The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-12-29
THE COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS
Details of Work Accomplished BY
Civic League and Assistants

the community Christmas headquart-
ers on Christmas eve Bennington
successfully completed a unique work
OF Christmas giving which is already
attracting wider attention. AS long
ago as last fail it was realized that
the Industrial depression caused by
the war would make Christmas Of
small significance in many OF the
homes in the village. Plans were
then instituted, which it is believed
are without precedent in other COM
munities of this size, to enable Ben
ningtons spirit of Christmas TO find
expression. and to work out system
of distribution which should reach
all of those families that might other
wise find Christmas joyless.
In a year OF giving to the destitute
abroad Bennington has cared for her
own, while contributing as well to
the wars relief. If any children in
this community have enyied the home
less OF Belgium with their bountiful
Christmas ships, it was because they
doubted the goodness of the patron
saint OF Christmas and remained in
seclusion. Against this misfortune
of undiscovery the intelligence de.
partment of the Christmas headquart-
ers was most carefully organized.
The work of the Bennington Civic
I l,a nj, .r.ft, Ill Ia
with the children, and to the children
the activities of the community
Christmas Headquarters were chiefly
directed. From every available
source knowledge of their needs and
desires was sought. On certain
day, in the schools. the children
wrote, as an exercise in English, a
letter to Santa Claus, or a statement
of what they would like for Christ
mas. From these the teachers select
ed those that they believed requir-
ed the assistance of the headquart.
ers.
Outside the headquarters a letter
box was fastened, and this proved a
steady source Of information, from
the children themselves and from
others who knew of those not on the
rolls OF st. Nick. About 400 letters
wee received in all. From the
priests, sisters, ministers. the Kings
Daughters. committees from the
churches. and from individuals the
list was increased, until it was beliey-
ed TO be as complete as possible.
The data was then ell reduced to
cards, each one bearing the family
name and occupation, the children in
it, their names. ages. what they ask
cd for, and what it was known that
they needed All were then syste-
matically investigated. through the
churches and other organizations. and
by individual inquiry. In practically al
cases, to Bennington's credit, they
were found to be deserving.
When it is known that much of
the information came from the chill
dren themselves, an analysis OF the
card index revealed startling facts.
Requests for shoes led every other.
and rubbers, stockings. clothes and
mittens were much in demand Toys,
all the priced possessions Of child
hood, were far in the rear. With
merry Christmas chiefly in mind,
rather than one warm and well shod.
the committee were momentarily ia
panic. In two days the requests for
shoes ran well over a hundred. and
the number still grew. From where
would they come? Bennington itself
answered that They came in pairs
and half dozens. from families where
they were outgrown. and then from
the merchants came whole cases of
new ones. Of assorted sizes, selected
from stock, until one corner of the
Christmas headquarters resembled a
corner in a shoe store. Others con.
trlbuted money for shoes. and against
this orders were drawn on the mer-
chants and enclosed in the packages.
From garrets and trunks came
clothing in abundance, a steady
stream of it, outgrowE, but in good
repair Indeed. in the quality of
everything contributed was reflected
the good spirit of Christmas giving.
Here again the merchants themselves
came heartily to the front. They
brought whole boxes OF caps and
other warm things. and demanded
that nothing be said OF IT, Coal and
wood was donated by some of the
dealers, and this was distributed by
orders ON them A farmer came in
with half a dozen chickens. TO grace
the Christmas tables OF as many fam
lilies.
Filling the long tables OF the head.
quarters from end to end were rows
Of toys. packed closely together
Having delighted one set of children.
they we're now 30 be passed on to an
other. II seemed that everything
that a well filed toy store supplied
was there represented, from har-
monicas to sleds. skates. dolls. trains.
lead soldiers and books. Books led
the line in numbers. some FIVE hun
dred OF them. so that every child
had one or more. There were pic
ture books and story books. books OF
adventure. and books Of instruction
for the Young idea