The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-12-25
Best People on Earth Santa
Claus to Poor.
Every Child Received Presents
This Morning at Club.
BIG LODGE ROOMS PACKED
,phe Affair Most Successful
Ever Put on Here.
Negro Children Remembered as
Well as White Ones.

For Topeka kiddies, all streets this
morning leC to the Elks building,
Seventh and Jackson streets. The
master saint of merriment gladness,
mercy and celebration presided there
In the parsonage of the B. P. Q. E.,
conceded the Best People On Earth,
and thru proxy Of Lieut.. Paul Movers,
he appeared in the great auditorium
Of the club rooms while hundreds of
childred packed the seats, crowded the
stairways. the parlors, the Railways
and the library,
Long before the time-10 o'clock
came for the opening of the room
where great Christmas tree, glitter
ing with countless lights and decora-
tious and 1900 bags of candy and
stocking caps had been placed, the
children began pouring down Seventh
street from Kansas avenue. Some
came poorly and thinly clad, their
faces blue but their eyes as bright
and snappy as the perfect Christmas
air. Others came on crutches, some
cripples unable to walk were carried
by mothers, relatives or friends. And
those on crutches never welded them
more lively than when going up the
ps from the street into the build
ing Those more comfortably dressed
and more blesse, by possession of
expectant. Every pair of lips curved
in a smile and glow of happiness
shone from every pair of eyes.
Crowded All Rooms.
At 10 O'Clock the doors were opened
and the endless stream of children
swarmed in. Hundreds came from the
lobby of the National hotel, where
they had been sent to keep out of the
cold The library was the first room
filled More came. The parlOrs were
thrown open. That filled up in less
time than it would take to tell it and
the great hall was crowded, while
scores had been allowed to go up
stairs to the auditorium where the
trees and gifts met the gaze of eager
eyes.
Ceremonies began with a short ser
vice and every child was given a tiny
American flag. With Mrs. w. o. An
dorson in charge and Gordon's orches-
ira furnishing the music, the children
sang The Holy City" Then they
waved the flags. stood up and sang
1.-THE Star Spangled Banner" Those
on crutches clutched their supports
with one hand and waved the flags
with the other.
Lieutenant Mowers, Santa Claus by
proxy, passed among the little tots
and greeted them while the women
passed out the gifts. Lieutenant
Movers leaves tomorrow for his as
signment under sealed orders. Each
child received a stocking cap, and a
sack containing candy, nuts, an apple
and an orange. Then sthey passed
into the dining room where in
''sh fits" they were served ice cream
and cake and other goodies. Jessie
Elliott handed every child a ticket
good for a picture show this after
noon Albert Patten presented each
with a street car ticket that none
might walk home.
All Gone at Noon.
By noon the gifts had been Cleaned
up and the dining room closed. Thru
the Elks. who followed their custom
which has been observed year after
year not child in the city has been
without a Christmas remembrance.
Thea affair this year was probably
the most successful ever. More gifts
We're given out More children were
made happy.
Those in charge of the affair de-
serve much credit for its success. w
O. Anderson, as exalted ruler of the
lodge, of course kept an eve on the
entire preparations. A. d. Birch was
general chairman and saw to it that
nothing was overlooked. Mrs. Arthur
Hodgins trimmed the tree and was in
charge of decorations and dining
room. Mrs. Anderson looked after
the music and a number of other
things.
Negro Children Remembered.
Down at Garfield school. with col
ored children as guests and with the
assistance of the federation of col
ored women's clubs, the scene at Sew
entb and jackson was duplicated in
spirit, while hundreds of negro chill
dren received gifts from the Elks.
Each negro child received instead
of a stocking cap pair of stockings
The "goodie" bags were duplicated.
each one containing nuts, apples,
oranges and candy. The program fol-
lowed was almost a duplicate of that
ut the El<s building
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