The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-12-23
JOY OF LITTLE ONES
Kindergartens and Orphan Asy-
lums Celebrate Christmas.
Hearts Made Glad by the Presents-Ex-
ercises at the SchOOls-Enter-
tainments at Churches.

seem to have much done for them in the
way of entertainments. Yesterday was the
last day before the holiday vacation, and
in all the kindergartens which come under
the supervision of the Free Kindergarten
and Chidren's Aid Society the Christmas
celebrations were held. The schools opened
as usual in the morning with prayer and
singing and the customary games and ex-
ercises. When this was completed the fun
began, and the teachers and their assist
ants had their hands full trying to attend
to the hundreds of children Of all ages
The little tots were helped to the goodies
first. and after these the older ones, till
all had been served. The boys each
ceived toy, and each girl had doll, and
a dressed doll at that; then each had a
bag filled with candy and nuts and
orange. Such wealth of treasures were
difficult to handle. and for this there was
provision. Every present was carefully
done up for each child in paper. and was
tied with string, so that the journey
! home could be made without losing any of
the precious stuff How these children en-
joyed it can but feebly be expressed. After
the little ones were served the members
OF the Kitchengarden and the Domestic
Training School came i'm, and they received
the same kind of treatment
About two weeks ago a committee of
ladies' of which Mrs. p. B. Raymond was
| the chairman. started out among the mer-
chants and their friends collecting money,
| toys, dolls or whatever they could, and
| they were successful. By actual count
| 2,279 children were provided for and to do
| this required six hundred pounds of candy
| and nuts, eighteen bolts of tarlatan cloth
lxat ba hoe To, boId he Of, md .
| oranges. The dolls and toys were mostly
| contributed. though little of the money
| was spent for these Before the distribu-
| ton began the office in the Arabella c.
| Peele school on Pearl street looked like
| toy shop that heavy wind had struck;
| it was simply piled full, but there was
! comparative order there in a few hours
after the gift giving began. After the
| packages were nicely done up the children
| put on their wraps, and with arms full
| left the buildings for their homes TO tell
/ OF the good times and TO have a holiday
| till the day after New Years.
| Mrs. J. II. Baldwin who is the acting
| president OF the kindergarten, was pre-
| sented with a book containing cards of the
| work done by each class OF the Pearl
! street school, These cards are embroid-
| cred, or painted, or decorated in some 9TH
| er way by the children as part of their
/ regular instruction. and each class was
| represented by a card. There were also
| pictures In the book, arranged by the chill
| of the school. The children of the Mar
garet-street (coloreD school presented a
| like souvenir.
AT THE ORPHANS HOMES
There was a very pretty Christmas en-
tertainment last evening at the Orphans
Home on College avenue. The large dining
room was cleared of the tables. and in place
| of them there were many small chairs on
one side OF the room and number Of stools
| on the other. The room was decorated with
laurel wreaths and holly, and strings of
| popcorn were festooned on the chandeliers.
The children of the home under the direc-
| ing programme of exercises. Master Charles
| Bracken made the opening speech in de-
Tense OF such small tots taking part and
| he made IL we'll There were songs in cho-
| rus, and the children's voices made the hall
ring. Particularly good were the GLORY be
| rus and "santa's Dream" The drills were
well executed. The Brownies, i'm their
| Brownie costumes. gave a fine drill, and
| dressed in gauze. who drilled in the dainti-
est way. party Of six small boys and six
girls danced the virginia reel. a number
of tiny tots In the home gave Our Heav-
| emily Father" with the appropriate ges-
| lures. and Rotations were given by Alma
| Rocker, Mary Suffer, Edith Bracken and
| Anna Damon. A dialogue. MIR. and Mrs.
| Santa Claus" was repeated by Jesse Blake
and Della Roddy. The audience was de-
| lighted with everything, and applauded and
laughed till they were tired The board of
| managers was present and took much
pleasure in the children's performance. The
children all wore their uniforms of white
| caps and kerchiefs for the girls and sailor
suits for the boys. Many bright and beau
| tifuI faces were seen among the children.
| The children will not be given their presents
| till Monday. They are taught the religious
| significance of the festival. and all of their
| songs and exercises bore upon the subject.
| After the exercises the visitors were taken
| through the home, and all the departments
| were shown. Everything is in apple pie or
| der"
| The eighty-two children at the Colored
| Orphans Home, at the corner of MISSISSIPPI
pi and Twelfth streets were made happy
| with Christmas entertainment last even
| ing. Miss Anna Clark and Miss Mary Pat
terson had charge of II, and II was a great
| success. Mother Goose was illustrated and
| the children took the parts The children
| recited and sang their songs and entered
heartily into their part of the program
| uted literally OF his stores. They were all
generously laden with gifts; Each girl had
| a work basket, scissors and thimble, doll
and new hair ribbon, and each boy had a
| humming top, bouncing ball. horn, a
| knife and a pair of spectacles. not that they
| needed the latter, but they have taken a
/ great fancy to wear the frames with ordi-
| nary glass I'm them. and have great fun.
| Do lIlt HldlIpllt MIS- tdkNclSOll, anu the
teachers thought they would crafty them
| in this one particular II was also sign
| of the good nature OF the women i'm charge
that they gave the boys horns. As finale
| TO the entertainment a clothes horse was
| brought in, and on il were hung stockings
of each member OF the home. The stock
| ings were filled with candy. nuts and
| oranges. The ages OF the children of the
home range from two to twelve years.
| AT THE CITY HOSPITAL.
| 1t has been the custom of the Flower Mis-
sion 10 give the patients at the City Hos
| pital a treat every Christmas. and il has
| consisted of ice-cream and cake. This year
| there seemed TO be such a call for more
necessary things to persons outside of the
| hospital that the mission thought best 20
| spend no money for the treat. Miss Matte
| Stewart, who has been Il Flower Mission
| visitor TO the hospital ever since she went
| into the Flower Mission work. determined
| that her people should have their treat
| as usual and so she will provide for the
| dainties OF the day.
| CHURCH ENTERTAINMENTS
! The Christmas entertainment at Plymouth
Church will be held Monday evening and
that of the College-avenue Baptist Church
| will be Tuesday evening.
Al the Woodruff Place Baptist Chapel the
| entertainment will be Tuesday evening.
There will be huge fireplace. and the fam
lily will be seated about the place. In time
the children will disappear TO bed. and
Santa Claus will come down the chimney
| and distribute gifts and prizes. There are
I nj of