CLUB’S GALA EVENING.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20425, 2 October 1934, Page 10

CLUB’S GALA EVENING.

Circles Contribute Amusing Programme. MAJORITY CELEBRATED. Planned with great originality, the gala evening held last night at the Canterbury Women’s Club in continuation of the twenty-first birthday celebrations was an unqualified success. In this it was a fitting sequel to the monster birthday tea held on Fridayevening at Ballantyne’s tea-rooms, and added further laurels to the club’s executive for its excellent organisation and delightful entertainment. Members of the committee were the hostesses for the party, which was attended by nearly* two hundred women. They were welcomed by the president, Mrs 9. T. Tosswill, who took the opportunity of thanking the members for their cooperation and the executive for its splendid work in making the birthdaytea such a wonderful success. She also made special reference to Mrs Stephen Parr’s ability as toast mistress at that gathering. To Mrs W. Hoff, of Ballan-ty-nes, Mrs Tosswill expressed her personal thanks for the splendid arrangements which she had made for the club’s tea. Several much appreciated birthday- gifts had been made to the club, ornaments from Mrs J. S. Burns, and three brass bowls from Mrs Wyatt and Miss M. Spence, to whom the president expressed grateful thanks. At the conclusion of her speech she was presented with a lovely bouquet in autumn shades, by* Mrs H. Suckling, leader of the gardening circle. Miss N. Williams, on behalf of the members, expressed appreciation of the birthday* tea party and Mrs J. R. Evans thanked the committee for their part in its organisation. Fancy Dress Parade. The programme for the evening was contributed mainly by the different circles of the club and was both original and entertaining. It commenced with a fancy dress parade, ancient and modern, arranged by Miss Ellen Jones, leader of the Playreading and Drama Circle. First appeared a crafty witch who swept the stage with her broom. She was followed by “Papa, Mama and three children on Sunday morning,” on their way to church, dressed in mid-Vic-torian fashion. In marked contrast was the modern attire of “Dad, Mum and the Kids on Sunday morning of 1934.” complete with picnic hamper and holiday hilarity*. This item was contributed by the Basket Circle. There followed School Girl Undergraduates; Graduate B.A. and Graduate M.A.; The Seasons— Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter; Period costumes. Sir Peter and Lady Teazel, Lady of Henry VIII. period and Victorian Lady; Ancient and Modern sleeping attire; Sports, Golf and Riding; two Grandmas and Aunty, two Modern School Girls and a Girton Girl twenty-one years ago; Boating Girls twenty-one years ago and modern; Bathing, then and now; Tennis, ancient and modern. Jokes and Howlers, which were judged by the audience, were contributed by Miss G. M. Glanville, leader of the Literary Circle, the winners being Mrs J. E. Russell (joke) and Miss J. Aitken (howler). Original topical verses were read by Miss E. A. Chaplin for the Discussion Circle. Amusing Items. The bridge circle, led by Mrs H. Atkinson, gave an amusing sketch entitled “Bridge Twenty-one Years Hence.” Folk dancing by members of the 500 circle, led by Miss C. Menzies, was another entertaining ifem. At intervals items were contributed by the music circle members, under the direction of Mrs J. E. Russell, who was also accompanist. The items included:— Piano isolos by Mrs W. O. Mackay, Mrs J. E. Russtell and Mrs T. O. Kendall; songs by Mrs Stepheu Parr, Mrs R. Donald and Mrs E. Caygill; and a duet by Mesdames H. L. Bowker and W. F. Tait. The Gardening Circle, under the leadership of Mrs H. Suckling, had made a very practical and much admired contribution to the party. A beautiful herbaceous border was constructed in front of the stage, the flowers ''growing” realistically in orderly array within a neatly bricked plot. A corner nearby was also profuse with flowers in a liarmonius blending of colour. A photograph competition, the entries for which were photographs of members from babyhood up to twentyone years, was conducted by Mrs David Jones. The prize for guessing the names of the subjects went to Mrs R. A. Bngshaw. Another prize for the twenty-first person to enter the room was won by Mrs H. W. Freidman. Much amusement was caused when Miss Maynard Hall presented Mrs Stephen Parr with her emblem of office as Toast Mistress—a large piece of toast on a toasting fork. The festivities concluded with supper at which a large birthdav cake made and decorated by Mrs Henrv Wvatt waS cut. It was decorated with twentv-one candles and black cats and a large golden key. which Mrs R. J. M’Larcn presented to Mrs Tosswill.