Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1910-12-22
CHRISTMAS At
THE HOSPITAL

The Christmas dinner for the big
family of nearly two thousand per.
sui.s viii be- served at the hospital for
the insane on Saturday, although the
holiday proper will not be observed
until Monday To be more definite be.
tween 1850 and 1900 persons will be
fed at the hospital. Christmas, necos-
stating an enormous amount Of prep.
aration. which will cover several days
TIE day just preceding the feast is the
busiest of the lot. Therefore. to have
served the dinner on Monday would
have necrssitatcd crowding q z rcat
deal Of work into Sunday. As the best
way out it was decided to hold the
diuner on Saturday.
The dinner will he duplicate of
the THANKSGIVING dirrcr ird 'tIrctt
cally the same as has been served for
years past Turkeys were-df fiicult to
obtain. They were purchased in four
different counties Snyder, Lycoming
Columbia and Montour In all 23O tur.
KEYS averaging ~ pounds we're need
ed. Just now they are baking mince
pise at the hospital; of these just 500
are required and they are big old-fash.
ioned pies, 10 inches in diameter, at
that 1t requires twenty bushels of
potatoes, which are served mashed. for
the big Christmas dinner. Other things
are used in proportion, including nine
barrels of cranberries and ten barrels
of ginger snaps, baked at the institu-
tion.
There are few homes in which
Christmas means more than at the
hospital, where so many hopeless peo-
pie are inceIcerated. Through the self
sacrificing efforts of those in charge
the happy Yuletide at the hospital is
the one season of the year wi en-, at
least, a few rays Of sunshine and hope
enter the dark lives of those who abide
within the grim walls.
About twenty Christmas trees will
be erected in the wards Saturday In
addition the walls will be trimmed
with spruce. laurel etc.
Packages containing presents from
loved ones at home are already arriv-
ing at the hospital and will be distrib-
uted on Sunday. There are not pres
ents for all, however for it is fact
that there are good many friendless
ones at the hospital. who never hear
from home. 1t is on account of this
doubly unfortunate class that so much
is done yearly by the hospital to
bring real Christmas cheer into the in
stitution that may reach and gladden.
the hearts of all alike.
The series of entertainments for
Christmas week while probably not so
extended as in the past nevertheless
were never more interesting.
On Tuesday evening comedy in
three acts, entitled Breezy Point "
will be given in Amusement Hail IA
which every one of the performers j.
IA patient.
On Thursday evening there Will 0t
minstrel show in amusement hall, ~
which all of the performers are EN-
ployes of the hospital. The best talent
available, has been selected and all
have been we'll drilled, SO that it is be-
lieved the performance will be much
above the average.
On Friday evening there will be
chapel exercises, which will be fol-
lowed with musical entertainment
in the chapel Saturday evening
The patients are being drilled for
the performance of the musical COM
edy by Miss Benford, the musician.
All show remarkable talent and are
deeply interested. The comedy will be
the leading attraction of the series.