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WINTER FESTIVAL OF THE GUILD OF PLAY, BER

MONDSEY SETTLEMENT, LONDON, ENGLAND.

EVA B. HOOPER, SUPERVISOR OF INFANT SCHOOLS, MELBOURNE.

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HIS entertainment was held in Bermondsey Town Hall Saturday afternoon of Christmas week, 1901. The floor of the hall was reserved for the children. There were three Christmas trees ornamented with flags and balls. and the hall was hung with Japanese lanterns. The gallery, which is a commodious one, was reserved for the parents of the children taking part, and the end gallery for the members of the Cripples' Guild, who were to be distinguished by their red shoulder sashes. At one end of the hall was a large platform for guests, others being also accommodated with seats on the floor of the hall, under the galleries.

Below the platform there were rows of seats, about a hundred in number, each with a doll tied onto the back, for some of the children who were to act as choir.

At 3:30 the Countess Somers, and Adeline, Duchess of Bedford, the mother and sister of Lady Henry Somerset, came into the hall, and before proceeding to the platform the Countess Somers turned and addressed a few words to the cripples in the gallery and was loudly cheered. When these ladies had taken their seats the piano struck up a march and in came the children. They were dressed in the quaint dresses which they always wear at festival seasons; simple dresses put into a yoke at the back, and peaked caps standing out at the ears. Dresses and caps were mostly of the same color, blue or red or biscuit colored cotton. They came in dancing two and two, to a barn-dance step, all holding out their skirts with one hand. Many of them had long sticks with a bunch of holly at the end. It was curious and pitiful to watch them. Such old and worn and heavy and too big boots as were to be seen, and such poor old dresses below their cotton overalls. But the children were happy enough; there was no doubt of that. They danced all round the hall and then to their places, some forming the choir; some grouping themselves round the Christmas trees, and some forming lines and circles in various parts of the room. There must have been over two hundred chil

dren on the floor. Then the entertainment began. The choir mounted upon the seats of their chairs and all the children joined in singing "God Save the Queen." Next came the carol, "A Star shone in the East one night," and the children sang it well, considering the class from which they came. Every word could be heard, and as a rule, well pronounced, and the tone was pure and good. Then came the old game of London Bridge is Broken Down, and, at the refrain of "my fair lady," every child made a deep bow to her partner, and some of the mites were too funny, their queer little heads and caps touching every time. You probably remember that Crockett introduces this game into his story. of the "Black Douglas." The children who had been playing the game then sat down where they were on the floor, and the choir, once more standing on their chairs, sang the carol, "Like small curled feathers, white and soft," which is a very pretty one.

Then about twenty more children, who were to take part in the dramatization of "Good King Wenceslaus," came in and joined the others in singing that carol. Then the dramatization began, all in dumb show. A child was sent to one side of the room, holding a large card, and on this was printed "Ye Court"; at the other side of the room was another child with a similar card, "Ye Forest." (Scene I.) "Ye Court" consisted of pages in green and the king, enjoying themselves round an imaginary fire of yule logs. Then the queen and her maids of honor, in yellow and red, came and joined them, and the feast began, all standing around the table. The materials for the feast had been brought in by the pages, all holding the dishes high above their heads. The movements throughout were very slow and stately, to about the time of the minuet. (Scene II.) In the meantime an old man came into "Ye Forest" and tried to carry off a fagot of wood, but being spied by the king and his court he was taken in to join them. When the feast was finished— the viands, by the by, went out as they came in--"Ye Court" formed up in two lines for revels, but before those took place the choir rose and sang (Scene III) "Carol, oh, carol! Christmas is here," and "Once a little baby lay." Then "Ye Court" rose and danced "Sir Roger de Coverly." I do not know whether you know the dance under that name, but it very closely resembles the "Virginia Reel." Next came some more singing games. "Here come three knights a-riding," and, "Old Roger is dead and gone to his grave," which I believe the children enjoy best of all.

Then came

the Swedish weaving dance. After this the warden of the Settlement, Rev. Scott Lidgett, proposed a vote of thanks to the Countess Somers and her daughter for being present, and Dr. Kimmins, the husband of Sister Grace, seconded it. The Countess Somers, who is a very old and a very beautiful old lady, replied, addressing herself particularly to the mothers of the children, and asked them all, if bearing in mind the trouble thru which the country is at present passing, they would give one more cheer for the Queen. Then cheer upon cheer rang out from the children in the way that only children can cheer, and then we all stood up again and sang the national anthem once more. Then came the last carol, which I think the most beautiful of all. “O, little child, come down." Now was the children's time to be entertained, and Father Christmas appeared with sack after sack of dolls. He had four big girls, who had each two little girls as helpers, and they distributed the dolls. During the distribution the Countess Somers left, the children all standing and making low bows. Sister Grace and her helpers seem to have that kind of influence over the children which makes them real ladies. They want so little prompting to do the right and graceful thing at the right time, that it appears to be quite spontaneous, and that is the great charm of all the festivals. The children's delight with their dolls was unbounded. They hugged them in ecstasy, and nursed them in their arms, and tho the beauty and elaborateness of the dresses varied very considerably it did not seem to trouble them at all, as it so often does better-to-do children. ing a real doll of their own was everything. children were having it all their own way and voices filled the room, the visitors leaving the children to themselves. Outside were waiting mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters who had no place inside.

The fact of havBy this time the the hum of happy

So finished the winter festival of the Guild of Play. It is difficult to give in words any adequate rendering of the happiness and freedom which reigned thruout, and which impresses the spectator so much.

Ox and ass Him know,
Kneeling on their knee,
Wondrous joy had I

This little Babe to see.

-Old Rhyme.

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Kindergarten Room of Pestalozzi-Froebel Haus of Berlin.

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