COMPETITIONS SOCIETY TO AIM AT MEMBERSHIP OF AT LEAST 500

Wanganui Chronicle, 20 December 1950, Page 4

COMPETITIONS SOCIETY TO AIM AT MEMBERSHIP OF AT LEAST 500

A membership of 500 is to be sought by the Wanganui Competitions Society in the coming year. This was disclosed at the annual meeting last night by the president (Mr E. Lind). “It is gratifying to be able to report that the revival festival, held at the latter end of August and beginning of September, was a success, ’ said Mr Lind, in his annual report. “It was a success from a compeitive point of view, from encouraging the objects of the society, and, above all, it was a success financially. That is important to the executive and members of the society, in that unless the undertaking can be made to pay its way, the society cannot function. MEMBERSHIP. “In dealing with the financial success of the festival and of the general functioning cf the society, details of which you will obtain from the statement of accounts, it would be as well to mention here the importance of membership. A large membership is a foundation to success financially. It is not a complete answer to the financial problems involved, but it is a start. “Your executive feels that this society should aim this year at a membership of 500, at least. In (hat way the society can obtain some measure of confidence in the matter of employing a secretary. “Upon the secretary of a society such as this, there falls a great deal of work, and any person who assumes that responsibility should be well paid for the time devoted to the cause. In Mr Hallas, who was honorary secretary for our revival festival, we had a man who was keen and willing to devote a great deal of time and energy t.o the interests of the society. But, like almost every member of the executive, he felt the lack of experience at the start. The finances of the society were not sufficiently strong to enable it to pay for a full-time servant during the period just prior to and immediately after the festival. We have to thank Mr Hallas for the keenness which he disnlayed, and the long hours he snent in a voluntary capacity. One of the first tasks of your new committee will be to rectify that nosition, to devise ways and means cf phying a better salary and thereby maintain the society on a paying ana permanent basis. Without a permanent, adequately paid secretary, the running of festivals is a most difficult task. VOLUNTARY WORK. “And that brings me to the vast amount of work which was done in a voluntary capacity by members of the executive, every one of whom devoted time and energy to the running ol the festival. We got through by a process of trial and error. We made mistakes; that could not be avoided, because we were ‘new to the game,’ as it were, or the great majority of us were. What we learned will be oi great value to us in the future. “We had five excellent judges: Mi Temple White (Wellington), vocal; Mr Harry Brusey (Wellington), instrumental; Miss Nancy Russell (Hawcra), elocution; Miss Constance Macdonald (Napier), dancing other than national; Mr Hilary Glasgow (Turakina), national dancing. They all were very tfelpful and co-operative, and were able to offer suggestions with a view to improving the work of the society in the future. “We were fortunate also in our official accompaniste, Madame Agnes Shearsby (Wanganui) and the assistant pianiste, Mrs Kilner (Wanganui). The position of official accompaniste is as important almost as th,at of a judge, more so in many ways. Madame Shearsby had that happy knack of winning that confidence from the competitors so helpful in a competition. “Your executive has recommended that the national dancing sections bo omitted from the schedule f/’ the next festival. We feel that these classes are adequately catered for within their own Caledonian associations and piping and dancing championships. We oxpress our thanks to the judge (Mr Glasgow) and the official piper (Mr 'l'. Mulcahy, Wanganui) for the valuable help they gave us in the tevival festival. “It would be invidious to single out for special mention any o' the large number of willing helners the society had. We would like, however, to specially thank those who contributed scholarships and special prizes. We were most fortunate in that direction. “There seemed to be a general rtmosphero of goodwPl toward thn society, pnd we bon? that that will Jong continue—-hat Wanganui itsel* win realise what a valuable contribution n competition society can mn’m to the well being of the community. CO-OPERATIVE TEACHERS. “To the teachers of the various arts which the society seeks to encourage, we express sincere thanks for the manner in which they have taken ar interest in the society’s revival. No competitions society can function without the goodwill of the teachers—vocal, instrumental, elccution and dancing. They, in their turn, surelj do recognise th* value of competition the epportunity to obtain the opinions of qualified judges, opportunity to encourage confidence and ability in pupils. We value that co-operation ol the teachers very highly and at ah times the executive would be pleased 10 have their help and guidance tc> the on.? end—a higger and better Wanganui Competitions Society. “Personally, I would like to thank <•11 the members of the executive for the loyalty they have rivei. mo and the work they performed. As was s'in ca*lier, we got through succrs fully, not without mokin'*, mistakes, but more through trial and I feel that it would not bn out o* place for me to remind you th"t valuable lessons were learned bv those who acted as your executive last year, and I’m 4 if those lessens are Io be availed of. some, if not all, of these v.bo acted last year, if they are willing, should bp returned to office.” Recommendations wore noted from the meeting. Ttmse included the arranmn'-’- of an official opening night for the festival in August, that age test’detions in the schedule be fdrictb’ adhered tn. that the “open” classes b-> divided, for under 16 vec.m o'* age in the junior ‘mct.’nn and 16 and ' over in the senior. Mrs Tizard offered i 1o donate a cup, i P possible for nn im- ] nromntu deuce class, th-' musi" and ; dance to ret. by th..? judge. Tt wa* roro-Hrnc-dcd. on the sug rr e' ;, ti''n o" Mr Paul Letham, in the event of o-*tries rot bein" lifted in n nrosome ness’blv ? h'-' used to lot the a”d : - nname of the competitor competing.