Holiday Decorating Increases
Risk Of Fire And Accidents
Hie number of shopping
days are decreasing, holi
day songs play intermittent
ly on the radio, twinkling
lights begin to appear all
over town-Christmas is
fast approaching.
Decorating your home for
the holiday season can
increase the risk of fire and
accidents, cautions the
Insurance Information In
stitute.
Christmas trees, decora
tive lighting, gift wrapping
-all part of the Yule spirit
- can pose special safety
hazards.
The Institute offers the
following safety tips to keep
in mind while decorating for
the holiday season:
-Purchase only Under
writers Laboratories (UL)
listed lighting strings. The
UL label indicates which
light strings and extension
cords are suitable for indoor
and outdoor use
»-Check all new and used
lighting strings carefully.
Each should be checked for
frayed or bare wires,
cracked sockets and plugs
and loose connections. Be on
the safe side and discard all
unsafe equipment.
-Do not overload the
electrical circuits. Electri
cal wiring that is forced to
carry more than it is
intended to handle may
overheat and result in a fire.
Check the wire capacity
listing and follow the manu
facturer's recommendation.
-Never place electrical
lighting close to flammable
materials.
- String lights should
never be used on a metal
tree. A short circuit in the
insulation could make the
tree electricially "live,"
resulting in severe electri
cal shock. Use spot lights to
illuminate a metal tree.
- Remember... .always
turn off lighting when
leaving home or retiring for
the evening.
The Institute reminds that
the selection of a Christmas
tree, whether natural or
artificial, is an important
matter. Artificial trees
should carry a flame
resistant label. A natural
tree should be checked for
freshness. Remember fresh
trees dry out rapidly in
heated rooms. Make sure
you keep the base holder full
of water by checking it
daily.
When trimming the tree
and fireplace mantel, use
only noncombustible and
flame-retardant materials.
Never place trimmings near
open flames, heat or
electrical connections. On
Christmas day remove all
wrapping paper immediate
ly after presents are opened.
Place paper in covered
metal trash containers or
burn them in an incinerator.
Do not bum them in the
fireplace. A flash fire may
result since wrapping paper
can ignite suddenly and get
out of control.
In Case Of Fire
Be Prepared
The Institute recommends
sitting down with your
family and drawing up an
emergency escape plan,
selecting a common meet
ing place outside.
-Keep a fully-charged
fire extinguisher handy.
Every member of the family
should be familiar with its
location and how to operate
it properly. Don't place it
next to the tree; you may
not be able to get it if
needed.
Education Center Available
Superintendents, princi
pals, teachers, supervisors,
counselors and other educa
tors from across the state
have at their fingertips a
storehouse of information
that can be utilized to
answer their most specific
questions on current educa
tional topics and questions.
The Education Informa
tion Center, a section within
the Instructional Services
Area of the Department of
Public Instruction, assists
educators with professional
educational information
from one of the most com
prehensive storehouses of
educational material in the
state.
The Center houses a
collection that includes
hundreds of educational
journals and pamphlets,
thousands of books, and
hundreds of thousands of
microfiche documents from
the Educational Resources
Information Center (ERIC).
ERIC is an ever-growing
national data bank of
educational information so
comprehensive that it could
not be contained in the
Center if it were on paper.
The Center receives 1500
microfiche each month
which provides the library
with the most up-to-date
information.
Personnel in the Depart
ment of Public Instruction
and educators throughout
North Carolina utilize the
resources of the Center
requesting information on
such topics as competency
based graduation require
ments, the latest system of
reporting grades to parents,
or alternatives to school
suspension. Using the var
ied resources of the Center,
the staff researches the
question and sends an
information packet to the
requester.
The Center can also be
used as a library free of
charge to persons wishing to
come in and take advantage
of the reference materials,
journals, and newspapers.
The Center maintains an
impressive number of back
issues of educational journ
als on microfilm For more
information contact Mrs.
Vergie Cox, Education In
formation Center, Room
581, Education Building,
Raleigh, 27611, telephone
(919) 733-7904.
The way to a man's heart
can be a way that will
protect him from heart
attack. For practical sug
gestions on heart-healthy
food for the whole family,
write for a free copy of "The
Way to a Man's Heart" from
the North Carolina Heart
Association, 1 Heart Circle,
Chapel Hill, N. C. 27514.
NOTABLE CHRISTMAS BIRTHDAYS
What do Clara Barton, Evangeline Booth,
Maurice Utrlllo and Sir Isaac Newton have
In common? Something very special! These
famous people all share the same festive
birthday... December 25th!
Clara Barton, best known for helping
found the American Red Cross, served as
Its president for many years. She was born
on Christmas Day 1821, In Oxford, Mas
sachusetts. In 1854 she became the first
woman clerk In the UB. Patent Office, a
fact which does no doubt please feminists
today. Soon after the outbreak of the Civil
War, Clara Barton began the work of car
rying supplies to soldiers and nursing
wounded men on the battlefields. Her
deeds attracted national attention and
she was known as "The Angel of the Bat
tlefield." It was Miss Barton who realized
that the Red Cross could be helpful to
civilians as well as to soldiers in times of
calamity.
