Omaha daily bee., 1918-12-08

Washington
Society
Washington Bureau of Omaha Bee

. Washington, Dec. 7.-(Special.)-
Washington society is in the midst
OF its little season." which is the
six weeks preceding the opening of
the official season, and following
the return and settling for the win
ter, of the fashionable world. It is
the season OF brides and debutautes,
whose special events are all out of
the way by the time the great Off
cial world of this country, begins its
dining and receiving. In times of
peace this is January first. During
the past several years there have
been no official receptions and din
ners, save occasionally when it has
been important to entertain visiting
celebrities, or new, incoming Off
Gals or diplomats.
Now that the great official party
headed by the President and Mrs.
Wilson are well on their way to
France, the debutantes and the
brides will practically have their
own way, as to dates until probably
the end Of January, when it is be-
lived that, with the return of Fresi-
dent and Mrs. Wilson, the official
season will formally open with
reception of unprecedented brill
lance. 1t is quite likely that Miss
Margaret Wilson, who will meet her
fathers party in Paris and remain
with them during their stay in Eu-
rope, will return here with them
after her rather triumphant tour of
the camps and canteens in France.
Professor and Mrs. Samuel H.
Avery, who have been in Washing
ton for Is months, have returned to
their home in Lincoln, the former
to his position as chancellor Of the
University of Nebraska. He has been
tie chief of the division Of univer-
sity relations of the bureau of
chemical warfare. with the rank of
major and made a wonderful rec
ord. He and Mrs. Avery made
r,lny friends here where she was
busy all the time with Red Cross
and other war work. They are now
established in their former home.
An interesting arrival from Oma-
la recently is Mr.. c. II. English who
has been made head of the directors
division of activities of the war
camp community service. He was
joined here Wednesday by Mrs.
English and their tiny son of two
years, and are settled at l27 S street.
Northwest. Mr.. English has under
his division the work of athletics,
social entertainments, music, operas.
concerts and community sings. He
is also a member of the executive
staff of war camp community ser
vice.
1t was largely educ to his efforts
that the mammoth national COM
n.unity sing was succe; v car
ried out this afternoon in the II
iipse just south OF the White House.
This is the spot known for T. my
years as the White Lot, and in the
earlier days it was facetiously
known as Gen. Grants race track,
for it was he who caused the beau
tiful roadway to be built in the form
of an ellipse, and which became
fashionable and sporty drive where
horse lovers could test the speed of
their horses without fear of being
moiested by the police.
The government offices all closed
today for half day to permit the
clerks to form the mammoth chorus
for the singing of national and
familiar songs, in celebration of VIC
tory. They We're arranged as
great wheel, with the central lead
err, Mr.. Bowler, occupying the CEN
ter OF the hub, and the clerks of
the different departments occupying
the spaces between the spokes of the
wheel. Each spoke had sub-leader
and the result was one of the most
wonderful and thrilling festivals of
song ever known. While Mr.. Eng
lish himself is just music lover, both
his mother and his wife are &C
complished musicians, the later an
instrumentalist and especially a
cornetist. Moving pictures OF the
mammoth wheel chorus were taken
today, from an aeroplane.
Mrs. c. Frank Reavis, wife of the
representative from Falls City, Neb:
had a slight operation performed
on her hand recently, from which
she is recovering nicely. She and
Mr.. Reavis spent an anxious day
"Wednesday when their older son.
Lieu,. c. Frank Reavis jr. Of the
naval aviation corps made the flight
from Buffalo to Washington, his
destination being Boiling field.
Miss Helen Purcell, who has
spent the past eighteen months
with her cousin, Mrs. Susie Root
Rhodes of the playground associa-
ton, as one of the war workers
from Broken Bow has given up her
work and will not return here this
winter. She went home for vaca-
ton in the late summer, accompany
her mother after the latter's visit
here. Mrs. Purcell was taken i'll
with influenza on the homeward
trip, and has not really recovered
from the dreaded disease yet.