Riverton

New Zealand Tablet, 18 December 1913, Page 36

Riverton

(From our own correspondent.) December 13. At the Trinity College musical examinations held on December 4 at Invercargill, two candidates from the Convent of Mercy, Riverton, were present. Miriam Woolf, in the intermediate division, gained 91 marks (honors), while Sadie McKay, in the junior division, gained 63. At the musical examinations under the Associated Board Verna Stevens (Convent of Mercy, Riverton), in the highest division, passed with 105 marks.

.• Although the Convent School, conducted by the Sisters of Mercy, has only been established a short time, still it has made wonderful progress. At present there are 83 pupils on the roll, drawn from all parts of the district. Some of the children come many miles by train, and others live in dairying districts, where very often they have to milk cows morning and evening ; but owing to the great influence the good Sisters exert'over the children they attend very regularly. The pupils of the St. Columba’s Convent School gave their first annual entertainment in More’s Hall, Riverton, on Wednesday, December 3, when there was present one of the largest audiences seen in that hall. The night was beautifully fine, and many came from long distances to attend. The pupils (says the local S la/ J made a most favourable impression, the various items being received with applause. The programme gave evidence of the careful training the children had undergone at the hands of the talented Sisters of Mercy. The conduct of the entertainment was handed over to a committee, with Miss M. Woolf as accompanist and directress, and she carried out her duties most efficiently. The whole varied programme of seventeen items (including a comedietta), which commenced at 8 p.m. sharp, was brought to a successful termination at 9.50. It is hardly necessary to go into a detailed description of the items, as one and all acquitted themselves with credit; and the audience was not slow to show its appreciation of the pupils’ efforts. At the interval the Rev. Father Murphy took the opportunity to thank the audience for their presence, and paid a compliment to the Sisters for the manner in which they, in so short a time, had woiked such a change in the children as seen by the entertainment that evening. He was gratified to think that their efforts were appreciated by the townspeople, who had come in such numbers to the hall that evening! The following is the programme submitted :—Chorus, ‘Welcome to-night,’ by pupils; pianoforte trio. Misses M. Woolf, S. McKay and V. Stevens ; vocal duet, Miss Dolores Molloy and Master Ted Beadle; song (in character), boys; pianoforte duet, Misses C. Ward and D. Molloy, recitation, Master Bob Cole; action song, pupils, song (in character), Masters T. Sheedy and A. Barrelly; skipping-rope dance, Misses M. Leary and R. Mooney; dialogue, Misses C. Ward, K. Forde, G. McKenzie, blasters J. Ward and B. Cole; action song, boys; piano duet, Misses N. Finnegan and J. Molloy; vocal duet (in character), Masters J. Houlihan and p! McCarthy; court dance, Misses-K. White, L. Fahey, N. Whelan, E. Bone, S. Mooney, R. Molloy, T. O’Donnell, M. Molloy, G. Mclvor, M. Connell, J. Molloy, D. Sheridan, M. Hannan, J. McKay, N. Finnegan and A. McKenzie; comedietta in one act, ‘At cross purposes, characters taken by Misses N. Finnegan, L. Fahey, G. Mclvor, D. Sheridan, M. Molloy, E. Bone, and’ N. Whelan ; pianoforte trio, Misses K. Forde, I. McKay and G. Mclvor ; final chorus, pupils. The accompaniments were nicely played by Miss M. Woolf.