Johnstown High School - Spectator Yearbook (Johnstown, PA)

Page 20 text:

26 SPECTATOR “The world in solemn stillness lay To hear the angels sing.” The music stopped. Childish voices were heard chat- tering to each other but the sound seemed far away. The candles flickered and the flames hopped about, but the sol- emn stillness rested upon the group. They were held silent by thoughts of true Christmas holiness. We Christmas Tree D. H. T4 The time of year is now approaching when our thoughts are turned toward the Christmas tree and its glittering trim- mings. If we should happen along the country roads, we should see people dragging wagon-loads of evergreens from the woods to their homes, and in the town the streets are lined with trees. We always associate pleasant ideas with these scenes, but, nevertheless, the thoughtful person can- not but see harm in the continuance of this old custom. Itr is hard to give up a habit as old and as dear as this one. There is, however, something to take its place. Many people have, for the last few years, used artificial trees. They are not, it is true, so pretty or so large as the evergreens. How- ever, each year they are made larger, in more useful sizes, and more substantially. They may be trimmed to look just as pretty as the natural trees and. furthermore, they are not so expensive. It is true that an artificial tree costs more than a natural tree, but we have to expend money every year for evergreens, whereas, an artificial tree, once bought, lasts for years, and in the long run, money is saved. When we encourage the cutting down of the evergreens, we do not realize the harm we are doing. Evergreen trees contain moisture and keep forest fires from spreading rap- idly. Then, too, winter birds build their nests in the thick branches of the pine tree and when it is cut down, the nest is destroyed.

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SPECTATOR 25 her coat and hat and joined the gay party. All thoughts of the velvet slippers were forgotten as soon as she heard the singing. The carolers passed up one street and down the next; the whole town had a share to their songs and fun. Several hours later, they stopped in front of her house again. Louise wished them a Merry Christmas and went in. Before the fire she surveyed her feet again. One shoe had been made comfortable by a long slit in the side; both were miserably wet and ruined. It was pleasanter for her to stop here than review the end of the episode. She looked at her husband to see if he remembered, but he was think- ing of a Christmas several years later than this, which he had spent in Germany. He was a student in Germany. The coming of Christ- mas made him long for the good times of his home in Amer- ica. A German friend invited him to spend the Christmas vacation with him, and it proved to be one of the happiest of his life. The charm of the German Christmas had de- lighted him. The Christmas eve celebration, the loving sen- timent with which the simple gifts were given, and most of all, the singing on Christmas morning had revealed to him a perfect celebration of Christmas. He had been told on Christmas eve that the first awak- ened in the morning was to rouse the household with his favorite song. Early the next morning, he was awakened by a song, sung by a childish voice. In his sleepiness he thought he was home again, for the song was sung in Eng- lish. But when he had rubbed his eyes and looked around, he saw a golden-haired little girl at his door, smiling a “Merry Christmas” to him. She had learned the English song to please the American guest. It did please him, more than any Christmas present, to hear this familiar old tune again. His young sun interrupted his musings by thrusting a drum into his arms for safe keeping. He wanted his hands free to search in his pockets for chocolate drops. The music brought to him memories of the Christmas treat.

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SPECTATOR 27 You say that even though these things are true, the nat- ural trees furnish more enjoyment for the children than do the artificial trees. Granted. But are not the beauties and necessities of nature of more importance than a week’s pleas- ure? At the end of the week the tree is taken down and we pay to have it hauled away. I think it is an acknowledged fact that it does not seem so much like Christmas if we do not have a Christmas tree, but generally speaking, it is not so much the kind of tree we have as the mere idea that we are celebrating the old Christmas custom. So why not deny ourselves the little pleasure of having evergreen trees at the expense of nature and in their stead buy artificial Christmas trees, which can be made to give just as much pleasure and to express as truly the spirit of the season.