Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-11-29


RANGEMENTs ALREADY IN PROGRESS IN THE
SECOND DISTRICT FOR THIS YEARS ENTERTAIN
NENT, ETC.
As Christmas approaches and signs Of prepa-
ations for the festivities of the holiday season
begin to show Themselves the little members of
the Christmas clubs, which did such good work
In the service Of ST. Nicholas last year, are look
Ing forward to reorganization. Hundreds of
poor chrildren. whose Christmas was frightened
asst year. are wondering whether they are TO be
remembered by st. Nicholas in the same kind
way this year.
When the idea of forming Christmas clubs
was suggested last year by the publication in
The STAR of an account of the dCings of the
Christmas club in Portland. it met with such
favor that clubs were at once started among the
children of several Sunday schools. Suisse
quently the efforts OF the children were organ
lied. and the city was divided into four dis
trictS. each of which had it, Christmas club.
The first district embraced all OF West Washing
ton; the second. all of the city west of 1st street
east OF Rock creek and north OF Il stIeet north
west; the third. all of South WASHINGTON: the
fourth. Capitol Hill aud the Navy Yard. In
each district there was an executive committee
of five adults, who aided and advised the
children's clubs. Friday. December 2Sth. va,
the day selected for the entertainments given by
the Christmas clubs to their little guests who
had no Christmas Of their OWL at their homes.
These entertainments COMPRISED dinner and q
distribution of gifts by St choias. The enter
tainment given by the first district club was
held in Curtis hall West Wash nrtOn: that of
the second district was given IN the National
Rifles armory: that OF the 81 district in the
Jefferson school building: and that of the fourth
district, in the Peabody school building Nearly
1.500 children were entertained in all the dis
tricts. and IL was estimated that about 1900
altogether, were included.
PREPARATIONS IN THE SECOND DISTRICT
Steps are already being taken by MISC West
and Miss Waite. in the second district to reor-
ganize the club. with the view of giving Christ
mas entertainment to the poor children during
holiday week like that given last year There
will be some changes in matters of detail where
there can be improvements made through the
experience of last year. but in ali the main tea
lures the entertainment VIII BE the same. The
idea of the club is that children who have pa
rents to provide for their Christmas shall Join
together and provide dinner and Christmas
tree for less fortunate children. EaCn child who
joins the club gives ten cents each year for a
ticket of membership. and donates such toys
and clothing as they have no further use for
that they may be utilized by the poor children
Besides this. donations of money and provisions
are accepted from other sources. A BIG Christ
mas dinner Is prepared; the tCys-secOud- hand
and new-are put up in packages. each with the
name of some poor child on il. to whom It is
given, and the children who compose the club
take parts in amateur theatricals. singing speak
ing or something of that sort. To entertain their
little guests. They also see that their guests
are waited on at table. and have every attention
to make the day happy one for them
Last year i've hundred poor children were en-
tertained by the second district club at the Ma
tiOnal Rifles armOry. which was very pictu-
resquely decorated for the occasion. Eight
hundred children. under the management of
Miss West and Miss Waite. compose the club
and little Nellie Arthur is president Many peO-
pie interested themselves in the club last wear;
and after the children were given their Christ
mas dinner and presents there was considerable
left to be distributed among those who were
sick and unable 10 attend. Miss West and Miss
waite together went about visiting the Door
sick children. taking them presents and nice
things from the table. in some cases having fuel
sent 10 the houses and in Others sending clothes
Many OF the children who were not sick had TO
be given clothes before they could attend the
entertainment. In this way the secondhand
clothing the members Of the club donated was
OF great service. After the work was all over
last year, Mr. Ross Perry. who acted as treas
urer, handed over to the managers Sl7426. the
uneXpended balance. OF this. S6S were spent
In providing for those who came late with their
appeals. and balance OF S11126 remains to
start with this season. For more than two
months after the club ceased its active work for
the year Miss Waite and Miss West drove about
together visiting the poor. and they say they
found poverty and suffering they never dreamed
OF. As 1t draws near Christmas time again,
THE LITTLE WORKERS
are getting very enthusiastic, Miss Nellie Ar
thur was one of the first TO revive the interest
again. She wanted TO know of Miss West the
other day II she should still be president and
when they would get to work again. One of
the little girls, who is now in Paris wrote to
Miss West short time ago to know what was
being done by the club remarking that some
thing OF the kind was needed in Paris. as there
were so many poor children there.
There Will be a meeting OF the club at future
time. not yet settled upon. but before that all
Che children who are members and those who
wish TO become members are requested to send
BY postal card or otherwise their names to
either Miss West. at SIS 18th street northwest
ortO Miss Waite. 1905 1 street northwest. so
that their cards OF membership can be made out
These Will be given out at the first meeting
when each member will pay their dues OF ten
cents. They will then be expected TO send such
cast-Of toys and clothes as they desire to give
These will be sent to Chief Justice Yates
house. 1i0o | street, Miss Waite having relieved
Miss West of that branch of the duty this time
Misses Loring and Riggs and Mr.. Perry will in
terest themselves IN making the affair success
this Christmas. "a they did last and il is eX-
pected that the donations from all quarters VIII
De as liberal as before. when most of the mer-
chants and business men about the city contrib
uted something TO the success OF the undertake
inc.
The use Of the Rifles hall has been again
rendered 10 the second district club and the en-
tertainment will probably be held there Ii is
designed to have the hall very handsomely deco
rated, and IN the morning. before the hour for
the entertainment, it will be thrown open for
public exhibition.