Imperial Valley press., 1943-12-26

services marked Tie opening OF Jnt
Christmas festivities on Friday
when many homes were scenes OF
joyous gatherings and many
churches, the scenes of impressive
religious services.
AL Bevan followed the pleasant
tradition of hospitality at the Bar
bara Worth hotel by entertaining
with a cocktail party Friday after
noon, and similar events were
staged in many of the homes.
At the servicemen's canteen,
many servicemen and women as
sembled for the Christmas eve party
there, with carol singing led by the
Rev. FIR. Edward Hutchinson, with
Emily Kaford at the piano, and
with violin music by Marilyn Ingle,
accompanied by Dorothy Arm
strong, high-lighting the affair.
Gifts from the tree, refreshments
and informal dancing completed
the evenings festivities. The can
teen planned to hold open house all
day Christmas.
But at the Marine air training
Station, Wilson school children sang
Christmas music under the direc-
ton of Laura Redden Mcfarland,
their program being given Friday
evening also.
Junior Red Cross members, with
the Red Cross Camp and hospital
service committee, and the Busi-
ness and Professional Womens club,
trimmed trees and decorated for
Christmas at the Marine air sta
ton and Camp Seeley.
High school Junior Red Cross
members packed 48 gift boxes OF
fruit, cigarettes, raiSins, etc, to be
given to every patient in the dispen-
sary and other Junior Red Cross
members made favors for the
Christmas trays in the hospitals or
for the tables in the mess halls.
Every serviceman in the hospitals
is to be remembered this Christmas
by the Red Cross.
Young people Of the city met Fri
day at the Presbyterian church and
followed their custom OF carollng,
going to various points in the COM
hluIlllN anu CllOllSo ie WIZ SiA"A 80
for refreshments.
At ST. Paul's Episcopal church
and St. Mary's Catholic church the
traditional midnight services were
solemniZed with hundreds of Wor-
shippers present TO observe the
Christ childs birth. Beautiful music
of the Christmastide and impressive
church ritual made both services
memorable ones in Christmas OF
1943.
Christmas still is Christmas with
the tree, the presents, the holiday
dinner. the simmer of tinsel, the
scarlet of holly and poinsettia, the
sweet refrains of the beloved car
OILS and the traditional church OBJ
ServanceS.
War may have changed some
what the type of observance but 1t
can not destroy the age-old Gus
toms of the Yuletide which have
endured for hundreds of years and
which once again are being car
ried out in the homes of Imperial
Valley.
Family gatherings may be small
er this year due to gas rationing
and the absences of those in the
armed forces, but they still carry
out the Christmas traditions. Pres
ents may be different since many
materials are no longer available,
and menus MAJ be somewhat less
varied due to food shortages, but
Christmas still is Christmas, day
of great rejoicing, with the war,
for a few brief hours, forgotten.
To the sons and daughters Of
Mrs. F. B. Ferris of San Diego,
one of the valleys earliest pioneers,
this Christmas is an especially i'm
portant one, since on Christmas
eve Mrs. Ferris celebrates her 95th
birthday anniversary. Miss Ann
Ferris, who lives with her mother,
and Mrs. Stanley Bigelow of Ell
Centre, a daughter, will observe
the day together, and possibly a
third daughter, Mrs. Harry Hoppin
of ontario, with Mr.. Hoppin and
their daughter, Mrs. Jack Allen,
nldr Dc lDlC w DC PiCoCllo oioo'
Three sons live in Oregon, Willis,
Hobert and Edwin. Mr.. and Mrs.
Willis Ferris having a son and
daughter, Bobby and Ruth Ann.
Mr.. and Mrs. F.. B. Ferris came
, to the valley in 1907 from Ohio
where Mr. Ferris had been a sue
cessful dairyman, his sons visiting
the valley in 1904 to inspect its
possibilities as a dairy country. The
land in the valley was purchased
in 1907 when the family moved to
California, and Mr.. Ferris and his
sons operated a 160 acre ranch.
In 1912 they moved to Ell Centre
where they made their home for
many years, retaining their business
and farming interests. Mrs Bige-
low, who is city librarian, is the
only member of the family now liv-
ing in the valley. Mr.. Ferris died
several years ago after the family
moved to San Diego.
Judge and Mrs. Elmer w. Heald
are in Los Angeles for the holidays
with Mrs. Heald's mother, Mrs. E.
p. Rickard, and their son, Elmer.
Before they left they had Christ
mas tree and party Thursday night
for their aughter-in-law and
grandchildren, Mrs. Frederick Pow
ers Heald, Alan, Phillip and Kath-
leen
Mrs. Fannie G.. McCrory is en-
ioyinp the HOLIDAYS in Los Angeles