Evening star., 1924-12-24
PRESIDENT T0LEAD
YULET|DE SERVICE
IN CITY TONIGHT
Carol Singing at White House
Feature Event on Open
ing Program.
TREE WILL BE LIGHTED
AT Bpm. BY COOLIDGE
Many Destitute Made Happy bv
Gifts From Civic and
Church Bodies.

Church Bodies.
The night before Christmas will finl
the National Capital, from the Pres
dent down to the tiniest wide-eysd
tot, heralding with song, church SER p
ice and dignified festfvity the peacc
and good will that help to make thie
a mighty good old world, after all.
Setting an example for a nation t.
emulate, President and Mrs Coolidss
will join with the plain citisenry i,
a great old-fashioned communit =
celebration just without the Whit.
House gates, later 10 lift their voice
with their fellow men and women ~.
the singing of Christmas carols in the
shadow of the White House itself
The dual ceremony will serve as L
signal for similar celebrations IL
other parts of the city and It's Ell
Yirons, ranging from community en-
tertainments to the fndividualistic ana
tme-honored customs of hanging up
the stockings, peeping from beneath
the nursey covers at Santa Claus
trimming the tree, and trying 70 clos
recalcitrant eyes for the big denous
ment of the morrow,
Destitute Aided,
And as night draws her mantle over
the city, club members, mission 1-orl.-
ers and charity dispensers in gen
eral will go to their slumbers witt
the comfortable knowledge that hun
dreos OF Washington's destitute mer
women and children learned this da,
that there really is a Santa Claus.
The city's official welcome to Yule-
tide and all that it means will b.
opened promptly at o'clock tonight
at the foot Of the neWly-planted
community tree in Sherman Square
to the south Of the Treasury Build
ing. Hero President Coolidge will be
formally presented with the tree b.
ovid NJ. Butler, executive secretary OF
the American Forestry Association.
In the presence Of District officials
members Of Congress and the genera'
public
President to Light Tree.
AT a. given signal the Presideu
will snap switch, which will trans
form the big spruce into q pyramid
OF sparkling lights Of amber, gree.
and red. The decorative design vse
worked out by a committee Of th.
Electric Lea que Of Washington, com
posed Of T. L. Townsend, Chairman
L. T. Souder. George B. Colbeck. 7.
2. Harrington, @. NJ. Marsh and c. Z
Mangan.
Community singing of Christina 3
carols will follow the dedication for
malitieS at the tree, this part OF the.
program being arranged by the Com
munity Center Department Of the
public schools. Robert Lawrence will
lead the singing.
President and Mrs. Coolidge will
leave the community tree at o'clocs.
to join in the carol singing In the
White House grounds. There the
vested chorus choir of the First Con
gregational Church of about 70 voices,
under the leadership of Ruby Smit-,
Stahl, viii render a program os
carols, and will lead the communits
in the singing of the more familiar
carols.
Voices Carry Far.
Last year it was discovered that
the front porch OF the White House
acted as a sounding board, so that
solo parts, delicate shadings, soft
passages, as well as full volume o.
the chorus, were perfectly heard far
beyond the White House grounds
A unique feature will be the open
ing carol, Christmas Bells" the
words and music Of which have been
written by Rev. DIR. Jason Noble
Pierce, pastor Of the First Congre-
gational Church. DR.. Pierce has dedi-
Gated this carol to Mrs. Coolidge, and
she will hear it for the first time
this evening.
The front porch of the Executive
Mansion will be specially Illuminated.
Charles T. Ferry will be at the plano
Gnl0 ITO will 10 n hN- PYYhIs
Smith Stahl, soprano; Goldie D.
Hutchins, contralto; Hilbert d.
Krater, tenor, and John H Marville,
bass. The chorus will be assisted
by buglers and flute from the United
States Marine Band.
Program OF Carols.
The program of carols to be sul4
follows: Bells Of Christmas" THE
First Noel Sleep, Holy Babe" "An--
gels We Have Heard on High "Silent
Night, Holy Night" shepherds
Christmas Song" God Rest You
Merry Gentlemen" "A Joyful Christ
mas Song" 20 Little Town of Bethle
hem" Come, All .Ye Shepherds" "The
Babe in Bethlehem's Manger Laid"
ITO Us Is Born Emmanuel" 20 Come,
All Ye Faithful"
Church Services
Church services before and at mid
night in many of the churches of the
city will conclude the community observ-
ance Of Christmas eve. All of the Cath
Ollie churches will hold midnight masses
and early morning masses tomorrow.
Every charitable organization ir
Washington Is carrying out today some
program Of relief for the needy. Hun
dreds Of baskets Of groceries, clothing
and toys are being sent out from mis-
sions, churches and various relief head
quarters.
Mrs. Coolidge is assisting personally
in this work. Al Keiths Theather this
morning she took part in the dIstribu-
tion by the Central Union Mission OF
more than a thousand bags OF food to
poor children, and this afternoon she is
to act as hostess with the Salvation
Army in giving out the first several
bags of goodies at the army's audi
torium, 606 e street. More than $50
bags OF food, each with dinner enough
for five persons. were made up.
/. The Gospel Mission, on John Mar
shall place. began today its program
Of supplying Christmas cheer to about
a thousand destitute families or in
dtviduals. Scores of baskets of food
are being carried to worthy homes.
The Full Gospel Assembly, at 10th
and the Avenue, sent out today nearly
a hundred baskets of food purchased
by members of the congregation. or
donated by merchants. William 3.
Payne was chairman OF the committee