CHRISTIAN BROTHERS’ SCHOOL, DUNEDIN

New Zealand Tablet, 20 December 1917, Page 28

CHRISTIAN BROTHERS’ SCHOOL, DUNEDIN

ANNUAL ENTERTAINMENT. ’ The annual entertainment prior to the Christmas vacation, given by the pupils of the Christian Brothers, Dunedin, attracted an exceedingly large audience to His Majesty’s Theatre on last Monday evening. Among those present were the Very Rev. Father Coffey, Adm., Rev. Father Liston (Rector Holy Cross College, Mosgiel), Very Rev. Father Byrne, S.J., and several visiting and resident clergy. A well-arranged programme was submitted, each number allowing full scope to the versatile talents of the young performers. Famous for their vocal abilities and musical training throughout the Dominion as are the boys of the Christian Brothers’ School, they, on the occasion under notice, well maintained their reputation. In the attainment of such successful results the Brothers themselves of course are primarily responsible, and that they have extended to them the sincere appreciation of his Lordship the Bishop, the Very Rev. Administrator, and his assistant clergy as well as of the parents of the pupils is clearly demonstrated. An orchestra, conducted by Mr. G. B. Laidlaw, played splendidly the overtures in both parts of the programme, and the audience was not slow in showing how pleasing and enjoyable the selections were. The full choir gave a fine rendering of the choruses, “The Long Day Closes” (Sullivan), “There’s a Land” (Allitsen), and “Comrades in Arms” (Adam), some of the old boys giving the requisite balance in the heavier parts. The twopart songs, “Questions” (Squire) and “Guards of Arcadee” (Roeckel) were effectively given by Masters F. Sadler, J ; Hally, J. Sheehy, F. Cotter, G. Shiel, F. Sligo, C. Harkin, and A. and I. Loughnan. A two-part chorus, “Old King Cole” (Lewis) was spiritedly renderd by the school choir. The callisthenic abilities of the boys were most strikingly exhibited in the rings by the sub-juniors, wands by the juniors, and clubs by the sub-seniors. These exercises provided an animated spectacle of rare beauty and expert precision. The training and drilling of the little fellows— of whom appeared in white attire, with green ties and sashes—were plainly manifest in every movement, and reflected the utmost credit alike on teachers and taught. Amusing, enjoyable, and in every way creditable were the elocutionary numbers by Masters F. Foster, M. Wakelin, and W. Stevenson. In a musical sketch, “Disaster Averted” — ideal schoolboys’ frolic—and occasioning a simmer of merriment throughout, an evening’s excellent enjoyment was fittingly terminated. The principals in this were Masters F. Bell, I. Hjorring, A. Todd, G. Donnelly, and F. Cotter. The scene was a schoolroom, the “properties” school furniture, and the ensemble a crowd of school boys in full equipment. The National Anthem was sung by the full choir. Mr. J. Campbell Gillies (choirmaster) conducted, and Mr. Hartley accompanied;".:-: : ■