ST. PATRICK'S SCHOOL, LAWRENCE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXI, Issue 18, 31 August 1894, Page 15

ST. PATRICK'S SCHOOL, LAWRENCE.

(Tuapcka Times, August 22.) The Dominican nunß have reason to feel pleased with the manner in which the musical and dramatic entertainment by their pupils in St Patrick's school passed off on Friday evening. The weather waa wet and stormy, and the ro%d*, to use the stock phrase, were in "a deplorable condition." Yet the large schoolroom was crowded, almost inconveniently so, and all pres?n f , to judge by tbe frequent demonstrations of applaua", were both delighted and surpriS2d at the excellence of the entertainment and the ability displayed by ihe children. This ia all the more remarkable when it is considered that the nuns have been but a comparatively short tima ia charge of the school, and that the number of children capable of t king part in such an entertainment was email and the material sjmawhat crude. The entertainment opened with a spinted rendering of " Scats wo a hae" by the school children, and were followed by a pianoforte duet by Misses E. Jackson and Daisy Delauy, which was loud y applauded. Tho tableau " St Dorthy " disclosed some fi ie elocutionary powers on the part of the children, and showed also the thoroughness of the training they had received. The tableau was divided into three parts, and the explanatory or recitative parts were delivered by Miss Jane Parker. It is no exaggeration to siy that her enunciation was ptrfect, and the au iience were from the outset able to follow and understand every incident described with such a variety of suitable feeling by her. In each of the scenes rive or six of the school children appeared picturesquely attired and cleverly discharged the different tacks allotted to them. Mss Bella Moody, as "St Dorthy," displayed at once all the heroism anl ruppy resignation characer* ifltic of people who are prepared »o die for »n idea. The Governor of Cappadocia, "bearded as a pard " and, of course, thirsting for blood, found a good modern representative in Cecil Delany, Miss Polly Kelleher, who has a ricu contralto voice, gave an exquisite rendering of "The Fairy Queen," and was enthusiastically encored. The historic tragedy of '' Joan of Arc " wag a great sunces?. In this also tbe tableau was divided into three parts. In the first, " Joan of Arc" was presented as a peasant with a number of reapers and gleaners taking ber share in the labours of the harvest field. In the ■econd part, the coronation, of the French prince in the Cathedral at Bheime, Miss Mary Parker, gorgeously attired in the robes of tbe Archbishop, with all the dignity appropriate to such an historic occasion. Thecoronation ceremony wasattended by a brilliant assemblageof knights and ladies, arrayed in fifteenth century costumes. The third and final scene represented the burniQg of " Joan of Arc " in the market-place at Rouen, this, like the preceiing scene?, being most realistic and perfect in detail. Miss Polly Kelleher as "Joan of Arc" showed a most intelligent appreciation of the varied situations in which she figured, and altogether the tableau waa a great success. The task, a most important and difficult one of describing the incidents of the tableau, was very cleverly discharged by Miss Kathleen Beidy. Too much praise cannot be accorded her for tbe manner in which ahe acquitted herself. Her delivery was clear and impressive, ther* was all the requisite action and tbe modulation of voice, and all the pathetic and tragic incidents of the piece were placed before the audience in the clearest and most intelligent manner. Tbe name of MiBB Johanna Hoare, who as King Charles of France, in tbe second part, went very creditably through ber par', deserves complimentary mention. The fust part of tbe entertainment concluded with a pianoforte solo by Miss Delany, entitled "Oberon," which was ividently much enjoyed by tbe audienc;. The second part opened with "Tho meeting of tke waters," by tbe school children, very sweetly sung, Misa Nora M'Cormack,

attired in character costume, representing Erin. A pianoforte solo by Miss Cissy Woodp, "The Dyirg Poet " (Gottschalk), a very difficult piece of music, was excellently played. The comic part of the programme was " The Undergraduates," designed as a piece of delicate satire on the shrieking women of the period. The undergraduates, who are understood to ba an emb diment, though, of course, in the sweetest and most subdued sense, of the p >litical and social thought of the advanced female of the year 1999, are costumed in cap and gnwn and spectacled, and are receiving a lecture from a professor of the superior sex. The lecturer (Miss Reidy) deals with the relative position of the sexes in the Victorian era, and the graduates, astounded and somewhat incredulous at the position occupied by their sex during that period, frequently interrupt the learned lecturer with the object of obtaining confirmatory proof of his statements. Science, too, has kept equal pice with the enfranchisement cf women intellectually and politically ; for during the lecture two other professors (Vl is? Delany and Cecil Dalany), one in New York and the other in some remote Eastern country, break in with a lecture through the microphone on Borne occult Bubjectp, and confusion at once follows. The communication wire is promptly cut and eventually the two distant professors, utilising the elements for purposes of locomotion, make a rapid descent on the etage, but their anger is allayed by conciliatory explanation and the piece closes pleasantly. In this, as in t preceding parts of the entertainment, one was particularly impressed with the ladylike demeanour of the children, with their correct and cultured modts of expression, and with their unvarying calmness and dignity of manner throughout the performance. Everything, indeed* reflected the superior training as well as the Belf-sacrificing labour 8 cf the nuns, and the entire ptrformance, Belect and high-class, as well as educative in its effects as it was, was in the highest degree successful and creditable to the nuns and children alike. The setting of the pieces, too. it should be paid, was arranged by the ouns with exquisite taste, the dresses were tasteful and appropriate, and all the stage (■urrouudiegs were perfect. Miss Etbel Jackßon, who gives promise of being a brilliant piaaiste, gave a splendid rendering of " Pluie de Corail " (Caprice Bnllani); and Miß3 Polly Kolleher delighted the audier.ee with the' Gipsy Qaeen," iv character, and reciived a vehement encore. The pianoforte dnct (two pianos), "Les Couriers " (Kitter), played by Misqes Jackaon and Eva Hart and Nollio Mitcitll and Cissie Woods, was aa exquisite piece of nius'c, and was executed with wondjrful correctness and precision and fine (iLcf. "The Toast," a recitation by Miss Reidy, was a fine display of elocutionary power, acd waa up to the same level of excellence cf everything else attimpted by this yoong lady during the evening. Ihe eoertainment was brought to a close by the singins by the school children of the New Z aland National Anthem, " All Hail Zdalandia ' (Leech). The accompaniments during the evening were played by Mis« Daisy Delany in a most accomplished manner. There was a very effective display of lime light at intervals during the evening v dur the superintendence of Mr Edwards. It should be added that the training of the children, as well as all the other work incidental to the preparation of the concert, was undertaken entirely outside of school hours. At the conclusion of the concert, the Rev Father O'Leary thanked the audience for their attendance, and complimented the Dominican nuns and ihe chi.dren on the excellence of the entertain, ment.