Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1917-12-21
CHRISTMAS MORNING
MUSIC FESTIVAL
For All Americans Everywhere
Grasp he Idea
A SUGGESTION
AT 9 A. NJ. Join The Endless Chain
Chorus In Singing
America"


: Christmas--and hundreds of thou
| ands of American fathers, sons and
brothers away from home. Away
from the music-the laughter-the
Christmas love and lhe Christmas
| cheeri
| Here is world-circling idea which
music workers and music lovers can
employ to bring all Americans all over
the world closer TO each other and
closer to our glorious ideals at this
momentous hour in our national his
tory.
1t is simply this. Let us have on
Christmas morning a chorus in which
| everyone who rejoices in the name
American may take part-a chorus
I that will sing itself around the world
"a Christmas morning music festival
for all Americans everywhere-th
| festival to be held entirely without
expense and with no more prepara-
| ton than remembering it,
AT nine o'clock next Christmas
morning, the day of all the year when
American home ties are strongest,
let all Americans, no matter where
they are gathered together-around
the fireside, on the training ground,
| in the chapel, on the battleship, in
| the trenches, in the hospitals, on the
street, in the cars, everywhere-joi
in great chorus or endless chain of
choruses singing America" until the
thought of our blessings in the sweet
Of xryflI min a
globe.
In what better way can we bring
together in Christmas spirit those
brave souls at home and in service?
Is it not the glorious privilege of
every music lover to work for this?
Many will want TO go on with some
of the dear Christmas carols and songs
which bring good cheer and rich
promise on Christmas morning. Let
every instrumentalist join in Let
the bells of every church ring out.
Let all America sing as it has never
sung before =
Think what this will mean on
Christmas Day, 1917, in thousands of
American homes where there will be
empty chairs-chairs of heroes fight
ing for you and me "over there"
How can this be done? How can
the glad tidings of this worldwide
Christmas musical festival be spread
quickly enough?
First of all-talk about it. Talk
about it to everyone you meet. Tell
them to watch the clock on Christ
mas morning and at nine start to sing
MY Country 'tis of Thee" Tell them
that they are members of the great
chorus of Christmas cheer that is sing
ing itself around the world to bring
together on this Christmas the minds
and hearts of all Americans. Tell
them that it is to give courage and
confidence to our boys ''over there"
and JOY and pride and comfort in the
souls of all who stay at home.
See the school teachers and the local
boards as well as all the clubs in your
neighborhood and ask them to make
announcements.
Have talk with your clergyman.
His enthusiasm will be invaluable.
Ask him to have the church bell rung
for FIVE minutes on Christmas morn
ing, at nine o'clock.
In every letter you write, whether
to a soldier at the front or to an ac
quaintance, take a few lines to tell
them that you will be with them in
the spirit of our American Christmas
! at nine o'clock on Christmas morning.
Do it yourself. Waiting for some
one else to do it means that it may not
get done Wake up in the morning
thinking about it and do not go to rest
until you have done something toward
| IT,
Colossal optimism and undaunted
courage is the need of the hour-cour-
age in the home quite as much as the
| field. This will be felt keener on
this Different from all Christmases"
than ever before.
Musiciansl You who may have been
| wondering what you can do through
your art in the great hour of need,
here is an opportunity. Let US pray
that it will make every American
| heart stouter and more determined,
| that it will give us courage to so con-
| tinue this great fight for glorious
principle of freedom, that Peace on
Earth" the real Christ thought, will
be here in fact before another Christ
mas comes
| With hearts thrilled with rapture
and fratitude for the blessings that
America has brought to all Of us,
though our eyes be jeweled with tears
let us all join in this great chorus to
exalt our ideals and our love of the
homeland Nav we never forget nine