Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1921-12-28
CHRISTMAS
Barton Has Community Tree and
Carol Singing. Churches also
Celebrate.

Barton's community Christmas tree
fathered by the Improvement club, is
one of the most perfect trees and one
of the best lighted public trees one
has ever seen, and it still stands in
the park for all to admire in its many
colored lights, each evening.
But the tree did not create so great
joy in so many hearts as did the
carol singing on Saturday night, di-
rected by Prof. Burnham, and backed
by the, Junior Red Cross of Barton.
Those most directly responsible for
this work are Mrs. N. R. Underwood,
Miss Marion Carter and Miss Chap
man, and to w. E. Hanson must be
given much credit for he furnished
conveyance for the 20 young people
who for two hours sang to the shut
ms in different parts of the town.
Tears of gratitude and appreciation
came to many eyes where the carol
and spreading joy with their voices.
To six Junior Red Cross boys is Civ
en- the credit for the wreaths, but
the girls of that organization made
scrap books and stuffed animals and
candy boxes which went to deserving
children in the South Barton district
and about town. After the carolers
/ had made the rounds of the town,
-inging to score of sick shut-ins,
hey were served sandwiches and hot
cocoa in the club rooms before going
| to the park near the community tree
and singing again for those assem-
hled about the park. Several mem
bers of the band also played. The
night being cold not a large crowd
remained outside during the entire
program.
On Friday night both the Methodist
and Congregational churches held ex-
ercises in their churches and on Sat
| in the Catholic church, Rev. FIR
| Carbeneau of Burlington being pres
ent.
| The members of the M. E. Sunday
school presented six scenes from the
Christmas story which were combined
with the singing of carols in a most
impressive Christmas service. The
Annunciation, Visit of Mary to Eliz-
abeth, the Enrolment, Herod and the
Wise Men, the Shepherds and the An
| gel, and the Manger at Bethlehem
were the scenes presented. These
were made very impressive by special
costumes and suitable stage scenery
All the spoken parts were taken from
the Bible and the action was accom-
panied by the choir singing many OF
the best known and loved Christmas
| hymns. 1t was the very general tes-
timony of an unusually large audi.
ence that it was one of the most uni
que and impressive Christmas pro-
grams seen in years.
About 200 people attended the play
''The Christmas Candle" given in the
/ Congregational church and were sur
prised and delighted with the trans
! formation of the rosSTurn~into stage
and the beautiful little play in three
acts, which depicted the change in g
modern household from the. hurried
worried Christmas without any of the
real spirit of the season to a really
enjoyable occasion. Mrs. Humphrey
as Mrs. Price, the over-worked and
anxious mother, did her part splen-
didly, while Arleen Brownlee as Jean
made a model niece whose Christmas
| beliefs changed the Price household
Fred Kinsey as Grandpa Whitney anc
Mrs. Kinsey as Miss Whitney, took
their parts to perfection. Mrs
Hutchinson as Miss Robinson, the
carol leader, brought cheer to the
! household with dozen carol singers;
| and Dorothy Gates, Robert Buck and
Fletcher Proctor as the children ot
! Mrs. Price, did the part of children ir
a natural manner. Miss Wilson
must be given credit for the training
of the cast. After the play a tree
was held for the children and pres
ents distributed from it.