Imperial Valley press., 1913-12-26
Christmas Brought Joy
All Along the Line to
Residents of the Valley

1t was merry Christmas apparently
to everybody. Santa Claus Collins at
the postoffice, with all his assistants
did splendid work as chief dispenser
and while all the little children under
eighty years of age lowered about the
postOffice or formed line stretching
out to the sidewalk and $50 feet down
the street, the postoffice force handed
out gifts with royal profusion.
Wagon loads of mail had come in,
and even so late as this morning an
other big wagon load arrived, and day
and night the force at the postoffice
worked for the accommodation of the
public.
While this was the chief public scene
of gift dispensing in Ell Centre, at all
the stores there was unprecedented ac-
tivity during the last few days before
Christmas.
All the merchants are delighted with
the business experienced during the
season, and especially SO as a prognos-
tication of universal prosperity during
the year that is about to open.
Many Visitations
One of the pleasantest features
of Christmas everywhere is the re-
union of families and friends, and here
there was no exception, many persons
coming here to see their friends while
others left the valley to spend the day
with friends elsewhere. The result
was that trains in all directions have
been loaded with passengers during
the last few days.
Especially notable among the visit
ors have been the numerous young
people who returned from distant
schools and colleges to be with their
parents during the holidays.
Feeding the Hungry
During the last few weeks great
many working people have come here
from distant points, and among these
are many who are experiencing hard
times. For their benefit Christmas
dinner was prepared by the joint eff
forts of business men and the ladies
of the Ten Thousand Club at the home
of Mrs. Embury on Seventh street,
Mrs. R. B. Vale being in charge. Fol-
lowing the dinner provisions were
served to number of poor. families,
and about 100 were thus provided with
a Christmas feed altogether.
At the Methodist Church
The Christmas program at the
Methodist church was under the direc-
ton of Charles Childers, superintend
ent of the Sunday school, and the ex
ercises were by members of the
school. The following program was
rendered:
Song by congregation.
Invocation, Rev. A. c. Baker.
Recitation. Miss Julia FOncannon
Exercise, The Garden.
Exercise, Planting the Tree.
Exercise with song, Trimming the
Tree.
Recitation, Jesus Great Love.
Exercise, The First Christmas
Tree.
Recitation, A Little Tree, Helen
HeGrick.
Monclogue.
Watching for Santa Claus.
Linda Thompson.
Song by Congregation, Selected.
Presentation of gifts by the Class
eS.
Distribution of the Sunday School
Gifts by Santa Claus.
Song by congregation, "Praise God
from Whom All Blessings Flow"
Benediction.
The price of admission was pota-
toes or apples, the same being used
to make up parcels for Christmas
dinners for needy families, fourteen
of which were made glad by the Ba-
raca Boys class who spent Wednes-
day forenoon in delivering them. :?
At the Christian Church
The following program was given
by the pupils of the Sunday school of
the Christian church:
Scripture reading.
Prayer, Brother Conley.
Primary Christmas Story told by