Evening journal., 1915-12-27
CHRISTMAS SPIRIT
makes ALL CITY HAPPY
Continued from First Page.


gayety we're alive. as usual. but little /
of that sort Of thing is ever seen here.
OF course, the hotels had special
Christmas dinners for their guests,
and there were special attractions at
the theatres, but, after all, 1t was a
dull day for the stranger who had
to spend his Christmas here and did
not happen to have friends in town TO
visit their homes.
Different In Homes.
But indoors everything was differ
ent. All over the city friends and
relatives gathered in each others
homes for family parties, the green Of
the pine and the cedar and the holly
for which the countryside had been
ravished for couple of weeks was
practically tho only decoration. but
this was used in abundance. until
some homes seemed as If they were
woodland bowers. In homes where
there were children the youngsters
reigned triumphant, and although in
most instances the racket they made
was almost deafening, nobody seemed
to-mind very much. least Of all their
parents, who had. in many instances.
worked until 2 and o'clock in the
morning assisting Santa Claus to trim
trees and TO pick out appropriate gifts
for good little boys and girls. The
cleaning eyes of the youngsters, the
incoherent cries Of delight at the
things Santa had brought, the enthu-
siasm that welled up in the kiddies
until It seemed as If they would ex-
plods with joy-these things were
their reward, and they took it gladly,
even II It was accompanied by racket
that at almost any other time would
have been maddening.
In the homes of the poor gladness
also reigned. and those who are in
want forgot for the time their neces-
stiles and the burdens they were
carrying and took such share as they
might of the happiness of the occa-
sion. There was hardly home in the
city that did not get some JOY from
/ the day. The wants of those depen-
dent upon charity were looked after by
/ the social and charitable agencies OF
the city as far as their resources
would allow, and 10 these people the
fact tha. the weather was springlike
added to their comfort as we'll Ga 20
their happiness. lt was wonderful
! Christmas weather for the poor.
! In the Churches.
| Elaborate musical programs were
sung by the ehoirs of the Catholic
churches on Christmas Day. In the
/ Protestant churches yesterday SER
i mons appropriate to the Christmas
season we're preached, and Christmas
|.
by the choirs. The Sunday schools
4 will hold their Christmas entertain
ments during the present week.
At the Ferris Industrial School, a
regular Christmas dinner was served
the seventy-two boys who are inmates
there. A large tree had been deco
rated. around which the gifts to the
, boys we're distributed. There was an
. entertainment given by the boys in
the assembly room.
There was a large Christmas tree
in each of the two cottages at tho
Delaware Industrial School for Girls
at Claymont A bountiful Christina:
y dinner was served and numerous gifts
from members OF the families of the
girls and from friends were distrib-
uted. The annual Christmas enter
Il tainment OF the school will be given
( in the assembly hall Of the school
a next Tuesday night.
The Volunteers of America dis
ii tributed turkey dinners to three hun
. dred poor families. The dinners were
n in baskets and each basket contained
- five-pound turkey, two pounds Of
sugar. one pound OF coffee, two loaves
- of bread. one can of condensed milk
potatoes, turnips, onions, fruit and q
1 copy of the Christmas edition Of the
: Volunteers Gazette.
The Salvation Army had intended e
, provide Christmas dinner baskets fol
N 125 families, but when the Salvation
, Army conferred with the Associated
III Charities as TO the list of persons
j.. whom it intended to assist. IL wai
l. found that Implications of assistance
: rendered by the latter body occurred
. in % cases, so these we're not giveI
). ont bv the army. The army has pro
:. visions remaining TO fill 25 baskets
d and will give these out when the nee'
+ arises. Shoes and clothing were als'
|. distributed by the army TO various
T. people.
n The baskets sent out provided tn
i" material for good dinners for evel
IL large families. In each basket was
-sl chicken weighing TO IL pounds
4, coffee. potatoes, cabbage, sugar
Ie cereal. corn. baked beans, celery ant
y bread was TO have been distributed
el but II did not arrive in time TO CIV
out with the baskets. The bread wa
1t given out Saturday night during tn
VI course of an entertainment for tn
j; moor children OF the city at the quar-
n ters of the army. Fourth and Frenc
m streets. Two hundred children at
5, tended Saturday nights entertainment
?; and we're most enioyably entertained
r AT the conclusion Of the entertain
"a ment. candy, nuts. apples, oranges an
y tovs we're given TO the little ones.
Trent For Poor Riddles.
n required the combined efforts G
a squad Of husky policemen Satui
II day morning to hold IN check IN
) small army of boys and girls WI
J. stormed the City Hall for the NOR
Il than a ton of sweets which the polio,
r men had purchased for them wit
2 money provided by an unname
IS nhilanthropist BY 9 o'clock MOI
r than 1900 boys and girls were GROVE
cd in the City Hall yard and sever;
times they made a rush for the door
FINALLY they were formed in line an
el marched through the City Court roo
II and each was given a bag which col
ID tanned a pound Of candy, pound
f. nuts. an apple, an orange and pa
80 of stockings. In addition, the p;
Of tro1men carried many bags to famili,