Arizona republican., 1909-12-26
MERRY CHRISTMAS
 N THE Fl!RylAND AIRY | ~.rf.rs
Fun and FroIic of the kindsrsartsners
 With Santa Claus and His Pack.
Kindergarten-child garden.

| kindergarten-child- garden!
 Like beautiful flowers in sunny | garden. or better. perhaps, like fairy.
 land itself was Miss Ellis kindergarten
 on Friday afternoon. the occasion ol | it's Christmas exercises in the Knights | of Pythias hall. old fashioned people
 may object to the figure. for to them
 Christmas always means snow. ice and frosty air. But Miss Ellis chill
 dren are not old fashioned people and her kindergarten Is in Phoenix. Ari-
 zona. the land of dreams and more or
 less perpetual summer. Gardens and flowers for Christmas are bit ethereal and dreamy elsewhere. but in Phoenix snow and ice are but Christmas jokes. The big hall, full-decorated for the occasion. was filled with admiring fathers. mothers and grandmothers in the center with the children but in- { terested wall flowers" in the rear and around the sides of the room. Every
 body was happy and expectan.. the big folks for what they were to see and the little folks for what they were to get The Red. White and Blue," played on the riano, was the signal for the entrance of procession of the lit tie folks. boys with flags. Miss Colum- bia. little Uncle Sam in regulation star gemed tailcoat and striped trousers: a rainboy of fairies showing the six colors. and six little girls drawing a small express wagon on which was seated Little Santa Claus with his of- fering for the poor. Arranged in a circle they offered a little prayer of thanksgiving and then happy as birds sang of the merry Christmas bells
 That was all right for the panto- mine. and the fairy part of it. but get ting back to the real world in Phoe- nix. Arizona. loud Hello" intro- duced the genuine Big Santa Claus who was not only see but Heard Some say it was Dwight B. There was more singing and dancing in his honor. Big Santa and Little Santa skipping around with each other and Miss Columbia leading in singing Hail to Arizona" AS the new star was placed on the flag Big Santa made a little speech in which he said the little play was soon to be seen in real life and Arizona would surely be a state before the date of his next visit. The audience applauded and at the proper time the lights were turned on. turning the semi darkness into a brilliantly illum- inted hall
 Rig Santa and some of the others then vanished through the window to- play with the sunbeams, while the rest of the children sang those songs that arc so popular because they are always ncw-"Jack and Jill" Little Bo Peep" etc. all with appropriate ges- lures and innocent emphasis. At the conclusion of the program presents were distributed and all engaged in a merry good time
 The children went through the entire program without mistake. showing thorough drill and an entire absence of self f-consciousness that reflects a deal of credit on the patient and pains-tak- ing efforts of their teacher The pro- gram in full was as follows:
 March of Columbis. Uncle Sam and Mir. Taft
 Drill by the primary grades.
 March of the F'rowsy Heads. Kinder gardeners led by Rainbow fairies
 Songs. Dances and Conversations. for and with Santa Claus.
 Rainbow Dance. by the fairies.
 Statehood for Arizona.
 Games
 When Santa Claus opened his bag pandemonious ruled and each little lover Of the hero of the hour was re- membered b.. their generous friend. It was all a happy expression of the real | meaning of Santa Claus. the spirit of | love giving unto and doing for oth- CTS. the elimination of selfishness. for. | as Jesus said Unless ye become as a | little child -e cannot enter the king | dom of heaven" Then there was the Christmas star. the light that led the | Christmas fairies, the rainbow of light. the play at statehood. the prophecy of Ari,ona's day of light and right might which can only come with statehood. There was illustrated the real meaning of Christmas. song. 6 carol. thrill of love. new birth. a gift for all, a harmony of God and na- ture and man and beast: tho common brotherhood. the pure love of men and women and the most precious gift to the world the little child to lead