The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1948-12-23
Around Town With
The Editor


pany, and veteran of World War
IL, is a patient at the Newton ID.
Baker Hospital, and | sincerely hope
that he will be on his feet again
in the near future.
At a meeting of the Mayor and
Council, held on Tuesday night, the
l949 budget was set at $l,700,000
and the tax rate was set at fifty cents
on the $l00--the same as this year.
The Council also approved raise
of $40 a month for all employees on
the city payroll.
Arley Sica, the genial host of Ye
Hotel Alexander, probably has re-
ceived Christmas greetings in the
biggest way Of anyone in Hagers-
town. He received a Christmas card
from Philadelphia through the mail,
and when he opened it and started to
unfold il, he found that it was ex-
actly five feet wide and three feet
deep.
Arley is very proud of his big
Christmas card and had it on display
at the luncheon meeting of the
Board of Directors of the Chamber
of Commerce on Monday.
49,
This is Christmas week, so let's
forget about politics, and war and spy
scares for a day or two and enjoy
the happiness of this Christmas Sea-
son.
Every time see the word Christ
mas" abbreviated to Xmas, | am
reminded of very fine lady in
Tampa, Fla, Miss Dixon, who years
ago was in charge of the Y. w. c. A.
Cafeteria there.
One Christmas when a Christmas
greeting sign was being made to
hang in the cafeteria, the word
"Christmas" was abbreviated, and as
soon as Miss Dixon saw it she said,
"That sign won't do at all. Let's not
take Christ out of Christmas"
This Christmas to me is par
ticularly happy one For the past
few days l have been opening and
enjoying many, many Christmas
cards, and as l read the messages
and noted from whom the different
cards came, was filled with humble
pride that ] had so many, many real
friends.
In the seven years that have been
in Hagerstown have had the pleas
ure of watching my paper steadily
grow. but much more wonderful than
that, is the JOY that has come to Mrs.
Douglas and myself through the un-
told friends that we have made.
Needless to say, am proud of the
papers growth, for I've worked
hard to make it a part of the COM
munity, but nothing in life can ever
mean more to me than these real
friends whose Christmas cards made
this such a wonderful Christmas.
And so when say to all of you
Merry Christmas l say it with
sense of deep gratitude for all the
good things of life that, with the
Almighty's help, have come to me
and mine.
Every now and again someone
hobs UP and criticiZes our local po-
lice force, but I've said many times,
and I'll say again--the boys in
blue" in Hagerstown will measure
up to any police force in any city OF
comparable size in the United States.
AS proof of this, you will remem-
Der that sometime ago Police OF
ficer Smith was instrumental in pro-
viding free movies all summer for
the Youngsters in his neighborhood,
and now comes word that Police
Officer Harms has done fine job for
the members of a Scout Cub Pack
in his neighborhood.
Now all that is needed to make
the picture complete, in my book, is
to have some of the officers volunteer
their help at the Boys Club now and
then.
The Sunday night music quiz pro-
gram was probably responsible for
thousands of people reading the 10Th
chapter of Matthew.
Miss Betty Bachtell, daughter OF
Mr.. and Mrs. Edward Leroy Bach
LII e C,,;+bcIo,,ro rpcent1V direct