The Washington times., 1922-12-20
ROTAR|AN SANTA
MAKES 100000
XMAS Gifts
Club Turns Willard Into Fairy.
land for Needy Children OF
the City.

The late-sleeping gentleman In
room sss. willard Hotel. was awak-
ened at IL o'clock this morning by
the sound of horses hoofs over his
head. It was mixed with the muf.
fled thunder Of several hundred
footballs. the blaring strains OF
Nobody Lied" footing OF horns
and choruses of laughter.
Guess I've slept through till
tomorrow night and one OF those
sassiety affairs is in progress"
unused the son Of rest.
But why them horses perambu-
lating?" he suddenly added. Some
things all wrong with me or the
inn-keeper. I'll investigate" Has,
tily donning his brogans, pea jacket
and some other things he clambered
to the tenth story. peeped around
the corner Of the big. ballroom.
Wrong again; I've slept right up
to Christmas morning" he amended.
And there's the horses, all right.
Only they're ponies. Gosh. what a
blowout and what lot Of kids"
The fabulous gentleman was gaz'
ing upon nothing more or less than
the 1922 Kiddies' Christmas party
of the Rotary Club Of Washington.
He beheld the most successful ef.
fort in local Rotary's history to
provide every institution youngster,
waif or mite of poverty stricken
home with the solidest chunk of
real Yuletide cheer their lives have
known.
At Il Four Years.
The Rotarians have been at 1t
four wears. In 1921 they enter.
tanned 3,700 boys and girls not
counting their mothers. This trip
they have made provision for $500.
The big show opened at 10 a. M.
and the last present, the last ride
on the pony, the last selection by
| the orchestra, the last good wish
will not be given until 5 this after.
noon.
The kids owned everything. They
swarmed through big and little ball
rooms and cloak rooms. They rev.
| eled in the two electric.bright and
towering cedars hung with gifts.
They gorged themselves with Ice
cream and fixin's. they kidded the
clowns, they eagerly investigated
the bags pressed on them, full with
toys and goodies. Eager as is the
imagination Of childhood around
Christmasitde. none OF them could
have longed for more than they re
ceived. There were In all 10000
presents.
The side walls We're placardet
with the names Of more than 9
score of institutions, and beneath
these the delegations OF children
often rallied to exhibit to theil
friends what they had garnered
There was a lost" booth, where
| | bot nvrirkly
placated with edibles while theil
guardians were sought. Manager
Frank Hight, several hastily-im
pressed policemen and various Ro
tarians kept the lines moving to
ward the elevators.
While all members Of Washington
Rotary and their wives were busy
in preparation for the big affair
! the baby members" those of less
than a years standing, were tho
special guests. The kids were
hauled to the party in 200 auto
mobiles and the Rotary bus. In
many cases, under direction OF
Hugh Saum. chairman OF the
transportation committee, mothers
with four or five children were per.
sonally sought out and conveyed
to the Willard. AS many street
| cars az were neeueu WcTc iut
nished by the Capital Traction and
Washington Railway and Electric
Companies.
General Chairman Henry Bittip
ger was accorded the greatest praise
for supervision Of the affair. DR.
and Mrs. c. d. Swope, chairmen
respectively, of the subcommittee
on presents and invitations came ir
for as much congratulation.
Others on Committee.
Others in charge were Frank w
Ballou, Superintendent Of Schools
vice chairman; Frank N. Grigg, sec
retary and publicity man; Roland
whitehurst, treasurer and chairman
Of the finance committee, and the
following heads of subcommittee
Floor and booths, Robert Hay; amuse
ments, Robert Lawrence; tree ant
decorations, Thomas Bones; ics
| cream cones, A. G. Hermann; recep
ton, e. s. Goodloe: information, DR.
J. r. Stewart; registration, Wymont
Bradbury; tally clerk, Robert Il
Mann; doctors and nurses, DIR. ]. A
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