South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-12-24
Holiday Season in City Marked
by Unprecedented 0utpOur-
ing of Gifts to the Needy
EIkS Party to be Great Affair

Christmas tree on the court
house square. the holiday sea-
son will be on in full swing i'm the city.
The lighting of the tree will mark the
climax OF the city's weeks of planning
and preparing TO make all happy.
Ihis one big tree viii doubtless be the
only tree that hundreds. yes thou
sands of children Will see and enjoy
this season. According TO all reports
and indicatio il appears that in no
season gone ny has the city done so
much to care for the needy and poor
as during this season.
II any child is without a present to-
morrow or any family without din
ner, such cases viii be few and far
I between. Nearly every organization
IN the city including lodges, churches,
cluos, societies and the regular char
lty associations have undertaken TO
care Tor portion of the City'S needy
outside of the municipal Christmas
tree party tonight the biggest party
VIII perhaps be that of the Elks AT
the temple on Colfax av. Friday aft
ernoon. \ huge tree has been set up
ana decorated at which il is planned
TO make glad the hearts of at least
1000 boys and girls whose fathers are
out of work or who are sick and too
poor te provide a Christmas for them.
A gift will be given each child in ad-
dltlon TO huge quantities of candies
and nuts. According To q rough esti-
mate the Elks alone have expended
nearly $4,000 to provide for the poor
OF the city this winter With the aid
OF school teachers they have given
hundreds of poor boys and girls much
needed shoes. stockings, dresses and
suits of clothes
Associated Charities Works Hard.
Night and day for weeks the Asso-
ciated Charities has been working to
care for its quota of needy. Clothes.
food and fuel in an almost unestima-
bic sum have been distributed
Through this organization at least
900 families will be given a merry
Christmas The handling of this
Christmas work has been in charge of
a special department Of the Associ=
ated Charities created about a week
ago.
From every church in the city Fri
day morning hundreds of Sunday
school children will go forth with
baskets containing Christmas dinners
In order to make these dinners pos
sible the sunday school children this
year dispensed with the annual Gus
tom of giving gifts at their regular
Christmas entertainment and used
the necessary money for the poor.
For weeks "the pot has been boil
ing for the Salvation Army men and
women on the down town street cor
ners and every nickel. penny or dime
that found its way into the pot viii
help tomorrow in giving some poor
man, woman or child a dinner.
The orphans and newsboys have
also come on for their share Of
Christmas entertainment. Newspaper
managements have cared for their
carriers with parties and presents
while the homes of the orphaned chill
dren have also held parties for the
benefit OF the children.
Weather Il i'm Doubt.
Whether the day is To be ideal for
Christmas remains yet TO be seen. 4
prediction Wednesday was that ap-
prOpriate weather could be looked
for A gTOan. however. went up
Thursday morning when a light rain
began falling Fears were held that
sleighing would he ruined and that
numerous parties planned for the day
would be spoiled. In view of recent
sudden fluctuations in the weather i
is hoped, however. that a good frC eze
will interpOse itself between Thurs
day and Friday.
Many of the churches of the city
Will give especial programs tonight
and special services Christmas morn
ing
special attractions will he offered
theater-goerS Christmas dag and
night. \ matinee and evening per
formance OF Peg o My Heart Will
he given at the Oliver The Orpheum
has arranged a special Christmas bill
while all the movie houses are show
| ing appropriate reels.
I'm short. the city is set for merry
day among all classes.
Christmas i'm Churches.
Christmas day VIII be marked by
elaborate services i'm Roman Catholic
I Episcopal and Lutheran churches.
Most other churches have already oh
served the season with Sunday school
exercises. though a few will have
programs this evening
\ representation of the manger in
which Christ was born is always
| present upon the altars of the CathO-
/ lie churches during the Christmas
/ season and this year at the regular
I Christmas services at St Patrick s
church a new crib Will be dedicated.
representing the Blessed Mother. St
/ Joseph. the Christ child in the crib.
the Magi and other attendants. ar
ranged against a background of gray
rocks and dark cedars.
At o'clock Christmas morning
| solemn high mass will be celebrated
at st Patrick's by The pastor. Rev.
JOn0 T.. DetroOle. G. -. - assisted
/ by the Rev. James J. O'Brien. &. :. g.
] as deacon. and Rev. Fr. Dominic. O.
I p. as sub-deacon with Francis But
I ler master of ceremonies. There Will
/ he a short sermon including the sea-
sons greetings by the pastor
There will be two low masses. one
at 7:3O and the children's mass AT 2
O'Clock, when their own choir will
render the following program:
"Adeste FideleS."
Angel We Have Heard"
Holy Night. Silent Night"
At the offertOry, Florence Guthrie
will sing a solo
. Ritual at 1880 Service
The beautiful and significant ritual
OF the church on Christmas day will
be carried out at the 1880 services
when the Rev. Matthew Schumacher.
G. : g., Pm. u. of \otre Dame uni
versity. viii be celebrant at the SOL
emn high mass assisted by the same
deacon and sub-deacon who Officiated
at the earlier mass. Father DeGroote
viii direct the service and also preach
the sermon OF the day The follow
ing young men viii assist in the
sanctuary. William ButterwOrth
cross hea rpr- a. Me(farfht- aaps,r