Connecticut western news., 1915-12-23
Letters From the People
That Community Christmas Tree.

To the Editor ot The News:
 MT. Editor, let's shake hands. You and sang d Christmas Tree duet fUI
 three years or more in The News columns-you with your deep- toned
 editorial bass, and I with a light soprano-in the special articles num-
 bers. Now, who shall say our duet
 has been in vain? We'll. anyhow, as l
 understand it, young Harvard chap more power 10 him !-has now taken up
 the solo part, and, to drop metaphor,
 he is going to put the thing througI.
 for one, am tremendously glad that
 young man lives in town. We do get move on in Canaan, now and then, don't we, when someone outside beats
 us to 1t. Excuse slang, but it is such comprehensive short circuit language;
 like it.
 Now MT. Editor, we can lean hack in our easy chairs and watch Canaan fall into the rear of the Municipal Christmas Tree procession. Better late than never. We certainly rooted for that tree and the tree has at last taken root What matter who sets it into the big hole that the rooters dug We are glad to note that the Catholic church is to join with the other churches in this tree celebration. The very soul of Christmas seems to hover before the altar in all Catholic churches.
 Since suggestions are ill order, and since the community tree is Every body's tree, it follows that it is Every body's business to make suggestions to volunteer their services and to help to make it a success. We hope there will be band, to play softly, "Holy Night" and other hymns of that sort. AS in Winsted and other towns where there is'a chorus, why not have the Canaan Choral Union to lead in the community singing? Most of the choir members in the churches are also members of the Canaan chorus. We are glad to note that the church committees are the pastors and the choir leaders ill the exercises, which IS as it should be. Since there is going to be no soap box oratory from the suffrage organization; no offering of ''Votes for Women" but tons to Santa Claus and no seeking to crowd into the spotlight, as special performers, such important social bodies as the Masons, Odd Fellows, Hose Com pany, Eastern Star, Rebekahs, Royal Neighbors and so on, we trust other organizations will follow their good example and be content to, form the community circle. We see no reason for the exploitation of any organization however important or moribund., There should be just two stars at this con- munity celebration-the Star of Beth. lehem, typified by the glittering tree, and Santa Claus. The community is the stage, the play, the whole thing; and everybody in the community is one of the chief actors. The group spirit should be broken up and all secular organizations and their pro- moters merged Into the wider sweep of the community circle. There should be no soloists; no special group, sing ing. The shepherds heard heavenly host of angels singing together, "Peace, good will unto men,"
 Am l preaching, 1 wonder? The idea! We'll it's the real community spirit I'm preaching, anyhow and MT. Editor, Canaan needs it and don't you think it doesn't. The trouble is the community is never allowed to be It, (only ill the matter of funds) but must always be the audience. Since this is a community tree, why was not the community appointed committee on the whole thing? Some few supers and head are needed, but why so many committees? Let us, for obvious reasons, avoid the spectacular. The sky, the music, the shining tree and Santa Claus should suffice. With all the organizations, groups and circles broken up into big community circle. sing ing around the Community Christmas Tree, each one standing on the dead level of our common humanity, we shall symbolize something, not spectac- ular, but eternal-Love, human and divine G. M. H.