The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-12-28
YOUNGSTERS
MADE HAPPY
Municipal Christmas Cele-
bration Attended by
About LOO
SANTA CLAUS WAS
SOURCE OF DELIGHT

Bennett Springer of Boston Gave En-
tertainment of Magic-Carol Singing
and Other Music Candy and Pop
corn Given Away.
Many youngster for the first time
saw last evening \ Santa Claus Not
only that, but the youngsters received
direct from the hands of one of two
| Santa Clauses a half-pound box of can
| dy. Besides that the little folk-and
many big ones, too-consumed bag af-
ter bag of popcorn and sang Christmas
carols between crunclres of delicious
corn. When Bennett Springer of Bos-
i ton began his magic, mouths came open
+ from sheer amazement and interest and
/ everything else was forgotten as the
/ 1000 children and nearly as many old
er ones watched dolls and paper pulled
out of a Derby hat, saw coins disap-
pear and gold watches and cigars taken
/ from the clothing of unsuspecting
/ youngsters.
| All this and more took place in the
building which has been used as a tab
ernacle at the municipal Christmas en-
tertainment furnished through the
/ Brattleboro Civic league under the di-
rectlon of committee of that organ
ization which had worked increasingly
for weeks to wind up the Christmas
/ holidays satisfactorily for every child
in Brattleboro. That more were not
there was not because of the efforts of
the committee or because there was not
, room. While most of the seats in the
auditorium We're taken there was still
room to have crowded in many more
youngsters and there were plenty of
| grown-ups to relinquish their seats had
, it been necessary. The total attendance
: was not far from LOO.
There were two handsome Christmas
) trees on the platform, lighted with col
! sored electric lamps, and colored paper
! ropes festooned from post to post gave
the building a gay appearance.
The evening passed off without a
serious hitch Ushers were everywhere
in the aisles and at the exits and en-.
. frances. Children without their elders
we're seated in the center The seats
on the sides were for fathers and moth
ers, uncles and aunts, who had chill
4 dren with them whom they were un
: willing to allow to remain unaccom
/ panied or who found the little ones un
/ willing to leave their guardians.
l. As fast as the little ones were seat
V ed boys armed with baskets filled Will
IS bags of popcorn handed a bag of tn,
II corn to each child and as fast as a ba,
s was emptied it was replaced with
fresh one. From $40 to 720 the in
i fiux was steady and it was very bus,
N time for everyone in the building. Al
es most as If those in charge had beel
I trained for the particular work the in
n coming audience was seated. Womel
le of the committee, and others who vo'
unteered. were busy loosening wrap
n and tucking caps and mittens wher
- they could be found when the tim
e came to leave. Here and there tea
started at some fancied loss, but quie
eyes detected the "strouble' and
was promptly Strengthened out.
Leitsinger s orchestra of seven piece
on the platform was busily playin
T. popular pieces while the audience wc
- being seated and even the rattle of til
paper bags as small fists dived int
:, the white, fluffy popcorn could NJ
drown out the music The stage W;
arranged with the pharaphernalia of NJ
Springer, which concealed from man
the big chimney and fireplace at ii
'se rear through which one of the SAM
ch Clauses was later to make his appea
,.as ance.
py Rev. Delmar f. Trout. president
leo the Civic league, made a very brief a
ON dress of welcome and made one or tv
~ necessary announcements. Miss Emn
j. Gregg led in the singing of two we
a. known Christmas carols and then ear
Mr. Springer. For so minutes he e
- tertained with his magic and whe
;yo ever he called for boy or girl to &
mr. sist him in some trick the voluntee
.ba were numerous.
TIL ohe more cdrol was sung anu IN
her appeared the Santa Clauses. Throu
Ior- the nfepIace came one Whle down
she aisle from the main entrance appear
her another Taking their places on t
yiv- platform after they had shaken han
Lca- and told each other that they did Il
expect to see another Santa there, tn
on handed package of delectable Chri
ore mas candy to every boy and girl the
ter The ushers had the children march
con row by row, so that each little c
could receive his or her own prese
and then return to their seats.
When every child present had
ceived present the announcement Y
made that there was more candy q
that any children who had brothers
sisters at home might report to
2. committee later and receive box
s. candy to carry home for those uni
eral tunate enough not to be present.
ably was surprising how many children w
,day unable to attend, but after that
FORK portant part of the entertainment
per- been concluded there was still IN
lken candy awaiting claimants.
The activities of Santa Claus "