Evening star., 1937-12-05
BY JESSIE FAINT EVANS.

BY JESSIE FAINT EVANS.
In Miss Helen Mason Chase, who Is
distinguished as one of the first wom-
en- to pass the examinations given by
the University of Virginia, and is in
addition of the third generation in
lineal descent of George Mason of
Gunston Hall, author of the famous
Bill Of Rights" cooperative sense
of responsibility for the welfare of
others strongly persists
Through the medium of the parish
branch Of the Church Periodical Club
at st. Marks Church, Third and A
streets Sc, Miss Chase as its chair
man, motivates the collection and
sending out of magazines, books, cards,
pictures and puzzles to those who
might not otherwise have the benefit
of this good neighbor service.
For instance, the children of St
Johns Orphanage, cooperating with
Miss Chase and the Church Periodical
Club, do their bit in helping others
by taking your last year Christmas
cards and Transforming them into
almost as good as new ones" Then
these rejuvenated cards are once again
started out on yuletide Journeys, per-
haps to some remote spot where other
wise there would have been no such
message.
Women on lonely farms, men remote
from civilization, invalids shut in by
pain, old age and intrmities, chap
lains and church workers and those
to whom good book or magazine is
release from a discouraging per-
sonal environment also have some
thing to read" because of the good Of
fees of the Church Periodical Club
which has it's central headquarters at
28l Fouth avenue New York City and
1900 branches in 80 dioceses of the
Episcopal Church.
Origin of Movement.
| The origin of the movement Miss
Chase said "is the old one of the mus
tard seed which grew and grew ano
waxed into a great tree"
In the early sos Mrs Mortimer
Fargo began sending her church paper
to a rural clergyman who could no
himself subscribe for it. The ap
preciative response to this act causee
her to call together a few friend
on January 10 1888 and with then
organized what they designated thu
Church Periodical Club
This &C. P. c." idea, as it came Il
be known. spread to other parishes
and by the time of Mrs. Fargo's deatf
in 1892 had grown until there wer'
400 branches in AZ dioceses. In tina
same year the club was incorporated
and its endowment fund was startet
as a memorial to Mrs. Fargo.
To-day" Miss Chase added, "it i
groups and institutions are on it
roster, and it is only possible to gues
at the number of individuals who's,
lives are frightened by its good Of
fees and the thought that a goo<
neighbor somewhere has reached on
a friendly hand of greeting. in tn,
way OF card, book. magazine or 1
magazine subscription
Other Work Of Club.
In addition to Christmas, ant
Easter cards, too, the Church Periodi
cal Club is eager for books of all kinds
especially recent childrens books
song books. hymnals and Bibles. Spe
cial magazines, particularly the Ma
tional Geographic. certain popula
scientific issues and boys groups ar
especially in demand. Among chill
dren, far from libraries and towns
there are always scores of unfille.
requests for science, history and fair
stories which the Church Periodical
Club in this diocese or any other vii
have absolutely no means of granting
Sometimes" Miss Chase admitted
our exchequer gets so depleted W
haven't even the stamps on hand t
mail our greeting cards or to SEN
our books and magazines on thei
way. Then they have to pile up unit
the postage or express or freight trans
portation fund is repleniShed, or som
kind donor furnishes the wherewitha
for gifts Of reading matter direct t
those who would not otherwise hav
access to the doorways of opportunit
which swing wide through the medium
OF a book or a magazine"
Mountain missions in nearby Mary
land and Virginia, and farther South
in addition to books, have been tn
grateful recipients Of victorolas ant
books Of once priced records. Dessi
cater pictures, cut-up geography map
and all manner of cut-up puzzles ar
prime favorites, too. Concerning tn
cut-up pictures, q grateful little noun
taineer wrote:
I'VE sartinly does thank you TO
them picture lovelies you sent us. 1t
the most fun seein' how long its goin
to take you to come out so as yol
match up with the pattern on the lid
| Miss Chase makes her home at 33l
Wisconsin avenue, but makes tn
Parish Hall Of st. Marks Church
where she worships, the headquarter
for her volunteer service.
Her descent from her famous Vir
ginia grandsire of Gunston Hall is ,
dual one through both her materna
grandfather and grandmother Masol
by the marriage Of first cousins. He
mother was Kora Mason, daughter o
William Mason Of Mattowan, Charlie
County, near La Plata, who was in turl
the second son of George Mason Q
BILL of Rights" fame. A grandmother
was Sarah Mason Of G1nston Hal