Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-24
GREETING TO ST, NICK
Public School Pupils Sing the
Christmas Songs.
ELABORATE PROGRAMS
ANTE-vAcATIoN EXERCISES TO
coMMEMoRATE YULETIDE.
Children, Big and Little, Anticipate
the Coming of cold Santa
Claus"
ELABORATE PROGRAMS

/
ington divides the emotions OF the chA-
dren. There has been such joy in the school
rooms they almost regretted to begin their
vacation. All the week the pupils were
preparing for the final entertainments and
no building In the District from the kin
dergarten to the high schools closed with
out appropriate exercises
The high schools had ambitious musical
programs Central offering most attrac-
tive and clever iramatization OF Chaucer's
Canterbury Pilgrims. Everywhere in the
grades were heard the Birds Christmas
Carol. selections from Dickens, aThe Night
Before Christmas" and the many anthems
celebrating Yuletfde.
In the kihdergartens the Christmas sea-
SON Is welcomed by the children with al
most as much joy as it is In the home, for
In each kindergarten the wonderful tree,
is always blooming at Christmastide. It's
laden boughs, however. do not bear pres
ents for the children themselves, but gifts
which their little fingers have been busy
making for some dear one at home.
It Is here that the children have the OPP
portunity to become giyers and If any one
doubts their happiness IN preparing these
small gifts he should visit a kindergarten
on the busy days before Christmas, when
the school room becomes a verltable work.
shop for Santa Claus.
The old, old myth of Santa Claus is pre-
sented IN the kindergarten through pictures.
song and story. The free hand cutting and
drawing at this time show the happy re-
Spouse OF the children. for forests of ever
green trees are produced and toys of many
kinds cut out of paper to be placed on the
branches.
The story of "The Night Before Christ
mas Of Santa Claus and his wonderful
sleigh. Is told by the kindergarten and the
children delight to help In repeating the
familiar verses.
Story Of Christmas.
Tho climax of the Christmas thought,
however. is found In the story of the first
Christmas which is simply and reverently
told and in the carols which change the
Roman SaturnaEa into the Christian feast.
Often. as the children work on their pres
ents for Christmas little voice Will start
the CAROL unprompted by suggestion, and
then all will join and as small fingers tug
at needles or struggle with brush or scissors
the sweet tones OF childish voices fill the
room. tesufying to the atmosphere of joy
and to the sweet influences of the words so
unconsciously sung.
Wallach Building.
At the Wallach School the spirit of
merry Christmas prevailed from the
principals room to the kindergarten Evil
IDENTIFY everybody was Arm believer in
good old St. Nick, for every rcosm had on
its Christmas manners in the way of black
board pictures and poems approo,r ate to
the season.
Downstairs in the kindergarten room Wis
iting parents rivaled in yoicing their enth,-
sasm over the pretty Christmas trimmings
U1st airs in second ysr1 there. not
SO many visitors. because there were so
many children that there was no room to
spare. The teacher and her 'co-worker
joined forces for the occasion, the two
second-grade schools beth coming for the
morning session under the joint supervision
of their respective teachers
Match reading, spelling and number les
sons took place between the two schools
from o'clock until recess. Wholesome
emulation and class allegiance ran SO high
that the judges. almost In fear for their
lives, were compelled to announce that
both schools had done so well 1t was Inn
possible to decide upon the victor
At recess time the two teachers PLAYED
games with their ninety scholars upon the
Eastern High School lot, such old-tirne
favorites as Eye Spy" Farmer in the
DELI and Cat and Mouse proving most
divertang After recess the enterta Enment
took place, concluding with the telling. or
the story of Christmas by one of the teach
ers and the turning over to the children Of
the carefully cherished presents which they
had made for their fathers and mothers
Congress Heights.
A pleasing program was given Thursday
afternoon by the pupils of the Congress
heights School.
p Christmas green's were everywhere In ey-
idence and Christmas pictures and poems
adorned the boards and one corner of the
room held the rapt attention of the little
ones. especially, for there stood beautiful
Christmas tree that nearly reached the
ceiling. Some of the third grade boys had
gone into the woods across the way. mark
ed the tree. chopped i. down. and brought
1t up into the room, so, of course, the tree
mad more value than one for which money
had been paid
Although the room was crowded-far too
crowded to admit of inviting parents and
friends, much to the regret of both teach
ers and pupils-the children seemed not to
be weary even at the end of the long en-
tertainment; Recitations. songs. in cho-
ruses and by the whole school, and dia-
logues We're weH rendered, including 4rrhe
Second Table, by Ray Stewart; Hang IN
the Baby.s Stocking Florence Torrey;
Kentucky Babe" sung by Mona Cox. in
costume. Miss Slmonds also gave a rectal
ton. which was much enjoyed as were
some stories told by Mr.. ludlow
The special feature was the play ..The
Birds Christmas Carol" dramatized for
the occasion by one of the teachers 1t was
Well rendered, and the young actors and
actresses received round after round of APP
plause.
The cast of the play was as follows: I'm
Gle Jack Bird. Albert Peters, fifth grade;
Peter Ruggles. John Green. fourth grade:
Cornelius Ruggles. Bowen Humphrey fifth
grade; Clement Ruggles, Fay Stewart, NTH
grade; Larry Ruggles, Clair ludlow third
grade: Carol Bird, niece to Jack Bird, Eu-
nice Fadeiey. fifth grade; Mrs Ruggles.
Pearl Stewart, eighth grade Sarah Maud
Ruggles, Agnes Magruder, fifth grade: SUI
can Ruggles. Alma Bender fifth grade:
Peoria Ruggles. Ella Payne. fourth grade:
Kitty Rugges, Marie Wahler fifth grade:
Ely Ruggles, Florence Torrey. third grade.
/. Harrison Building.
At the Harrison building 18th and v
streets. the teachers. with Miss A. l.. Sssr-
gent. the principal prepared programs OF
Christmas exercises for every grade. Every
program Included songs by the school. soias,
vocal and plano; recitations. dialogues and
stories.
In the seventh grade Violet Parker, Willie
Brereton. Marie Peary. Lydia copenhaver.
Elsie Small Bessie Penny. Adele Gat.
Lynch Waller, Helen Gardner. Claudia
Rudasill, Forrest Grimes and George Eel
contributed to the entertainment.
A story was read to the sixth grade by
the teacher. Miss X. N. Hobgood. john
Lewis. Louise Holtz. Ellen Coatner and The.
whole school sang and reefted