The Night Kennewick Lit Its Community Christmas Tree

Christmastide, which as usual was this year appropriately observed in the schools, churches and homes of the city, was auspiciously ushered in last Saturday evening when the community Christmas tree was illuminated in the square at Second and Yakima streets. The snow-covered ground and the swirl of falling flakes formed an ideal setting for the program given at the foot of the tree.

Although the evening's snow storm gave, indeed, a Christmasy touch to the occasion, it resulted in a smaller crowd than last year as many of the country people did not venture out. But hundreds of bright-faced, happy kiddies were there to greet Santa Claus and to receive from his hands well-filled bags of candy. The program was short, consisting of a few Yuletide songs by the children, the singing of some of the old Christmas favorites by the audience and an invocation by Rev. K. S. Tontz.

Not a little credit is due 'Chuck' Haas and his Eagle Patrol of Boy Scouts for the orderly manner in which the distribution was conducted. There was no crowding, no scrambling and no boisterousness, but the youngsters apparently recognized the authority of the scouts who stood guard around the tree and behaved accordingly. After every child present had received a bag of candy, many bags were handed out to adults to be given to children who were unable to be present.

The committee in providing for the tree overestimated the needs of the community and there remained from their purchases about sixty bags which were sent to make glad the hearts of the little tots in a Spokane orphanage.

Last year the financing of the community tree fell exclusively upon the Commercial club. Not only was the financial burden distributed this year, but the tree was in a larger sense a community affair in that practically every man and woman in the community was made a contributor through the donations made by the commercial, social, fraternal and religious organizations. The finances, like the candy, were more than enough to meet the needs and there is a substantial balance in the fund. The committee as yet has not decided what disposition is to be made of this money. It will either be turned over to the Woman's club as a starter of a charity fund with the understanding that the club make the community tree a part of their year's work, or it will be deposited in one of the banks to the credit of the community Christmas tree and be kept as a nest egg for next year's fund.

A list of the contributors to the fund follows: Woman's club $5.00; Commercial Club $5.00; Masons $5.00; Odd Fellows $5.00; Knights of Pythias $5.00; Highland Improvement club $3.00; Eastern Star $2.50; Highland Woman's Club $2.00; Floriculture Club $2.00; Valley Club $2.00; H. E. Sunday School $2.00; Baptist Sunday School $1.25; Congregational S. S. $.75; Rebekahs $1.00; Royal Neighbors $1.00; Woman's Relief Corps $1.00; Needle Club $1.00; Thos. Hanratty $1.00; Guy Purdy $.25. Total $46.75.

The only items of expense connected with the tree were the purchase of candy and trimmings. The tree was donated by the Twin-A-Lum Lumber Company and it was decorated and illuminated by the Pacific Power & Light Company.