Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-12
Vera Campbell. and she tells W
Quick Help for St. Nick.

/ udppcucQ.
Quick Help for st. Nick.
Before $50 that morning had writ
ten little poem. BY $3.50 the chief deal
er in Christmas trees had promised to
put up his biggest tree in the court
house square. which, I learned by 9
O'Clock, the county commissioners were
glad to have so used
BY noon the electric company had
promised to wire the tree and keep it
lented from 6 until midnight every
night between Christmas and New
Year. By 2 o'clock in the afternoon
there seemed to be enough assurance
that the affair would be 4 success to
justify presenting the matter to the
papers. The city editor of each of the
three papers In town kept the munich
pal celebration before the thought of
the people from then until Christmas
day: featuring it on the first page.
The crowd that gathered at the
courthouse Christmas eve showed that
the city was ready for get together
time at that season. When the pianist
struck the first chords of Stille Nacht'
Il spirit of deepest reverence pervaued
the waiting crowd.
The solo made deep impression.
After the whole crowd had sung
number of the Christmas songs, the
chords of teh Hallelujah Chorus peal
of men who. carrying dinner buckets,
were evidently on their way to their
night shift in mine or mill went
straight to their hats, and, i'll deepest
reverence, they with us all heard the
whole chorus with uncovered heads
Baltimore's first community Christ
mas festival was initiated by one of the
daily newspapers Like most of the
community trees, the tree on Court
house Plaza was illumined throughout
the week from Christmas eve to New
Year, and to each day was assigned
some special interest Christmas eve,
from the moment that the mayor press
ed the button that illumined the tree
to the close of the concert by the
United German Singers and j regi-
mental band, the celebration was def
nitely the community'S.
One day was Tiny Tim" day. In au-
tomobi1es lent for the occasion Grip
pied children from all parts of the city
were brought to the plaza for a special
musical and the illumination. On an
other evening band played chiefly the
airs of Poland. Lithuania. Bohemia.
Italy and the other countries repre-
sented in Baltimore's community
Spirit Back of It All.
Details of the great gatherings in
Chicago and New York have been often
told. The originators of these plans
are hard to find. Back of the first
tree of light" in Madison Park was the
Lake Placid Club; back of the kalei-
doscope of lights and the star was the
Edison company. Back of the gather
ing-place itself was the city, for the
city set up the tree and later re-
moved it.
The Madison Square celebration closed
with a reception to Jacob A. Riis. whose
lndomitable good will toward men was
back of all the groups. An orchestra
of 100 pieces stopped the New Year
eve clamor at 1880; 1000 singers Joined
in song for an hour, words being
thrown on moving picture screens, and
finally ended just at midnight with
America"
Twelve mounted heralds last year led
Mayor Harrison and the singers to the
portico of the Art Institute overlook
ing the long stretch of Grant Park,
where Chicago's first community tree
stood ablaze. Singers from the Grand
Opera Company. famous choirs like
that of the Paulist Fathers and the
Swedish chorus, sang first. Programs
of the evening, with music, had been
distributed to 12S city church choirs.
So there was splendid central leader
ship for the choruses in which hum
dreds Joined. "a Salute to All Nations"
played by the Chicago Band, was e
medley of national anthems.
In the Canal Zone, Christmas has
been a-brewing since October. In that
month the children of the zone pre-
pared their contributions for the
Christmas ship. Shortly after. dele
gates representing churches, civic, fra
ternal and labor organizations, met in
Balboa to discuss a community Christ
mas program This is announced to
be the first celebration of the kind in
this part of the country. The tree will
be illuminated early Christmas even
ing and gifts will be given to the chill
dren of the city. The Northwestern
University Quartet. now on tour in the
zone, will give a concert and then the
evening celebration will close with a
dance.
Interesting accounts could be given
of successful community Christmas
celebrations last year in Dayton. Ohio:
Riverside, Cal. and a goodly list of
other places. For these newer at
tempts to share the Christmas cheer
with whole community-to make the
Christmas tree a democratic rallying
place-no small share of credit Is due
to the great dailies of many cities.
Such records are significant. They
are proof of a growing realization that,
however bulging the stockings and gay
the tree in every home. there still re-
mains the need in every community for
better neighborliness. common interest,
cO-operatiOn and good will.