The hatchet. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1883-19??, 1900-06-24
THE CHURCH SOCIAL
HOW TO MAKE IT ATTRACTIVE
AND SUCCESSFUL.
Il Involves Much Labor, But the End
Usually Justlhes the Means-The
Thing That Attracts the Male Sex
Recre alton Of Several Kinds.

Thing That Attracts the Male Sex
Recreation Of Several Kinds.
'Tt is a shame" says a we'll known
church woman. ito think that people
must be fed in order to get together for
a social evening, but, II you don't do
IT, you might just as well close your
church doors except for Sunday SER
vice" This sentiment is voiced by
many others, the general impression
being that q man, no matter What ms
degree OF piety or religious persua-
sion, is pretty sure to stay away from
a church sociable unless he can be
lured there by the prospect of a square
meal. This part OF the business is al
ways managed by the ladies' society
connected with the church, and IN
wolves a tremendous amount OF labor
The end usually justifies the means
however, as all the provisions being
contributed by the parlshioners, every
cent of the proceeds Is clear proht,
A church entertainment which shall
attain it's primary object Of promoting
eociability between old and young, and
at the same time prove financial sue
cess, is a problem which grows more
and more difficult Of solution every
year. In the first place, there must be
q supper. This is just as important
part of such an entertainment as 1t Is
OF a chlldren's party.
Salad suppers, chafing-dish suppers.
turkey, chicken-pie, or oyster suppers
are always we'll patronized, for each
housewife is always called upon for
q. -Nl IN
cookery, and one OF these delicious
meals at rs cents a head couldn't be
duplicated at a frst-class restaurant
for less than dollar
The literary part of the program Is
generally managed by the young peo-
pies society, and experienced church
workers will say that 1t is much more
successful II the young folks are put on
their mettle. so to speak, with no in
reference or overlooking on the part
of their elders. For fairs or large en-
tertainments, nothing is so popular just
now as to employ a palmist This sci
ence has made such Roadway within
the past few years that even the small
places have one or two professionals
whose services can be engaged at five
dollars for an afternoon and evening,
or three dollars for the evening alone.
The palmist is provided with sort OF
mystical bower, where she gives five
minute interviews at twenty-five cents
a head, and fluent talker can impart
enough information to her credulous
listener, in that length of time, TO pro-
vide thinking matter for a month.
Then there are short farces, banjo
concerts, candy pulls-which latter
amusement in these latter days must
include the making Of kettle of fudge,
---tableaux, spelling matches, and al
most every novelty which a vivid inn
agination can possibly suggest. The
fishing banks have proved quite popu-
lar In some churches. Two young men,
dressed in approved sailor costume,
preside over the banks" which are
made of improvissd scenery represent
ing the edge of a stream. Fish poles
are provided, and the audience are in
Vited to pay five cents each to try their
luck The lines seemingly fall into the
water, but really drop back of the
scenes, where an assistant attaches
anything, from a dried herring to q
package of chewing gum, to be drawn
up by the expeotant angler. This gives
a couple Of hours of solid fun, besides
netting a neat little sum, and the even
ing can be wound up with an impromp-
tu concert. A unique entertainment
was given recently by the sewing So
ciety Of a small Universalist branch
church, the 30 members pledging them
selves TO earn a dollar each for sup
plies, taking two months for the under
taking. At the expiration Of the time
an experience meeting was to be held
at which they were to relate in rhyme
the methods employed to raise the
amount though the strain of compos-
ing a poem proved too great for about
half OF the members, who basely in
vented all manner of subterfuges Ia
evade that part of their contract, the
others came bravely to the front with
some racy poetic efforts which display
ed a hitherto unsupported talent. The
gem Of the collection was a song with
a Jingle refrain, composed and set "a
music by three of the members, who
tunefully set forth their combined ex-
periences in a manner which brought
down the house. Ten cents admission
was charged, the vestry being packed
with admiring friends Of the poetesses
and the evening closed by serving ice
cream and cake at fifteen cents plate
Old folks concert, at which the per
formers appear in costumes OF 'ye
oIden time" and a carnival OF Dickens
characters are usually popular. Mother
Goose parties always take, as the field
afforded by these nursery rhymes gives
unbounded scope for merry making. A
church worker gives a graphic account
Of one OF these affairs where the hit OF
the evening was made by Mary and hei
little lamb. A popr' IT young man
dressed in girls clothes as country
maid, ably carried off the part of Mary
while her lamb was reluctantly imper'
sonated by his devoted bull terrier
sewed up in white wooly cloth, and
wearing a blue satin stock collar sur
mounted by an enormous bow Of rib
bon.
Several years ago there was a Sc
ries of entertainments laid out by g
Baptist church, and a committee of ont
young man and one young woman wal
appointed to have charge OF each one
Each couple was given full power t
carry out details, and the Forthcoming
performance, In every case, was to b'
kept a dead secret until II was given
Naturally the different committees
were all striving to Guido the others IL
the way Of novelty, and one Of the at
fairs caused quite a commotion. Tn,
first number on the program consisted
of Jean Ingelow's Songs of Seven.
which was rendered In an eminentlS