Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-30
Curtis WILL HEAD
| COMMUNITY YULE
TREE COMMITTEE
Vice President Will Invite
Hoover to Turn on Lights
Christmas Eve.
TIME OF CEREMONIES
CHANGED TO 5 O'CLOCK
Efforts Will Be Made to Provide
More Singers of Carols as
Part of Program.

Vice President Curtis will be national
chairman of the National Committee
for the National Community Christmas
Tree, which will be lighted south of the
Treasury Christmas eve, it was an
nounced today at the first meeting of
the Executive Committee for the
Christmas tree celebration. Mr.. Curtis
Willingness to serve as the national
chairman was given this morning prior
to the executive groups meeting in
the Franklin School Administration
Building.
In his position as national chairman.
the Vice President will invite President
Hoover to light the tree thus signaling
to the Nation the advent of the Christ
mas holiday.
Time of Exercises Changed.
At the initial meeting of the execu-
tive group today it was decided to hold
the tree-lighting exercises at o'clock
Christmas eve afternoon, instead of
at pm, as formerly. The time was
advanced, it was explained, in order to
afford more Office workers an oppor-
tunity to attend the celebration on their
way home, instead of requiring them to
return to the park at the later hour.
1t was also pointed out that the
o'clock hour would offer less conflict
with home dinner programs and would
permit larger number of persons to
attend.
AS formerly the exercises will be
broadcast over Nationwide hook-up
Of radio stations, provided the Presi-
dent lights the tree, as he has done in
other years.
Every effort will be made to provide
more singers of Christmas carols as
part of the program, the Executive
Committee decided. Mrs. Gertrude A,
Lyons, president of the District Of CO.
lumbia Federation of Music Clubs, was
authorized to undertake to obtain four
different groups of singers.
Tentatively, the singers probably will
be chosen from the colleges, the
churches, the Americanization School
and the Federation OF Music Clubs.
Committee to Spend $500.
The Executive Committee agreed to
spend $500 for the civic celebration out
of the Community Chest fund for that
purpose.
The members Of the Executive Com
mittee, virtually all of whom attended
the first meeting, are Mrs. Elizabeth K.
Peoples, director of the Community
Center Department, chairman: Ovid
ISOLATION, Lieut.. F. B. Butler, public
buildings and public parks; Charles P.
Clark, American Automobile Associa-
ton; Miss Dorothy Green, Girl Scouts:
Mrs. L. w. Hardy, Community Center
Department; DR.. George c. Havenner,
president of the Federation of Citizens
Associations; A. F. E. Horn, Electric
League of Washington; Col. E. L. Mat
tice, Boy Scouts; Capt. Ray G. Mont
gomery, park police; Mrs. Gabrielle
Pelham, Community Center Depart
ment; Maj. Gen. P. D. Glassford,
metropolitan police; Miss Sibyl Baker,
Fairgrounds Department; DR.. George
H Richardson, president of the Fedora
ton of Civic Associations; M. Curry
Turpin, Electric League; Miss Bess
Davis Shreiner. Community Center De-
partment; Curtis A. Hodges director Of
the Greater National Capital Commit
tee; George Offutt, president Board Of
Trade; Harry King, president Chamber
of Commerce; Mark Lansburgh, presi-
dent Merchants & Manufacturers As
ISOLATION; A. c. Case, chairman Greater
National Capital Committee; DR.. Paul
Evans, president Washington Florists
Club, and Mrs. Lyons.