The Winslow mail., 1926-01-01
SANTA CLAUS
MAKES VISIT
TO ALL KIDS
OF WINSLOW

| Never before in the history Of
Winslow was more varied and
elaborate program arranged for the
observance of Christmas. Every
child and grown person had oppor-
tunity to enjoy the several events
which began with the municipal
tree on the main corner of town
Christmas eve. The instrumental
! music and carols under direction of
j. P. Lee land the impersonation of
Santa Claus by Bert Steinert made
the celebration and the presenta.
tion of the 900 gifts an affair long
to be remembered. Christmas af-
ternOOn the cantata sung by about
70 voices at the Washington school
auditorium was heard an enjoyed
by more than 300 persons. Each or
the churches prepared and rendered
celebrations, and the Elks lodge
gave a free matinee for the chill.
dren at the Opera House.
Probably the most heartily en-
joyed Christmas celebration was
the double tree prepared by and
for the Laguna and Hopi Indian
employees of the roundhouse, an ac-
count of which is given by Charles
Erickson, who made a speech dur
ing the evening on "The Yesterday
and Today of the Indians" Mr..
Erickson's account, in his own in
imitable style, follows:
Christmas eve was also uniquely
celebrated by the roundhouse In
dians at their camp west of the
shops. At 500 o'clock every fam
lily was present in their "commun.-
ity hail. as well as many visitors
from the reservations. Strange as
it may seem, even as with the
"palefaces, the 25th of December
is day anxiously awaited, and if
anything, is accepted with a little
more genuine spirit by the 'f1rst
Americans"
AS ever, the unequalled natural
trait OF hospitality was manifest
in the very courteous manner in
which the visitors, whether white,
black, red or yellow, were ushered
to comfortable seats.
Joe Kie, a refined and likeable
chap, opened the program with
splendid talk in his own language
wherein he explained the reason
of rejoicing on Christmas day.
Heep big chief Charles Kie follow
ed with another good talk and next
came Pete Martin, governor of the
local colony, whose remarks were
likewise elevating and seeming
well appreciated,
Then the steady beat of a tom
tom was heard and several semi
naked Hopi boys entered, marched
to the front of the audience and
gave short representation of an
old fashioned dance that was
"strutted' when Christopher CO.
lumbus was a little boy. When these
entertainers had retired, in Dame
a half dozen Laguna dancers, all
"dolled up in beautiful glowing
feather head-dresses and rich col
ored costumes Charles Brown
and his troupe surely can shake
a wicked foot"
At about half past nine the jingle
of sleigh bells was family heard in
the distance. Then silence and fin
ally the hum of an automobile,
which stopped outside the door and
then in from the chilly night air
came jolly old st Nick well, here
am my good friends with real
hearty Merry Christmas to every
one he exclaimed as, loaded with
an overf1owing bag of toys, he
made his way to the two large pine
trees in the far end of the hall
pausing now and then to tenderly
pinch sparkling eyed little Indian
childs cheek, and shake hands with
the larger ones. Giving the we'll
decorated trees the "once over" he
continued, Because l have so very
many places to visit l appointed
several nice young men to trim
your trees and they certainly did
we'll" And truly they were credit
ably arranged. Regular Christmas
tree lights shown through branches
weighted down with scores of pres
ents while the larger gifts were
neatly placed around the foot of
the trees and coaster wagons, tri-
cycles and etc, hung on the pret-
tily adorned walls.
"It is with great pleasure" went
on Santa Claus, who was none 9TH
er than our highly educated friend
Eli Beardsley, that l report the
Indian boys and girls of Winslow
have been exceptionally good chill
dren the past year. The snow ran
out before 1 got all the way here
so I had to leave my reindeer and
come by auto, but l have awarded
you we'll And now folks | will
leave my assistants to finish dis
tributing the gifts as l must go to
Joe City, Holbrook and down into
| the Apache country tonight, so
again I wish Merry Christmas to
all and to all good night
About an hour was consumed by
the committee, composed of Joe
Kie, Earnest Yasteya, Andy Rod
riquez and Henry and George AGO.
yaa, in passing out the dainty wrap
ped packages. after which Harold
Youkti and his Hopi dancers put
on a Navajo clown dance which
coniured up much laughing.
Among the visitors to enjoy the