Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-01-08
BIG POUND PARTY
How The Evening Star Santa Claus Club
Will Help the Poor.
Every One Asked to Give Something
Next Frfday-Fuel and Food
Shoes for Little Barefoot.

A pound party for the poer. That is what
The Evening Star Santa, Claus Club pro-
poses to give. Next Friday is the date
mentioned on the invitations, and the pub
lie school buildings of the city the places.
Everybody is invited. The members of the
club, as every one knows. are the school
children of the city They will. of course.
be present with their pounds, but it is not
intended that. this opportunity for doing
good and for ministering to the needs Of
the poor in the city shall be confined to the
members OF the club. The club will take
charge of all donations of money and of
food supplies and will see that they are
properly distributed. The work accom-
plished by this organization in the past is
a guarantee that in this Instance 1t will be
done thoroughly.
While it is called a pound party, there is
no regulation of the club which limits the
gifts of the chartably inclined to any fixed
amount, either in quantity or value. If an
individual pound should prove to be several
pounds, or even ton, SO much the better
for the worthy poor. who will be the bene-
ficiarieS of this charity. It Is expected that
the food material contributed be of a nom
perishable character, such as sugar, flour,
potatoes, &C. The members of the club are
asked to bring their pounds to school with
them Friday morning, where they will be
received and cared for by the teachers.
Citizens, whether they have children in the
schools or not, are urged to contribute also,
and they may send their contributions to
the school building most convenient to
them. The supplies will be collected from
the different school buildings by wagons
furnished by The Evening Star. and taken
to central points for distribution. where
they will be disposed of under. the direction
of the Santa Claus Club comE1ittee and the
Associated Charities. ,.s-
1t is hardly necessary TO speak of the ex-
isting need for relief of the kind proposed.
Every one knows that suffering follows in
the wake of such severe weather as we
have had during the past few days. The
lower temperature makes necessary the
consumption Of fuel In Greater quantities,
as well as of food, and in many cases of
worthy people the extra call exhausts the
scanty store of savings, and at time
when work is scarce they are brought face
to face with poverty in its grimmest shape.
Recognizing the existing conditions, the
emergency relief committee has indorsed
The Evening Star Santa Claus Club pound
party, and has called upon the people Of
this city to avail themselves of the very
practical means thus offered to bring quick
relief to the needy ones. At recent meet
irg IF the school board the plan was ap-
proved, and the teachers were authorized
to receive the contributions of pupils and
others for the benefit of the poor. By
united action the pound party of Friday
next will be a great success, and much
good will be accomplished. The money re-
ceived- will be expended principally for the
purchase of shoes for poor children who
are unable to go to school for lack of COM
Portable footwear. This expenditure will
be made in each school division, under the
direction of the supervising principal.
Contributions of moneYs'or pounds will
be received at The Star office as well as at
any school building