The Washington times., 1920-11-28
XMAS CONTEST
NEARS FINISH
Essays Must Be In BY Wednes-
day to Figure in $500
Prize Awards.

Before this time next week thir-
teen Washington school children
will have received 5000 in prizes for
writing essays on why Everybody
Should Do Their Christmas Shop
ping Early"
THREE DAYS MORE.
All Of which Is just another way
OF saying that midnight Wednesday,
December I, Is the closing hour for
the contest for the best reasons for
early Yuletide buying
Children intending entering this
contest should write their essays To-
lay because tomorrow. Tuesday and
Wednesday promise To be busy days
school after the fo,ir-day Thanks
wing holiday period. Things have
I way of equalizing themselves In
his world. and although long holi-
lay may be very fine, the teachers
have IA way OF making up for II By
assigning longer lessons after the
respite from studies. And what
school child can concentrate his OF
her mind on a big. vital, hunmanitar-
ian and economic equation like early
Christmas shopping whil. loaded
down with home work and long les
sons?
Very few grown ups could do it, 80
it IL not reasonable to expect chill
dren to. But school children are not
thus to be deprived OF the privilege
of competing for the $500 in prizes,
because they still have today TO
write their essays.
SEND MORE THAN ONE.
Some school child is going to get
500 next Thursday for the best essay
in this contest. Il might be a boy or
girl who writes his or her essay to-
day. All eligible children should en-
ter one or more essays and make
them as good as possible so as to
Heighten the chance of winning one
OF the substantial rewards. Those
who have already submitted essays
can send in as many more as they
desire Those who have not yet en-
tered the contest owe II 10 themselves
to write at least one essay,
Although thousands of essays are
already In the hands OF the Shop
Early Editor, no decision ss to their
comparative worth has been made. nor
will any be made until after midnight
Wednesday. In other words, an es-
say received at 1850 p. M. Tuesday
will have just as good chance OF
winning the first prize as one sub
mitted the first day Of the contest.
There is no reason for any child say
ing to himself or herself, "Oh, well.
it's so late now that | wouldn't have
a chance to win a prize" because this
Is not a fact. Faint heart n'er won
fair lady" and faint fingers won't
win any of the enviable prizes in this
contest,
WILL PRINT PRIZE WINNERS.
The Washington Times is interested
in developing the greatest possible
volume OF essays SO that the largest
number of reasons for doing the
Christmas shopping early may become
known. The prize-winning essays
and such others as are deemed suit
able for publication--;hat' lis essays
that carry a punch, wallop or con-
viction--will be printed so as to
stimulate interest in he early shop
ping movement.
The prizes range from $50 to $40.
The first prize Is $50 in cash, the
second $50 in cash. the third $40 in
cash. and there are ten consolation
prizes consisting OF orders for $40
worth OF merchandise.
The rules are few and simple. They
are: Every contestant must write
his name, age. address and the school
attended on the first sheet of the es-
say; the writing must be on only one
side of the paper and not more than
100 words can be used.
The essays containing the greatest
number of convincing reasons for
early Christmas shopping expressed
in the fewest words will be adjudged
the best.