDonald and Linda. Allen was tastefully carried out and earned a well-deserved encore. After the interval a playette entitled “Tho Clock Fairies” was very well done, the caste of characters being as follows: Mary (who goes to Dreamland), Elsie Gibbs. Dick (her brother), Bert -Anderson. Father Time, Kevin Bourke. Dreamland song, Mary Illingworth and primers one and two. Prince Pat, Stanley Robins. The Nightmare, 5 Edgar Sutherland. Tin Soldier, Dave MacDonald. Spook drill, which reminded one of the Klu Klux Klan, was very good, the witch, Ivy Gibbs, being splendid. Tho Nonsense School by pupils v of the sixth standard, with Annie Hodge as teacher, was a very funny item, the scholars being very apt pupils and made the audience rock with laughter. Tho good night song and the “National Anthem ”, closed a most' successful concert.

Tho characters in the nursery rhyme cantata weie as follows;

»Sister Anne, Clare MacDonald. Mistress Mary, Mavis Armstrong. Humpty Dumpty, Cedric Allen. Jack and Jill, Stanley liobius and Lois Anion. Mother Hubbard, Phyllis Hodge. Little Boy Blue, Edgar Sutherland. Little Jack Horner, Jim Drury. Little Bed Hiding Hood, Lorna Bourke. Little 80-Peep, Joan Illingworth. Before the proceedings terminated the chairman of the committee, Mr. J. D. Piercy, in a brief speech, thanked all present for their attendance ami explained that the proceeds of the concert were for the purpose of additional books for the school library. He tendered the special thanks of the committee to Miss Smith, on whom, with Mr. Clemance, the brunt of the work of preparing the children for the concert had fallen, to the mothers foj providing the necessary drosses, Miss Sutherland, pianistc, Mesdames Clem ance and Taylor for kind assistance, Messrs. Couchman and Nicholls for free advertising on. their lorries, and all others who had helped to make the function such a success.. As a result of their efforts a sum of just over £2O had been received, and the expenses would only .be about £2. (Applause.)