PRIZE GIVING

Southland Times, Issue 21895, 22 December 1932, Page 15

PRIZE GIVING

PRESBYTERIAN SUNDAY SCHOOL. FUNCTION AT BLUFF. (From Our Correspondent), St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church at Bluff was filled with children and adults on Sunday afternoon for the annual breaking-up of the Sunday School. The church had been very prettily decorated for the occasion with flowers and native greenery. The superintendant, Mr R. N. Porter, who acted as chairman, welcomed the gathering and expressed his pleasure at seeing such a large attendance of parents. It was very pleasing also, the speaker said, to see so many Methodists present. It had been the custom for some years for the members of the two denominations to attend each others annual prize-giving ceremony and the arrangement was a splendid one; as it brought the congregations close together in a mutual understanding. He was particularly pleased to see Mr Hutton present, because that gentleman had done splendid work for the Method's! Sunday School over a long span of years. The Rev. T A. Sneer said it was a great pleasure to him as well to be present. One of the finest sights for anyone to see was a band of happy children such as were in the church that day. It was very encouraging, also, to the teachers to have so many parents with them. The Sunday School work was progressing well, for which the sunerintendant and teachers deserved commendation, as they were giving their services faithfully and well. Mr Porter then called on Mrs G. Edginton to present the prizes. Before doing so Mrs Edginton, on behalf of the Methodists present, returned thanks for the kindly welcome extended to them. Continuing, the speaker said that she felt a personal pleasure at being selected to bestow the prizes on the Presbyterian children; because she herself had begun her Sunday School life in the present church and had later taught in it for ten years. Mrs Edginton then distributed the prizes, of which more than eighty were given out. The prizes awarded to members of the Young Worshippers’ League were distributed by Rev. T. A. Speer who voiced his gratification at seeing the fine attendan ? records of a number of young people. Prize winners were: Full attendances: Jean Winter, Jack Mutch, Cecil Walker and Graeme Winter; absent one Sunday only, Jock Walker and Keith Winter; two Sundays, Ernest Bradshaw; three Sundays, Gwenneth Bradshaw and James Bradshaw. During the afternoon prayers were offered up by Mr Speer, while the following contributed to an attractive programme: Margaret Speer, Isobel Cheyne, Jean Winter, Jessie Tait, Cecil Walker (recitations); Vera Calder, Margaret Speer, Gwenneth Bradshaw (songs); Peggy Doyle and Gracie Ross (duet); Jessie Tait, Gwenneth Bradshaw, Isobel Cheyne, Joyce Campbell, Rita and Lily Calder (vocal sextette); Jock and Cecil Walker, Roy Speer and James Bradshaw (vocal quartette). A sacred solo was splendidly rendered by Miss Dorothy Stalker who at a later stage was thanked by the chairman for having so carefully and successfully coached the children in their various numbers. Hymns were delightfully sung by a choir of Sunday School children, Miss Mabel McKenzie acting as organist.

A pleasant little item in the proceedings was the presentation of a book to Mr Porter by Joan Ballantyne, on behalf of the children, and the reading of a letter by the same scholar in which the warm regard of the classes for their superintendant was neatly expressed. In returning thanks the recipient, to whom the gift came as a surprise, said that his duties had been made light and pleasant by the fine work of the teachers to whom he' owed a debt of gratitude for their loyal cooperation and devotion to their work in the Sunday School. He wished all present a very happy Christmas. Proceedings ended with the Benediction, pronounced by Mr Porter.