Evangeline Booth, born on Christmas
Day 1865, was the seventh child of William
Booth, founder of The Salvation Army.
She gained recognition as a musician, com
poser and orator in her native England.
Miss Booth became national commander
of The Salvation Army In the United States
In 1904 and served until 1934. During World
War I the Salvation Army Lassies, under
her guidance, spent Christmas as well as
many other days, ministering to the needs
of American Doughboys In France.
Sir Isaac Newton, English scientist, as
tronomer and mathematician was born on
Christmas Day 1642 at Woolsthorpe, Lin
colnshire. As a boy at school he made many
youthful Inventions, though considered a
poor student. Newton, a modest man,
made many significant discoveries. By
passing a beam of sunlight through a
prism, he showed that white light Is made
up of the rainbow's colors. He constructed
a reflecting telescope to use In his studies.
And he was the first to state the laws of
gravitation.
Maurice Utrlllo the French painter, a
Christmas child, had little cheer or hap
piness in his life. He was born December
25, 1883, son of an unknown father and
a mother who was a model for many of the
painters in Montmartre. Utrlllo was very
shy and withdrawn both as a child and
adult. The streets and buildings of Paris
furnished much of the subject matter for
his best paintings. Reproductions of many
of his works, particularly those of the
sparkling white dome of the Montmartre
Church of Sacre Coeur, are used by the
thousands every year on Christmas cards.
Head To Toe Beauty Hints For
A Special Radiant Holiday Look
You'll surely want to look your best for the holidays! Here are a few tips to help
you look radiant and glowing from start to finish.
* Splash or spray your favorite eau de cologne on the nape of your neck, wrists
and other body pulse points. You'll create your own aura of fragrance.
* After your tub massage baby oil into your skin with a dab of cotton. The excess
oil can be blotted oil with a tissue moistened with toilet water.
* You'll feel relaxed and refreshed after a tiring day if you take a few minutes to
lie down with your feet higher than the rest 01 yuur body. —
* While you're lying down reviving your spirits for a fun evening, place thin slices
of cucumber on your eyelids. Your eyes will fe< I .narvelously refreshed.
* A handful of oatmeal mixed with just ent agh water to make a paste, is a natural,
effective skin cleanser. Spread on your neck and face and let dry. Wash off after 10-15
minutes, then rinse with cool water.
* Using a pale beige cream or cream stick to cover under-eye circles will brighten
your face noticeably. After applying, pat the area gently with your fingertip for a
more natural look.
Christmas tree
safety trimming
Look for this new Christ
mas tree trimming that has
just begun to appear in the
stores. A decorative rust
colored star that is actually
a battery-powered fire
alarm! This bright orna
ment sounds a loud buzzing
noise that warns of fire.
During the holiday season
many household fires start
from faulty wiring of tree
lights. This colorful star
could prove to be a real life
saver as well as a handsome
way to top your tree.
Colorful Wrap-lp
Shows Individuality
A gift expresses you as
uniquely as the way you
sign your name. Your taste,
creativity, even your sense
of humor combine to make
each gift a personal crea
tion.
Wrapping your gifts
needn't leave you at loose
ends. Here are some basic
guidelines for your Christ
mas wrap-up.
Use a large, flat surface
that will hold gift wrap sup
plies, in an area that you
can work in undisturbed.
If you have a dining table,
use it and try to keep in
quisitive prowlers away.
Gather paper, ribbons,
trims, stickers, double sided
tape, scissors and gift tags
together before you start.
Before wrapping, cut the
paper to the right size. Cut
paper wide enough to over
lap slightly on girth of
package and long enough
to overlap again when ends
are turned down. Center
the gift upside down on cut
paper. Turn the overlapping
piece under and tape se
curely. Fasten ends by fold
ing sides In, the top flap
down and the bottom flap
up. Secure with tape, seals
or gift trim.
For odd shaped Items such
as tricycles, portable tele
visions, and doll houses,
slip them Into colored plas
tic gift bags and dress up
with a big bow and candy
cane.
For gifts you will be mail
ing, It Is Important to dou
ble-wrap. To protect your
gift, place It In a larger
cardboard box surrounded
by crumpled newspaper. An
Inverted box lid will keep
the bow from being crush
ed. When mailing a small,
breakable Item place It In
a well padded metal tin
which can then be placed
In a padded cardboard ship
ping box. Wrap the ship
ping box with decorated
parcel post paper and par
cel post gift labels. Tie se
curely with twine or cord,
wrapping the twine around
the package twice in both
directions. Tie twine at each
Intersection.
I
Wrap large packages first,
then use leftover papers
and trims for smaller gifts.
Other leftover pieces and
scraps can be used for chil
i dren's crafts, collages.
s the Heavens rejoiced when Christ
was born, so let us rejoice too, in peace
and brotherhood. At this holy holiday we
say thanks to our warm and loyal friends.
McPherson Beverage Company, inc.
, Littleton, N.C.