Evening star., 1915-12-25
Big Dinners and Special Pro-
grams Offered by Various
Organizations.
625 BASKETS SENT OUT
BY SALVATION ARMY
Missions, Neighborhood and Friend
ship Houses and Home for
Women Celebrate.

Christmas is being observed with
special ceremonies at the Gospel Mis-
sion. the Salvation Army and other
| missions of the city. Big dinners, pro-
grams of special music, entertain
ments, cantatas and the like in great
variety have been planned for the day
and the week, and all of the various
clubs and other organizations included
in the activities of the several missions
are to participate in the elaborate pro-
grams.
At the Gospel Mission. 214 John Mar
shall place, the celebration of Christ
mas began last night with cantata
entitled THE Three Wise Men," given
by some of the converts, assisted by a
children's chorus.
H. w. Kline, the superintendent, con-.
Quoted Christmas service today at
noon. assisted by H. d. Gordon, treas
urer, and other members of the execu-
tive committee. After this is scheduled
the bountiful dinner of roast pork for
the homeless men befriended by the
ment of varied nature of which the
following is the program:
Tableaux, The Wise Men of the
East with Mission Quartet; recita-
the Big Sister, Miss Lorraine Brooke;
Star; recitation, "a Christmas Flow
er," Irene Greenwald; solo, Little
Town of Bethlehem" Camilla Monoco;
Mandes. Margaret Smith, Mafaldi SINH,
catherine Reese, Mary Smith, Jeraldine
Gatree. Camilla Monoco; children's
chorus, Smile Little Stars of Mid
night: solo, Two Little Hands Mad
dah." by the School; solo. Lullaby"
by Edwin steffee; solo, silent Night"
Catherine Reese: gospel mission quar-
tet, Awake and Sing; cantata, San
played by Santa Claus. Edward Nc
Williams; Mrs. Santa Claus, Miss Laura
Waller; Mrs. Wigs, Miss Clara Nelson;
college boys. Nat Gardiner. George
Overstreet: college girls. Miss Flora
John Roberts, Miss Katherine Fisher
and Miss Ruth Kline. and snowbound
guests. Mrs. Kline and Mrs. Byrne.
Dinner and Christmas Tree.
At the Sunshine Home for Women, c
street and John Marshall place north
west, W. r. Backford, president Of the
organization, conducted Christmas serv-
ices this morning, and from IL until l
pm the inmates enjoyed a big Christmas
tree. Later they sat down to the regu-
lation Yuletide dinner. Among the con-
of the home this week have been fruits,
vegetables, cakes, etc, from the Metro
politan Church, its near neighbor, and
jelies, preserves. fruit and thick, warm
clothing from DIR. and Mrs. c. NJ. Gear
hart To all its friends the institution
extends Christmas greetings.
At Friendship House.
At Friendship House, 324 Virginia ave-
nue. southeast, the keynote of the fes.ivi-
ties in celebration Of Christmas is, as in
the past, "open house." to continue from
December 27 to 81 inclusive. The actual
celebration began last evening. however,
with a party and big Christmas tree for
|, the children of the day nursery. Each
morning, beginning with Monday, the
| house will be open from 10 until II for the
brothers. sisters and friends Of those
children who make Friendship House
their second home" Monday from to
5 pm. the Jotoni Campfire Club will en-
tertain number of small Italians of the
neighborhood and from to in the
evening there will be a party for clubs OF
boys from ten to twelve years. OF age.
Tuesday, December 2S. the st. Pauls
Mothers Club will entertain the Mothers
Club of Friendship House and the chill
dren of the latter from to in the
afternoon. Wednesday from $50 to 8
pm there will be party for the boys
clubs ranging from seven to nine years
the clubs of girls of from eight to twelve
years old will be entertained, the hostess
es being Miss Katherine Hitchcock and
Miss Josephine D. Peary. Miss Isabel
Baldwin's Campfire Club will entertain
group of children from to the after
noon OF December 81 and from 10 to 1880
pm Troop 28 of the Boy Scouts will
gather in front of the big open fireplace
to see the new year in.
625 Baskets Distributed.
At the Salvation Army. with head
quarters at $50 Pennsylvania avenue.
the celebration of Christmas began
last night with the distribution of bas-
kets containing dinners to 400 poor
families from the Avenue branch and
225 additional baskets from 1887 7th
street northwest. This morning
through the courtesy of the manage
ment of the Cosmos Theater on Penn
sylvania avenue and the Howard The
ater on T street northwest, the Saliva
tion Army was host to thousand poor
children. They had what many de-
scribed as 1.-The time Of their lives"
watching the movies" and enjoying
the toys, nuts and candies from the
two big Christmas trees at the Cos
mos and one at the Howard. The use
of the theaters and of the operators
was a Christmas offering from their
proprietors. Religious services were
scheduled at $50 Pennsylvania avenue
both today and tomorrow, and We'd
nesday night at 8 o'clock will occur
the celebration for the children of the
Salvation Army's Sunday School and
number of outsiders. A big tree has
been erected in the hall for their en-
joyment.
Dinner for Homeless Men
At the Central Union Mission, 622
Louisiana avenue northwest, Rev. E. E.
Richardson. chairman Of the board of
directors of the institution, conducted
reli igious services at noon today in the
auditorium, and at o'clock a sub
stantial dinner was served to home
less men. This evening at 6:45 brief
religious services will again be held,
followed by the bread line" of the
mission. An hour later, at 7:45. two
hundred children will be the benefici-
aries of a treat in the mission audi
torium. Two Christmas trees. with
necessary decorations. have been pro-
yided and each child is to receive a
box of candy and a present. A varied
program of entertainment will follow.
The appeal for the dinner and tree
has met with a hearty response, both
in money and supplies. For the tree
number of kind-hearted persons have
voluntarily contributed dressed dolls,
games and useful articles of clothing.
Some of these persons have come to
the mission; or to the men with the
kettles on the streets. and. refusing
whether their intended gifts could be
,tsad hava heep gladly