Evening star., 1915-12-23
Religious, Charitable, Fra
ternal and Social 0rganiza-
tions Preparing for Xmas.
SERVICES IN CHURCHES
PART OF THE PROGRAM
Provision Made for People in Desti-
tute Circumstances-Variety of
Entertainments in View.

Scarcely an organization of any sort
in the District of Columbia, whether
religious, charitable. fraternal, social or
military, but has some sort of a Christ
mas celebration scheduled for this
week or next, and in most cases the
plans are already complete.
Churches generally, the missions and
the settlement organizations will offer
either spiritual or physical blessings.
or both combined, and gifts of dinners
and clothing will be made by various
civic organizations. from the Asso-
ciated Charities on down through the
list.
The Santa Claus Girl. 10 Seaton place,
has been hard at work since November
1. this year. looking up the names of
deserving children, and, through the
generosity of kind-hearted friends.
most of whom do not even know her
personally, has her home stacked with
little toys, dolls and other joy-bringing
gifts. to be delivered Christmas morn
ing by that prince of good fellows, the
gray-clad mailman.
Celebration of Unique Character.
A celebration of unique sort is
scheduled for Christmas eve by the
clerks employed in the Office of the
chief clerk of the bureau OF engraving
and printing. Its originator is Miss
Mary A Carpenter, and persons con-
nected with the bureau have pointed
out that the plan might prove an excel
lent one for other governmental de-
partments. for both fun and charity are
incorporated in it.
During the week these clerks have
been buying small gifts Of sort
suited for children. All the names of
the employees are to be put in hat:
each one draws a name. and then con-
tributes to the person in charge of the
Christmas tree a small gift to go to
the bearer of the name drawn. Late
this afternoon these gifts will be dis
tributed, to the merriment of the gath
ering and with the good wishes of the
donors Then. when the fun is all
over. the presents will be contributed
to some children's home or institution,
and If any are still left, as is thought
extremely probable, these will go to
the Santa Claus Girl. A small toy or
gift from one man or woman to anoth-
er may contain the point of good
Jest, it is pointed out, but. the Jest
having passed, the little remembrance
of itself may bring joy to some small
heart.
Fort Myer Program.
Apparently nowhere does the Christ
mas spirit beat higher than under the
blouses of Uncle Sans soldiers. Over
at Fort Myer the cavalrymen and the
field artillery troops have planned big
Christmas tree for the afternoon of the
Tuesday after Christmas for the benefit
of the children of the enlisted men of
the post, the children of the retired
soldiers, and those of the men now on
duty in the Philippines.
The tree will be placed in the gym
he of
mittee made up of wives of the various
officers at the post. including Mrs. Hugh
L. Scott. Mrs. Menoher. Mrs. Glasgow
and Mrs. Sturgis-
retary of the Y. NJ Z. A. will read the
Scripture lesson and give a short ad
dress, while the 5th Cavalry Band will
render special musical program which
has been arranged by Chief Musician
Kane.
Various Washington merchants have
contributed to the list of presents to
be hung on the tree. which later will
be distributed among the children
To Make Lonely Ones Forget.
II there is a girl or woman in Wash
ington Christmas day who may not get
to that home far away. members of the
Y W. c. A. want to know it. They
have planned to make the absent one
forget that lonely feeling and enjoy an
old-fashioned Christmas as their
guest at the association building, GIG
18th street northwest
aiennb nbers have arranged Il varied pro-
gram and the lonely working girl who
is tired and wonders what, mother and
dad and the children are doing down
home" is going to be made to feel "at
home il she accepts the invitation OF
members. a turkey dinner VIII be
served and each member is entitled to
bring one guest to share the feast.
The women's Christian Association.
1919 18th street northwest, will cele-
brate Christmas with a tree bea ing
gifts for all the household. A turkey
dinner will be served later. when each
member OF the family may entertain
q guest
Provision for the Poor.
Five organizations have alone planned
10 supply no fewer than 1000 poor fam
ilies Of the District with their Christ
mas dinners, and il is estimated that
easily q thousand more Will be re-
Inembered by miscellaneous organiza-
tions. Almas Temple. Mobiles of the
Mystic Shrine. plans to distribute 500
Christmas dinner baskets. The Saliva
tion Army will give 500. in addition to
presents and a Christmas entertain
ment to a thousand children. Central
Union Mission is preparing to distrib-
ute 500 baskets and feed 400 people
at its headquarters. The Gospel Mis-
sion will probably send out 500 bas-
kets Of good cheer" and feast an
equal number in its own home. Cen
trail Union Mission also has planned a
Christmas tree. while the Gospel Mis-
sion will have two
The Boy Scouts have been modified
for the occasion and members are hard
at work toward the accomplishment
of good deeds" for some poor person
of their acquaintance. Their motto OF
''one a day goes double for Christ
mas
Services in Churches.
Special services in nearly all of ths
churches are, OF course. a feature. with
midnight masses Friday a speciality in
the greater portion OF the Catholic
houses of worship. Several churche,
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