The Spring Show

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 220, 17 October 1929, Page 4

The Spring Show

H.B. A. AND P. SOCIETY Great Display At Tomoana work of the schools Glorious weather ruled for the lirst day of the show, the day breaking with a burst of strong sunshine and a fresh feeling in the air, which made it feel good to be alive. Under such conditions, lt was not surprising that the first day's attendance promised to be a record. SPECIAL SCHOOL EXHIB1TS. A feature of the show which sliould j not be niissed is thc exhibils of the special school classes of both Hastings j and Napier. HASTINGS EXH1BJT. The Hastings special class, which is now in its third year of cxistence, hns j mainly three hinds of handwork 011 ! cxhibition, viz., ], showcard work; 2, I day models; 3, hoxed seedlings. The showcard work has been done by two boys wbo are twclve years of age. They having shown a special aptitude and Jiking for the work, were trained in that direction, and are now able to do reasonably good work. Clay modelling has a fascination for all members of tho class, and both young and old are interestcd in the work. The younger ones are able to do only the simple modelling in mass, and soine of tlie "fir.st attempts" on exhibition wlien comparcd with the later attempts gave a good idea of what may be acliievcd by perseverance. The proccss of making a model takes many weeks, for the clay has to dry liefore bcing haked. Then comes the working of colonring and decorating, and finally the child has thc satisfaction of sceing sometliing. useful and beautiful created from an uninspiring lump of clay. The hoxed seedlings indicate only a small part of the work doing in gardening. It involvcs, however, a «tudy of soils, plants and weather conditions, and all the knowledge is gained through practical experience. T'his may be said to be the foundation of special class teaching in other subjects tlian gardening. The series of photographs on exhibition give several views of the garden and of the children in vnried activities The pliotograplis liave lieen printed. mounted and labelled hv members of the class. There are also samples of bridge pencils anrl of oaidhoard modelling 011 view. The whole exhibit shows that a. retarded child in the ordinary classriom can often niake good in a special class hy individnnl attention and hy being trained along the lines in which it is interestcd. NAPIER EXHIBIT. Hitherto little or nothing has been known of the work of the Napier class, which has been in existence for elose on seven years. The class itself is situated in the Clive Square ^lanual Training School, and comprises some fifteen pupils. These children require, through various reasons, special individual attention, which is the obiect of this class. By careful and personal tuition are developed all the dormant and nndiscovered activities which sucli children possess, and, as the handwork exhibit fully shows, they can give points to those children who attend the ordinary primary schoils. In doing handwork these children have two ohjects in view — utility and beaut.v, and from ihe youngest child to the oldest pupil they learn to make nothing that is not useful or that is not pleasing to the eve. The following are some of the articles displayed : — Raffiawork :,Serviette rings. — These are made hy the smaller pupils, who learn neatness in careful winding of the raffia and appreciation of the aesthetic side hv a careful choice of colours. Teapot stands. — .These require more mental effort ajid aceuraey of pattern. Raffia, and ro]ie lieartli bmshes, ohjects whicli make useful gifts and wliich give full rein to niethodical and artistic traits. Cane work. — Raffia and eane baskets are the simpler examples of cane work, consisting of raffia wound around the cane, which is stitclied into place with raffia. Cane trays. — In this brancli of the work the older pupils excel, and they become very adept at cane weaving. They prepare the bases and put in tlie spokes. Then, using a two or threeweave, the body of the tray is built up. It is finislied off with a five-plait horder which requires quick and accurate fingering. The whole tray is then sized, and has eitlier a wallpaper cutout sized 011 to the base or else tlie pupil stencils a pattern. The varnisliing of the tray coni])letes a beautiful piece of work of which there are a number in the class exhibit. Tlie pupils take a pride in tlie results obtained with this kind of work. Wool rugs. — 111 the tlireo or four rugs exhibited one apjireciatcs the tremendous amount of work the individual pupil has put in to acquire tlie finislied article. wliich is both colourful and useful. The wliole exhibit is a forerunner of future displays of the work of lit'.s class. The aini and onii.-t of tlie special school is to cnahle its pupils to heconie self supporting in later life.