Evening star., 1941-11-30
Christmas
Shopping
Changes
Thronged City and
Clerk Shortage
Complicating
By MRS. p. C. ELLETT,


BY MRS. P. c. ELLETT,
President, District Of Columbia Consress Of
Parents and Teachers.
Even though December will not
arrive till tomorrow, the stores are
gay with holiday decorations, with
holiday goods and with the holiday
spirit. In fact, the Christmas buying
season has been officially opened and
from now until after December as
undoubtedly there will be mad
rush from morning until night.
It Is quite q well known fact that
the sales forces in many Of the stores
will be inadequate, or rather, per-
haps I should say. not sufficiently
large or well trained to care for the
thousands Of customers who will
throng their aisles. This situation
has come about through no fault OF
the stores-rather because OF the
absorption into Government agen-
cies OF many temporary employees
who ordinarily work only during
rush seasons. BY accepting regular
employment they have emptied the
reservoir from which the stores
formerly drew necessary additional
help.
Newcomers a Complication.
30. In addition to the thousands
Of new residents of the city is added
the complex situation of sales forces
In the stores not being sufficiently
augmented to care expeditiously for
~ hue
However, if the buying period were
evenly divided over the hours that
the stores remain open, much OF the
burden of Christmas shopping would
be lifted, not only from the shoul-
ders OF the buyer, but also from the
tired feet of the salespeople. The
men and women who make up the
selling personnel in our stores are
not automatons or robots with no
personal feeling.
It would be a humanitarian ges-
ture If those Of you who possibly
can do So would arrange to do
your Christmas shopping not only
early in the season, but early IN
the day. And it would react to
the greater convenience and salts
faction of both yourself and the
salespeople in the stores. For there
would be less crowding; there would
be more time and opportunity Tor
leisurely shopping; there would be
less likelihood of tired and there
fore less efficient salespeople.
Message Is to Unemployed.
Many of the members Of the Par
snt-Teacher Association are at the
present time employed-and nat
urally it would be impossible Tor
them to adopt the above sugges-
tion But there are also thousands
Of other members who are not en-
ployed-and this message is directed
TO them, and to all other women
IN the city whose time Is more or
less their own. Make it point to
do your shopping as soon after the
stores open in the morning as pos
sible. You will have the oppor-
tunity OF seeing new. fresh STOCKS
Of goods: you will deal with sales
people who are untired. and you
will have the added satisfaction OF
accomplishing that greatest OF all
holiday detectives: do Your Christ
mas shopping Early" .-.--
Hfne Junior High.
There will be an Executive Board
meeting tomorrow at Ills pm.
Grant-Weightman.
The Executive Board will meet
Thursday at l:3o pm. in the Grant
School.
Mrs. Charles Meyers, chairman OF
the entertainment for the TnanKs-
giving party, announces the follow-
ing pupils who won prizes for cos
TUNES in the grand march: Pret-
tvest costume, Barbara Stauo:
handsomest boy, Jack Best; most
unioue. John Wolerick; funniest,
Maurv Norris. Defense stamps were
given as prizes.
Cranch-Tyler
rha Executive Board and grade
mothers will meet tomorrow AZ
lao pm. at Tyler School.
Carbery-Ludlow.
fhs Carbery School has been
newly decorated and the next meet.
ing Of the association Will be heio
there.
II was decided at the Executive
BOARD meeting that the February
and May meetings be changed 70
night meetings. 1t was also oe-
cided to give the last years presi-
dent. Mrs. Herbert Bosworth, q
past presidents pin. Mrs. n. H.
buck. ways and means chairman
reported on the cake and candy sale
held At Ludlow School recently.
Emery-Eckington.
The association will meet Thurs
6av at 3:l5 pm. at the lexington
school. The following subjects VIII
- discussed: "Children's BOOKS,
sCshildren's Toys" Mechanical
rows. "Ten-cent Store Toys" MRS;
conrad A. Nix will furnish vocal
music.
Lsngley Junior High.
A. the last association meeting
Vne broadcast on Nicaragua wnlcn
VAS given by the Langley puplls
over WMAL was repeated.
Bundle days were held this montn
4 bake sale was also held.
The association is sponsoring twe
marionette shows Friday. At 3:ls
pm. THE Nurnberg Stove" VII
Be presented and at 8 pm. "Tne
prince and the Pauper" Will ot
shown.
Adams.
At a meeting Of the Executive
noard plans for the Christmas pro-
iect were decided upon. A movlnt
picture will be shown to the pupil
and the w. p. A. Symphony Orches
ira will present program o
Christmas music.
Mrs. r, L. Rohrback, ways ant
ussns chairman, will receive maya
sine subscriptions for the associa
tion. ,., r,.
attended by . group OF educator
headed by DR.. F. w. Baliou.
Wallach- French. j.
Mrs. w. H. Lord was appointed .
..L 49, et,,Sv 0rOllD course 10