INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 197, 23 August 1935, Page 9

INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL

INTER-HOUSE COMPETITIONS CAMPBELL HOUSE LEADING The annual inter-house competitions in music and elocution were commenced at the Intermediate School on Wednesday morning. Classes were heard in reading, music and recitation, and, generally speaking, the standard of work was much higher than in previous years. At the end of the first day the points were: Campbell House 61 points, Ballance House 58. Taylor House 51. Wakefield House 31. Details appear below;— Prepared Reading (senior). —Stella Hermans (C) 1, Madge Blackmore (B) 2, Thelma Fargio (W) 3. The judge (Rev. J. Paterson, ALA.) said this was quite a good class, the chief faults being the absence of final consonants, and an inclination to use a “singsong” voice. Prepared Reading (junior).—Joan McElwain (B) 1, Nancy Laird (W) 2. Heather Kingham (C) 3. Mr. Paterson congratulated the winner on a really excellent performance. The class as a whole was much better than the senior class. Boys’ Solo.—Donald Grant (C) I, Howard Jones (B) 2, Desmond Darby (VV) 3. Mr. F. Wentworth Slater, A.R.C.0., said all the boys sang very well indeed and he was very pleased with the high standard. The winner gave a very fine performance. The chief fault iu the others was poor phrasir w . Piano Solo (junior).— Audrey -Cann (W) 1, Valda Soulhcombc (T) 2, Heather Kingham (C) 3. Air. Slater commended the performers on their excellent choice of pieces. He complimented the winner on her good rhythm and variety of tone. House Choirs (unison and part-sing-ing).—Taylor House 1, Campbell House 2, Ballance House 3. In judging- this section, Air. Slater said it was the highest standard in choral singing the school had attained. All the choirs were very pleasing indeed to listen to, especially in the unison work. He congratulated the winning choir on their fine interpretation. Boys’ (Drill Squad.—Ballance House 1, Campbell House 2, Taylor House 3. Air. J. Kingston said he was delighted with tho high standard reached, and complimented the boys who ere in command of the various squads. He warned the boys against bad postures while doing the exercises. Non-dramatic Recitation (boys).— Ivan Ralph (T) 1, Hugh Maslen (Cj 2, James Mack (B) 3. Miss Alary Doolan. who judged the elocution, said she had enjoyed the work very much. Vowel sounds needed attention with some competitors. Non-dramatic Recitation (girls).— Stella Hermans (C) 1, Ruth Grinstead (T) 2, Thelma Fargie (W) 3. The judge said., that the girls had done much better than the boys. The winner’s was a very enjoyable performance. Dramatic Recitation (boys).—John Rowe (B) 1, Ivan Ralph (T) 2, Tim Blenncrhasset (C) 3. The boys din much better this time, said Miss Doolan. Tho winner’s performance was remarkable for its word-pictures—she really saw Scrooge.

Dramatic Recitation (girls).—Stella Hermans (C/ and Thelma Fargio (W) I equal, Joan McElwain (B) 3. This was also a good section, gesture, in most cases, being easy and natural. Humorous Recitation.— Ivan Ralph (T) and Dorothy Longstaff (B) 1 equal, J. Whakarau (C) 3. in humorous work, said the judge, one must not laugh at one’s own jokes, but make the audience laugh. Vowel sounds are as important here as in serious work. The two winners gave excellent performances. Play Without Words.—Ballance House I, Taylor House 2, Campbell House 3. The winning team’s interpretation of a “Village Concert” was the outstanding item of the day. Miss Doolan said “miming” was very difficult to do well, and she was surprised at the very high standard reached. A poster competition, advertising Wanganui as a holiday resort, was also judged vesterdhy by Mr. C. Hay-Cemp-bell. Tne results were:—lD. Dickenson (W) 1, E. Wilson (C) 2, D. Reid (W) 3, D. Kcnningston (W) 4, K. Whetton (T) 5. The judge said there was generally a fine pictorial effect, and most of the competitors had caught the characteristic poster style. All tne work showed great promise. Demonstration Concert In the evening a demonstration ton tert was given in St. Paul’s Hall, when some of the winning items were presented and Miss Mary Doolan judged the first two house plays. These were “Snobs’’ (Wakefield House) and “The Knave of Hearts” (Taylor House). The duties of official accompanist for the competitions were in the capable hands of Airs. E. M. Grant. Competitions Continued. The competitions in music and elocution were continued at the Intermediate School yesterday. Mr. F. W. Slater judged further musical sections, Rev. J. Paterson heard classes in oratory and sight-reading, Aliss Swan judged fancy dancing, and the folk-dancing section was adjudicated by Alias iSoeberg. Details were:— Prepared Speech.— Margaret Reid (B) J, Heather Summerel (T) 2, Stella Hermans (C) 3. Rev. J. Paterson said the winning .speech was more con vine■ng than tho others. .Sonic sounded more ilikd a “spoken essay”—there was too much mat ter, and not. enough attention to delivery. Sight-reading, Junior. Stella Hermans (C) I. Heather Summerel (T) 2, Pauline Seoble (B i 3. All the competitors stood wrongly, said the. judge, but the reading was fairly good. Some readers missed the point. Sight-reading, Junior. Marie Watt (C) I, Joan McElwain (B; 2, Nancy Laird (W) 3. The judge placed the winner far ahead of the others, largely on account of her good pronunciation and phrasing. Impromptu Speeches.- Ivan Ralph (T) 1, G. Dalzell (W) 2, J. Rowe (B) 3. This was a very amusing section, but the winner gave easily the best effort

in the opinion of the judge, and was awarded 100 per cent. Vocal ISolo, Girls. —Kahurangi Alete Kingi (W) J, Nola Leggett (B) 2, Heather {Summerel (T) 3. Air. Slater said that all the performers had good voices, but phrasing was faulty with most. The first two were exceptionally good, the winner having a fine sense of rhythm. Piano Solo, Senior.— Dorothy AVindeburn (W) 1, Joy Jenkinson (T) 2, T. Withey (C) 3. All had quite a good sense of rhythm, said the judge, and all gave good performances. Bugle Solo.—R. Hanks (W) I, E. Granville (T) 2, J. Whakarau (C) 3. As a whole, the tone of this section was quite good, the first hoy being particularly clear. In the evening St. Paul’s Hall was ero.vded for the final demonstration concert and the final two house plays. At the end of the performance, Miss Mary Doolan expressed great pleasure at the very high standard of work. Acting, staging, dressing and production were all of a very high order, and reflected great credit on all concerned. She. made the awards as follows: Campbell House (“The Slippers of Cinderella”) 83 points, I; Taylor House (“The Knave, of Hearts”), 81 points,; 2; Ballance House (‘‘The Siege of ITng”), 60 points, 3; Wakefield House (“Snobs”), 57 points, 4. Mr. E. it. W. Rountree (principal) returned I hanks to all the judges, the official accompanist. (Mrs. E. Grant) and all who had helped to make the competitions so great a success. He explained that they differed from ordin ary competitions in that each child worked for his House and not for himself. He considered (hat. they played a valuable part in school life. The, only item yet. to be taken is a. spelling match, the points al, present, being; Campbell House, JOG, Ballance House 105, Taylor House 10.1, Wakefield House