Southdale Public School - Prima Yearbook (Strathroy, Ontario Canada)

Page 37 text:

Go South with Southdale. Over seven hundred people followed this advice and are glad they did. There is not sufficient space in these four pages to express our appreciation and admiration of Mr. Dalton Walpole and his talents. Had it not been for him, the Minstrel Show would have been a lovely idea but and impossibility. His praise, ideas, patience and encouragement made each person want to do his job just a little bit better every time. When a man of Mr. Walpole ' s calibre takes the reins of a production such, as this, nothing but an outstanding success is possible. After all the guests had been ushered to their seats by four black- faced Mammies , Grandpa Robinson shuffled in to have a moment ' s peace and quiet to read his evening paper. The quiet didn ' t last long, for several children came rushing in to surprise Grandpa, because today was his birthdayJ As old people do. Grandpa thought back to the good old days - what times they were. ' The story of the birthdays spent at the Minstrel Show couldn t be missed. But Grandpa, what is a Minister Show? queried one confused child, as she had never heard the term before. This serious mistake had to be corrected at once. Heaven sakes, imagine, not knowing what a Minstrel Show was. Now, you must know that Grandfather was a very good story-teller. As a matter of fact, he made it sound so real, you could actually hear that old showboat pulling into shore. Thus, the Minstrel Show was successfully introduced. Little Lorie cer- tainly learned the difference between a Minister Show and a Minstrel Show. ' Songs, jokes and dances were the main attraction and each child shone in his or her part. The chorus belted out the songs as if they had been singing them all their lives instead of a few short weeks, and the Endmen hammed up their parts like professionals. Each of the eight soloists were brought back for three and four encores, with shistles, cheers, and loud applau ' se . Mr. Interlocutor had a big job cut out for him and he did such an excellent job that he was applauded just for introducing the numbers. ' To give an example of his task, the following introductions we are quoting in part from his script. That ebony songstress of the deep South, Miss Magnolia Blossom, will sing for you, Meet Me In St. Louis, Louis . Be prepared to hold your breath as Mr. Rastus displays an incredible feat of vocal gymnastics with that perennial favorite, Swanee . It is with great pride that we present the one and only Miss Vanilla whose twinkling toes will both amaze and delight you with a magnificent tap dance to that old favorite, Swanee River . That renowned vocalist. Miss Cynthia Cooper, will render that sentimental ballad, Mighty Lak A Rose . Here is Mr. Bones who will rattle the windows with this stirring musical rendition of an unusual complaint, Ma, She ' s Making Eyes at me . From the chorus, our accordian virtuoso, Mr. Tijn Galcutt, who will dis- play his amazing desterity in a number entitled, Dem Golden Slippers . Now, Ladies and Gentlemen, a most elegant performance by that lovely and talented world-famous soprano. Miss Saphire, as she plaintively sings, Won ' t you Gome Home, Bill Bailey . That unequalled song stylist, Mr. Sambo, will present a solo of amazing and surpassing artistry as presented before the crowned heads of Europe. Here he is with his justly famous Mammy . From a boy in Grade Five, words like this, presented with the flare of a professional, and greeted with as much enthusiasm, created a great deal of justified pride for Ron, from the teachers and parents. Each of the two shows ended with a standing ovation, which is ample proof of the success of the first Annual Minstrel Show. '