The news & observer., 1905-12-28
IS A MODEL SOCIETY
The Happy Crowd Of Children Showed
Evidence Of Long, Continued Work.
The Governors Speech. Santa
Claus, Candy, Toys and
Good Cheer.

who completely filled the first floor,
who gave the entertainment close at
tention, cheered the Governor with
shrill enthusiasm and went away hap
py with arms full of toys and making
the streets resound with horns.
Viewed critically. the guests of the
evening were remarkable IN that they
were evidently poor and as evidently
cared for. 1t was a sight to bring
endorsement of the charitable work or
the city and to plant hope for the
future.
Aside from the appeal which an en-
tertainment of the sort always makes
to the emotions, the Sunshiners' Tree
taught serious lesson. 1t meant that
the organized charities of the city
have worked throughout the year as
well as on holidays. The guests were
clean. They were well-behaved. Re-
markably were they well-clothed.
These facts came evidently from two
causes. They showed forth both the
help which the poor of the city had
received from those who take a work
ing interest in their welfare and the
impulse which has been given to the
poor to help themselves. There are
many things which cannot be given
away in the concrete. Their bestowai
is the fine art of charity. The guests
at last nights entertainment were
fine examples of the finer and the
more meaning work. They showed
tnat the charitable workers of the
city had come close to their material.
There was a total absence of the at
mosphere of the slum about the gath
cring. Yet the people whom the Sum
sinners had gathered came from the
very poorest families in the very poor
est quarters of the city. 1t was the
poor who were wanted. but they were
an educated poor who came. A poor
who had learned that they were of ac-
count to a good-natured and good
hearted section of the happier world.
who in that knowledge, had picked up
from the drudgery of their lives
q real hope and a certain ambition.
The crowd was q sermon in itself. 1t
was, in the main, pathetic only as it
implied a previous condition. Those
who have been accustomed to seeing
gatherings Of Raleigh'S poor in form
er years would not have recognized
that self-respecting, happy-looking
audience as the off-shoot of the same
degree and condition. The problem
of the poor-which is simple III solu-
tion when the individual can be indi-
vidually reached was to the extent of
the invited last evening present only
in its demonstration.
The SunshiIer Way.
AS for the entertainment itself. it
was an unqualifiedly happy success.
The Sunshiners, the body of boy and
girl workers who under the direction
of Colonel f. A. Olds have found fun
in doing good, had anticipated every
need and met it halfway. There was
every provision made for keeping
good the promise held out. Every
child went away satisfied with suit
able toys and suitable edibleS. Every
parent who brought wide-eyed tot
was rewarded with childish mirth
and gladness. Every child-and there
were hundreds of these-who came
alone found a welcome which recos-
nized him and protected him. Tie
SunShinerS as hosts watched the
crowds of children with closeneSS
which did not permit timidity to come
to grief. They organized and indt-
yidualized Their guests were treated
in the mass as a crowd and separated
with thoughtful attention into parti-
cular boys and girls The combina-
tion of system and personal Interest
was well-night perfect. In the first
place the Sunshiners had made an
absolute census of the city's poor
They knew every mother, father,
every member of their families. by sex
sumption that all those invited would
come and in accordance with their
data. The result was that the supplies
failed to exactly meet the demand
only in that an excess of caution nad
made the supply greater than neceS-
sary. The work of distribution was
fast and furious but intelligent. All
in all, the entertainment was model
of its sort. It was the best sort there
is.
Children Greet Governor.
BY six o'clock little groups of chill
dren were haunting the market
house and investigating the doors of
the hall. They were appealing little
figures. dressed in their best and yet
with the unmistakable wistfulness of
poverty about them. AS time passed
the groups increased in number.
When the doors were opened. there
were children and parents enough to
almost fill the hall. By the time
Colonel Olds called the gathering to
order. there was not vacant seat
and the galleries and aisles and boxes
were thronged with visitors.
During a considerable wait in which
the small guests amused themselves
by spasmodic applause at the sounds
of preparation behind the stage, Gov
ernor Glenn and party entered the
hall escorted by committee of Sum
sinners, composed of Pauline Brown
and George Bagwell. AS he walked
down the aisle the children caught
sight of him and applauded with
touching spontaneity. 1t must have
been a grateful greeting to the warm
hearted Governor. and it was beau
tiful thing in itself. Until he had
finally taken his seat the ovation con-
tinued, childish voices raised in treble
enthusiasm and minute hand clap
rings of little children of the poor.
Col. Olds called the gathering to
order and Rev. r. S. Stephenson
made a fervent prayer. Then Col.
Olds made a little speech introducing
Governor Glenn and saying something
of the Sunshiners organization. in
Guiding in the nation a membership
Of 100000 and in Raleigh $50. He
referred to the motto of I'll o society:
eff you have a little sunshine in