Evening star., 1919-12-30
SANTAG|VESGALA
FETE TO OCH|LDREN.
Of 0FD.C.POL|CEMEN
Wardman Park Hotel L
Thrown Open, Society
Folk Aiding in Gayety.

Thrown Open, Society
Folk Aiding in Gayety.
If old Santa Claus ever put his per-
sonal business into the hands of any
better agents than Mrs Thomas F.
Walsh ana Harry Wardman. the chill
dren Of Washington would like to
know about it. Mr.. wardman just
opened the doors Of Wsxdman Park
Hotel ana said to all OF the children
Of the men Of the police in WASH
ington force, "Come right in. the
house 10 yours. and IL there is not
en- enough at this sd .nfe e. the eree nets a
the house would have been turned
over to Mrs. Walsh, had she request
ed 1t, and she ana Mr.. Wafdman, with
q large corps Of able assistants car
ried of one of the most successful
and brilliant affairs ever given in
Washington.
Demonstration In Afternoon.
There was a joyous demonstration
for the police force of the capital
yesterday when in the afternoon a
great Christmas tree WAS lighted, a
present given to every girl and boy
whose father 10 in the service, as well
a. tnoS0 whose IAtheEe oleu III tue
service The shower of gifts was
prefaced by a diversified program Of
artistic and highly humorous fea-
lures, while at night official and resi-
dent society and smart society folk
who have scarcely danced at any 9TH
ovation for the police benefit fund.
More than an hour before the ap-
pointed time in the afternoon automo-
biles began to wind up the drive of
WardmAn Park Hotel and unload their
burden of mothers and children. while
outgoing trip. At o'clock strange
and beautiful picture was seen. On
the corridor floors over which the
fashionable folk dance each night,
we're dozens OF groups OF pretty chill
dren in pretty dresses and gay hair
with Once Upon Time" tales rat
ting from their tongues like words
Of gold. The band from Fort Myer
doomed away with it's merriest music,
but above the sound of the instru-
ments and the hundreds OF human
voices the children still inched close
enough to the narfator to hear.
Ecatertained In TAeather.
From the corridors the children and
improvised theater on the ground
floor. and just when they were begin
ming to think they had been cheated
out of something, a gay clown. Percy
Oliver, dashed down the aisle, scat
tering the youngstere on either side,
and gave q most credftable perform-
ance. H. n. Mansfield of the bicycle
toonist, dashed or pictures on the
blackboard In white and colors that
set the Riddles wild with glee. There
was quartet singing and moving pic.
lures. and. finally. the Christmas
pageant directed by Mrs. Maud Howell
Smith. assisted BY Miss Bess Davis
Schrine. wound its way down the
Christmas celebration as the children
OF the Druids marked the season.
Santa Leads to Christmas Tree.
The pageant, headed BY Santa Claus
finally led the hundreds OF little ones
and their mothers-And . whole 10,
OF fathers, too-to the next floor
where the Christmas tree stood with
its hundreds Of gayly colored electric
paiDs fiintinG on vast expAnse OF
tinseled ornaments. The corridor with
It's lofty pillars was decorated with
holly and Christmas green and soft
shaded lamps added to the erect.
Fred Parker was a Santa Claus
worth while. dispensing spicy re.
marks adapted to childish ears with
the gifts. II there was any disil-
lusionment in the minds OF the chill
personality they were satisfied with
the exchange.
1000 CAilaren Receive cifts.
Fully q thousand children rece,ved
gifts from the hands OF the commit.
tee. directed by Mrs. EfinEham Law.
rence Townsend, who had on he,
Christmas tree committee:
Nine. Sol. Mrs. H II. Rousseau. Mrs
Claude Mayo. Mrs. Mcchord. Mts
Mrs. John Biddle, Mrs. walter Tuck.
ermAn, Mrs. Henry Price Wright, Mis-,
Yvonne Townsend, Miss GLADYS Hlnck.
ley, Miss Katharine Hill, Mrs. Ran,
dolph Minor and Mrs. John Biddle.
f.st thd did yo. sstr vas ratslsS Of
fairly fiew as the little fingers soughi
the mysteries Of the packages. The
problem faced by such q situation
was how to get the present un-
wrapped. eat the great block Of cake
And suck the stick Of candy all ct one
would have kept cfossing "cop' a
his wits ends to solve the problem.
Old Santa Claus never received 9
thousand children in such shor,
space Of time before, ana never pref
tier or happier ones. Mothers accom-.
piness was a compliment to woman
kind. AZ they assisted their own and
every one else's children during the
entertainment.
Many Aided Success.
Among those who helped make the
afternoon . success were: Miss Jean
Bauske. Miss Frances H. Brady. Fred
Parker, who. played the role of SAINTS
Claus: Percy Oliver, the clown; r. H
Mansfield, a member OF the police
force, who delighted the children with
his cartoons; the Crescendo Quartet
Miss Ruth Colman, the beautiful
queen Of the peacock, who also waa
in charge Of the girls in the pageant
Miss Pauline Graf, Miss Alice Haines
Miss Thelma Thompson, woodward
Youngs. in charge Of the boys in the
pageant; Charles Graff, Hewitt Col.
Inns. Allen ColmAn. Thomas Dixon
Guy Harper, Donald Lee and Roland
Lyon. Miss Alice Roach, disguised a.
brown bear. wandered among the
hundreds Of children. creating much
merriment. Music was furnished by
the Fort Myer Orchestra.
More than 40 per cent Of the people
OF Great Britain could not write their