Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-20
TOYS BY VANL0AD
Christ Child Society Will Make
Poor Children Happy.
PENNED REQUESTS POUR IN
Branches in Ten Other Cities and
Seven Stations in the District
Busy Playing Santa Claus.

Stacked up in the rooms Of the Christ
Child Society at 24O0 Pennsylvania ave-
nue are 40 wagons. nearly thousand
dolls and almost as many packages ana
bundles, each containing some toy or
game. Tomorrow morning ther will be
packed into storage vans and delivered
at the homes of about two thousand of
the Districts poor children. And the best
part Of the whole arrangement is that
each child will be presented with just
what it asked for.
The Christ Child Society is an organiza-
ton that makes it it's business to furnish
as many poor children as possible with
a happy Christmas. Each of its MEM
bers agrees to supply at least one little
petitioners request as contained In let
ter to the Christ Child.
For the past three weeks letters con-
tanning requests have been coming into
the headquarters Of the society. They
are still coming. Each of the letters con-
tains the address OF the child. and one
Of the members visits it's home to de-
termine whether the child Is worthy of
the attention OF the society. If the MEM
Der determines that such is the case the
letter is sent to one of the downtown
stores and the order filled. The bill is
paid by the society.
One l1rl ASKS 1OC AUTO.
Some OF the letters contain very mod
est requests, while others are very eX-
travagant. One little girl living in the
southwestern section of the city wanted
the society to furnish her with an auto
mobile. She will get it. But it will be
about a foot long. Here's the letter
from small boy:
Dear Christ Child-My papa is out of
I%rr toll I1nv,6 airylf
years old. and thank you. Please sand
me 'Peck's Bad Boy
The majority of the girls long for
dolls. Many Of them write that II never
unmindful of the claims Of childhood.
presents the society with 100 dolls an
nualiy.
Many of the dolls presented to the
ciety are undressed. They are promptly
sent out to children in better circum
stances, who take delight in fitting them
up with clothes.
The. two daughters Of Texas con-
gresham returned to their homes re-
Gently. They have written to the so
ciety asking that two undressed dolls
be mailed to them SO they could furnish
them with clothes.
Three Vans for Delivery.
1t will take three furniture vans two
whole days to deliver all of the presents
that will be sent out from the society.
The vans are furnished each year by the
Security Storage Company.
Miss Mary Merrick, the president OF
the society, speaking OF the work today,
said:
I'VE have more wagons this year than
ever before, for the reason that they will
prove practical. The boy who will get
one will carry home the wash his
mother has done, or maybe he may haul
Ii%An- ctr
have been very successful this year. and
the society has grown larger than We
ever expected was possible. sWithin the
next few years we shall be able to I'LL ali
requests that are sent to us. We can fill
nearly all of them now"
The ten branches of the society which
have been established throughout the
country are said to be also in a pros
porous condition.
Seven Stations in District.
There are branches of the Christ Child
Society in New York CITY, Omaha, Neb. !;
Worcester, Mass: Chicago, ILL.,; Ellicott
City, Md; Davenport. Iowa; Indianapo-
lis, Ind; Jacksonville, Fla; Akron. Ohio.
and Minneapolis, MINI. There are seven
stations in the District of Columbia.
In addition to furnishing children with
presents at Christmas time the. society
has relief feature which provides com
plete and comfortable outfits for new
born infants, shoes and clothes for des-
titute children. fresh air during the hot
summer months, and its members visit
and befriend neglected children. Many
Of the members sew constantly in order
to provide clothing for q part of the
city's poor children.
At the headquarters. 24O5 Pennsylvania
avenue, the entire first and second floors
are piled from floor to ceiling with pack
ages. The Railways are Uttered with an
assortment of doll baby carriages and
other articles that would do justice to a
first-class toy store. Those in charge of
the headquarters say that before the
presents are loaded into the vans the
third floor OF the house will have to be
lsed for storing the mass of Christmas
presents.