Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-25
By a STAFF Correspondent of The Star.

! A quiet little Main street; a few
| struggling children that do not shout
a handful of men and women wh'
murmur Merry Christmas" as the!
pass along-and La Plata is having
| its Christmas. the most unusua
| Christmas it has ever known!
Out on the edge of town, on {
knoll apart that folks do not like t.
| look upon, stands q group Of young
! pines, eerie and reminiscent In theil
| dress of weather-whipped bits OF
/ paper-a forlorn guard of TRACED,
| that stands above the splintere(
school that once housed children who
| did shout-the mute explanation Of
| the most unusual Christmas LII
| Plata has ever known.
And vet, with the tornado thai
! broke the heart of this little south
! ern Maryland town scarcely q month
and a half behind. La Plata is moi
| really sad; it is thoughtful and in It's
quiet, fervent way 1t Is joyous. Its
I fathers and mothers whose children
| were killed are happy in the convic
| ton that their babies this year are
spending their Christmas with the
Christ Child Himself. The parents OF
the youngsters who lived through
their injuries, grievous though they
were. are grateful and glad that their
children were spared them. And La
Plata's folk-at-large are CALDWELL
because it's Christmas.
Midnight Services Held.
Just around each of the three main
corners stands a little church and IN
these the people Of La Plata are pour
ing out their souls in profound Christ.
mas prayer to their God. Folks here
are religious, and the little Catholic,
Episcopal and Methodist chapels have
been the haven for their expressions
since midnight last night, when high
mass was sung in the Sacred Heart
Catholic Church and holy communion
and prayer were held in Christ Church
Episcopal.
These little churches seem to be the
center of La Plata's life and from
them, whetted perhaps by the twister
that churncd up out Of the Potomac.
the community has learned the real
lesson Of the season little more thor
oughly than II ever knew 1t. People
here are intent today-and they have
been for the past weeks-upon doing
acts of grace for each other. The
children. some Of them still limping
about on crutc hes, improvised
crutches, happily, that indicate tenn
same spirit Of unselfishness.
The youngsters here used to deco.
rate their class rooms at Christmas
time, but this year the temporary
quarters in the courthouse are bare.
Instead, their tiny fingers have
wrought from the holly and moss and
others green's they know so well per.
fectly formed wreaths that are being
placed upon the wee graves of their
playmates by the dead children's par.
ents. to whom the living had sent them
as memorial gifts.
Surrender Yule Plans,
And then the little pupils gave up
their plans for Christmas play and en-.
tertainment which they have had on
all the other years. The whole town
used to turn out for that jolly affair
but somehow none feels in the mood
for just that kind Of enjoyment today.
There Is something deeper about the
whole business. The youngsters them
selves fael it and so their Christmas
''act" was one Of an unusual sort, just
the kind that would make this the
most unusual Christmas La Plata has
ever known.
On Wednesday the remnant school
body tottered slowly around the
'shut-ins" where they raised their
TREMENDOUSLY happy voices in Christ
mas carols for the Joy Of those who
are i'll and who cannot be about at
this time. They mercifully avoided
the homes where little stockings are
not hanging from the parlor mantels
today--the homes OF their little play
mates who they know are watching
them from their Christmas party with
Him. Only the old folks and holiday
Ill were visited.
But while they are so absorbed in
doing for others this year, La Plata s
children were not passed by in the
fervent spirit Of the season that is
theirs. In truth. Christmas might
have begun the day after the hurri-
cane swept through this little town,
for gifts Of all sorts-fruit. candy,
money, toys and clothing-have fairly
poured into La Plata from all sections
of the country: But the kind donors
are remembering again that 1t is
with renewed vigor.
Directs Gift Giving.
Two boxes Of the finest oranges
ever grown in Florida have been re.
ceived from a one-time Charles County
man. He is Walter Hawkins Of Jack.
sonville, Fla, and in the letter he
sent to State Senator Walter j. Mitch
ell, who Is also chairman Of the relief
fund committee, and who is as well
editor and publisher Of La Plata's lit.
tie newspaper, Mr.. Hawkins requested
that the fruit be given to all the
school children of La Plata on Christ.
mas day--and 1t Is done.
And other children in other places
have learned the real Christmas, too.
Each of the II surviving injured chill
dren whose names were given to them
by Senator Mitchell received q dollar
and a half today from the children OF
the Westchester Consolidated School
at Della, Baltimore County.
Many other gifts such as these have
been received by Senator Mitchell
whose name has been broadcast as the
receiving medium for La Plata's chill
dren. The Senator is sitting in his
Office today with his SLOUGH hat upon
the back of his head and his thumbs
hooked comfortably in his vest peck
cts directing the Christmas party that
the countryside has made for the
youngsters. And he has a greater Job
| too, for his committee has on hand
some $4,000 which must be directed
| judiciously II 1t Is to perform the work
that remains to be done.
While Senator Mitchell goes about
l,fs xyork ~ mn ktnnr MARRY for YSa ~hi1