Ifc has come to be a sort of institution now that for the annual entertainments m aid of thepriza funds for Ashburton and H*mp at carl schools, the children themselves must supply the chief items of the programme, Ir, is a question if this ia the best way. One thing ie certainly does. It saddles an im mense amount of extra labor upon the teachers m training the little ones for an. "exam,' 5 which doea not m any way count ■tfith the Covernm^nt inspector, however well the more ei&ily pleased inspector the public may be satisfied, tfor the Ash burton school conceit last night a special effort had been made to have the children well up to the mark, and that effort was certainly very successful. The children gave several character chotuseß, m which the sinking was good, and the action and spectacular eff. ct remarkab'y so. *' The old soldiers " was an amusing scene About a dozen very much mutilated veterans ap peared with the women folks m the back gtoand, and though none of the melodies chosen had much to recommend them musi cally, or were even moderately difficult, they supplied excellent time lessons for.tha young people, and thanks to Mrs Willis, the head mistress, to the girls and younger boys, and to Mr Llewellyn Owen, who was coaductor and aso drilled the " soldiers,' the time lessons were well learned. The " K^zoo band " was another of the same kird of choruß as "The old soldiers," and weat equally well, but it was m the fan song that the special value and excellence of Mrs Willis' work was shown. The chorus was made up wholly of girls m this. They were very tastefully costumed, and they moved so very well ! together, almost as one person, that the ability of theif instructress a* a " drill" was manifest m the very first verse. The fan scene was a telling spectacular etftct. The " Haymakers " too made a grand spectacle, and m this, as m the fan song, the grouping was admirable and the time perfect The • 'Goodnight" chorus brought out a strong force of the school chidlren, all vary prettily dressed and nicely grouped on the stage. The melody waa of a better class than any of the others, and gave more opportunities for expression. 