The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1918-02-03
Lent to Make
Little Change in
Social Activities
DEAR SUSAN:

DEAR SUSAN:
One begins now to hear talk OF Ash
wednesday, February 13, and the
penitential season. but 1 suspect thst
this year the coming OF Lent will
make less difference in Washington's
social activities than ever before. So
clety folk are busy enough in all con-
science, but most OF their diversions,
knitting teas, lectures, concerts, Sen
ate gallery parties, etc, have already
q distinctly Lenten favor, and not
even in the good old DAYS when to
dance in Lent was 10 be disgraced,
did society frown upon the dinner
parties which have been the social
salvation of the hostess this season.
To be sure a number Of dances are
being crowded into the ten days which
remain before Ash Wednesday,. but
with the exception OF the masquer-
ode dance Of the debutantes on Fri
day-quite the most picturesque party
Of the sesson--and Mrs. Harry Leon
ards dance for Louise Theron last
evening. they are all charity balls.
And nowadays. apparently the preju
dice against dancing in Lent is no
stronger than the prejudice against
dancing-foT the sake OF dsncing-at
other times; for the "camoutiage
BALI" which is being arranged by
the camoufiaEe corps on duty at the
American Uaiv ersity Camp in collsbor
alton with Neighborhood House, has
been put of from February TO March
G. But perhaps that's mi-oareme, mid
Lent, when certain deviations from
the straight and narrow path of
church going and Lenten observance
have always been permitted. Count
IL I'D and see. The last "administra-
. ton dance" was so successful. ! hear,
that If is to be repeated, probably on
ShroVe Tuesday.
President Changes His
PIAce Of Worship.
speaking OF churches, I see that
the President and Mrs. Wilson. have
given up the pew in st. AIargsret's
uaodestly marked THE Hon. Woodrow
wilson which has been theirs since
their marriage, and which they have
occupied together whenever they at
tended service in an Episcopal church,
Mrs. Wilson frequently accompanying
the President to the Presbyterian
church OF which he is a member.
Now. the papers would have 1t. they
have transferred their allegiance to St.
Johns Church and are occupying the
pew which has been sacred TO the Presi-
dents Of IN. United States since Presi-
dent NoRrse's day. when the chuFch
was built. This is doubtless true. but ]
think they have so far occupied il just
once on a Sunday several weeks ago.
And that, IL ! remember correctly. was
the hTst time the President entered the
church for purposes OF worship, al
though. OF course, he's been TO several
weddings there.
He was TO have attended the centen-
nial celebration held at St Johns a year
or two ago, but retired from The pro-
gram owing to press Of important en-
Eagements." At the time the gossips
would have It that the fact that Senator
Lodge, who had recently delivered q
Philippe against the Administration,
was also scheduled TO speak, had some
thing 10 do with his decision.
-
One wonders now why the President
and Mrs. Wilson should change over to
St Johns unless because it's more con-
months before her marriage to the
President, Mrs. Wilson, then Mrs. Gait,
wa. a communicate at st. Thomas
Church. with which the Gait family
were connected. Then she changed over
10 St Margarst's where her own family,
the BolIinEs have a pew. It was the
rector Of ST. AiaTGsret's, the Rev. LIT.
Herbert Scott Smith. who officiated II
the marriage OF the President and Mrs.
Wilson