The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1920-12-18

Is learned penny picture portraying
the period of Jesus's life just studied
Is given as a reward. Even the little
tots are taught about the Christ Child
We do this by means of pictures. The
cardboard is cut into pieces and the
children are required to reconstruct
them. When this is done the story of
the Christ Child is told them and a
reward is given them"
Wrote a "Life of Christ"
In order that the lessons might be
uniform and pursued in sequence, Miss
Merrick has written a short Life of
Christ in lecture form to be used by
instructors. There are thirty-three
lectures in the book, which was pub
lished in 1909 and for which Cardinal
Gibbons wrote the introduction. In
terspersed among the lectures are
questions from the Baltimore cate
chism. ..
AS Miss Merrick fingers the pages
OF her book, explaining each. of the
points illustrated, or as she runs
through the details of each step in the
advancement of the work of the Christ
Child, she impresses you more and
more as human dynamo. Her energy,
her enthusiasm is contagious. A hun
| dred details of organization, of expan-
sion and of plans for the future are
recOunted as she simply loses herself
in her subject.
mo, our work is not professional"
she says. Everybody who works for
the Christ Child does so voluntarily.
We never undertake any work that
another society is organized to
carry out. We only do what we know
is needed. The first fresh-air farm
ever founded in Washington was the
| Christ Child's. A few years ago, in
| 1914, the need for this work was so
great that we bought our own farm,
thirteen acres, near Silver Springs, in
Maryland. We can give hundreds of
children an outing here each sum-
mer."
Health Work of Society.
Another step was the establishment
of the dental clinics and the health
and hygiene committee Through the
cooperation of trained nurses, minor
conducted to and from hospitals
Eyeglasses, braces, crutches and in
valid chairs are provided. But in
every case care has been taken to
overlap the work of no existing or.
ganization and always the model of
the Christ Child is kept before the
little ones.
Membership in the Christ Child So.
ciety is open to everyone. The first
branch outside Washington was estab.
lished at the Cathedral in Baltimore
in 1904. Today there are thriving
branches in Charlestown, s. c.; Chi
cago, ILL.,; Cincinnati, Ohio; Cleveland
Ohio; Davenport, Ohio; Detroit, Mich
Jacksonville, Fla; Ellicott City, Md
Madison, Wis; Lewiston, Idaho; Mo
bile, New York, Philadelphia, Pitts
field, Mass, and St. Paul, Trinity Col
lege, Brookland and New Rochelle
College, New York, also have branches
Indicative of the rapid growth and
present necessity for more ample &C
commodations in Washington is the
fact that the society recently acquired
a handsome and commodious struc
ture, the former home of Rear-Ad
miraE Robley D. Evans.
Contributing members of the society
make an annual contribution, the
amount optional. Sewing members
make garments to be distributed
Active members aid for two hours E
week in settlement. All members
agree to give one child a happy Christ
mas by supplying the little petitioners
requests, as contained in a letter tt
the Christ Child. Four dollars, SEN
to the treasurer, Mrs. Charles P. Neill
1856 Macomb street, Washington, will
send poor child to the Christ Child
farm with it's green grass and run
ming streams and all its health-givins
pleasures for a week.
But Miss Merrick has not only
helped through the Christ Child So
ciety. There are many grown-ups
dispirited, weary Of the cares of life
ofttimes invalids like herself, VIII,
have found new hope and inspiration
and energy from the knowledge o
what she has been doing.
\ One of Her Disciples.
One of these sufferers she helpet
was a New York girl, Helen Nam
mack. For some months Helen Nam
mack had been corresponding will
Miss Merrick as to the formation 0
branch. Then Miss Merrick foun,
out that this girl, like herself, was al
invalid and inspired by what she ha'
read of the Christ Child had been in
spired to do something herself. He
branch was soon one of the most -four
fishing. Another ambition of Helel
Nammack was to go to Athens an
stand in the ruins of the Areopagus
whence st. Paul had talked to tn
! lAthenians. This. Miss Merrick will
, tell you, she was able to accomplis
before she died a few years ago.
tt Perhaps, before your departure, 20
J will have asked to see the Laetar