Evening star., 1943-12-10
1000 Students
Excused for
Christmas Jobs
Other Thousands
To Join Sales and
Post Office Forces

More than 1000 white and colored
Junior and senior high school stu
dents in good scholastic standing
were excused from school to take
Christmas jobs today as reports of
retail sales and the volume of post
Office mail indicated new records
may be set this month.
Thousands of other students will
go to work when Christmas vacation
officially begins next Friday-four
days earlier than usual to make
such student help available for mer-
chants and the Post Office. The
students excused today, however, are
being permitted to leave earlier be-
cause of their ability to make up
school work missed.
Starting next SATURDAY., about
5000 pupils over 16 will be working
at the City Post Office, according
to an estimate today by Postmaster
Vincent Burke.
The estimated 1000 leaving
school today will take such Jobs as
store clerks, truck Jumpers. typ
lists, cafeteria Checkers" and other
positions in businesses particularly
rushed at Christmastime. About
600 were excused in the eight white
senior high schools, DR.. Chester w
Holmes, assistant superintendent
estimated.
Store Hours Changed.
About l45 were excused in the
colored high schools. Nearly LOO
colored junior high school students
over IA years old were dismissed
after special permission was granted
by the work permit division of the
schools-for jobs as helpers in tai
lorlng, shoe, automobile. photog-
raphy and other esta bliShments.
Announcing that most of the
downtown department stores will
remain open on Monday night. De-
cember 20, rather than on Thurs
day, December %. Secretary Edward
D. Shaw of the Merchants and
Manufacturers Association said to-
day tentative reports indicate sales
are running "a little ahead" of
last years all-time record in dollar
volume.
AT the same time Postmaster
Burke reported that 2Ol ,001 sacks
of parcel post mail were cleared
through the central post Office in
the first nine days of this month.
compared with 1o1 900 sacks during
the corresponding 1912 period.
He said this indicated that last
years total of $4,000 sacks may
be surpassed. especially in view of
the earlier shipment of parcel post
packages to Servicemen overseas for
delivery at Christmas. The peak
here is still to come, since only
one-third of the 1912 package
volume has been reached. Post
master Burke said, adding that let
,er mail had not reached its peak.
Night Shopping Hours.
Because of the manpower situa-
ion, leading stores have decided to
substitute December 20 for the nor
nal December % night shopping
hours, Mr.. Shaw stated.
The effect of the current flu siege
on store personnel and sales cannot
accurately be estimated at this time
Mr.. Shaw said.
Mems clothing. furnishings and
speciality shops will keep open at
night on December 81, % and % as
we'll as on December 20, Mr.. Shaw
said he had been informed.
Asked if he thought the crowds
thronging stores last night set
record for this year. Mr.. Shaw re-
piled that last night and next
Thursday might be placed in the
record breaking list, as thousands
Of Washingtonians belatedly make
Christmas purchases.
Gifts Plentiful
Commenting on preholiday buying
trends, a leading store executive
said.
It's different Christmas from
what we have ever known. Stocks
OF merchandise are not as large as
last year, but there are plenty of
goods available for those wanting
to make purchases.
perfumes and cosmetics continue
to hold high favor with women.
Earrings, too, are a popular item.
Hatplns are coming back. but they
are the short. compact pin-not the
kind that miladv used to wear that
jabbed everything within reach.
Stationery is in demand, what with
the presence Of our boys overseas
speeding up correspondence and air.
mail receipts.
Shoppers still ask, in vain, for
electrical, cutlery and fine silver
products. We wish we had them for
sale; they'd be gobbled up quickly"