Historic Pelham

Presenting the rich history of Pelham, NY in Westchester County: current historical research, descriptions of how to research Pelham history online and genealogy discussions of Pelham families.

Monday, September 21, 2009

January 1882 Account of the 1881 Christmas Festival Held at the Union Sabbath School in Pelhamville


A quaint January 1882 newspaper account of a Christmas Festival held for the entertainment of young students at the Union Sabbath School at Pelhamville appeared in an issue of the Mount Vernon [New York] Chronicle.  The account, contained in a letter to the editor of the newspaper, is transcribed below.

"Pelhamville.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE CHRONICLE

Dear Sir--Last Friday evening, the Union Sabbath school at Pelhamville were indebted to the Mt. Vernonites for a very pleasant Christmas festival. 

We wish the generous donors had been present to have enjoyed it.  One of your large hearted men is doing much for this interest.

Gifts were made to all the members of the school, also a large orange and a box of candies.  A few ladies furnished cake and lemonade for the audience.  About forty persons from Mt. Vernon, including some young minces from the Baptist Church, under the care of Miss J. Andrews, furnished a spirited entertainment, with Mr. Hill, for Santa Claus, and Mrs. Hill as organist.  Whenever you want the humorous and ridiculous to come in, just call on the master of the public school at Pelhamville.

This little meeting in the chapel is now greatly in need of steady permanent help.  We are very thankful to those who have assisted us, but there ought to be a reading or temperance gathering at least one evening every week.  There are no resorts for simple amusements in this place, and no one to lead them.

There are at least twenty five or thirty boys, perhaps more, at that critical age which often staggers even the best and most devoted of parents as to what shall be done to interest and 'save my son.'

Now, are there not gentlemen and ladies, both young and old, willing to work in this part of God's vineyard.

The Sunday school meets at 3:30 P.M., every Sunday, and a prayer or praise meeting is held in the evening. 

We are less than two miles from your depot.  A beautiful and invigorating walk on the rail road track, no danger of being run over on the Sabbath. 

An English man or woman would think nothing of walking twice this distance, so do not spend money for carriage hire, but for the love of Christ, and in His name 'come and help us.'"

Source:  Pelham Manor Protective Club, Mount Vernon [New York] Chronicle, Jan. ?, 1882, p. ?, col. 5 (the date of the issue and, possibly, the page number, have been obscured by tape applied to the paper near the upper left corner before the image of the page was created; copy in the possession of this author).

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