CHRISTMAS IN SAVOONGA ALASKA

 SAVOONGA, ST. LAWRENCE ISLAND, ALASKA

distributed after the program.

CHRISTMAS 1967

Savoonga was established many year ago as a raindeer herding village on St. Lawrence

Island in the Bering Sea. In 1967 it was a thriving community of 300 persons who have

returned to the sea for their food.

Usually, the annually Christmas celebration is never missed by everyone in the village

and the first celebration takes place a day before Christmas, held in the Presbyterian

Church . The kindergarten to junior classes put in the scene, which is the birth of Christ.

All are in costumes pretending to show the scene as in ancient times.

On Christmas Day, the Mariner's have their program. This group consists of the village

young couple's which show the scene again in a more meaningful presentation.

Both programs have the village people exchanging gifts to their loved ones and friends

at the church where they are

After the final close of the last program, when the village people are returning home,

Yuletide Christmas singing takes place between every home n the village.

Warm clothing is worn as usually it is very cold out in the open around the village.

Warm up refreshments are served at the church afterwords for those who take part in the

caroling at the church.

So that's the way Christmas is held every year here in the village of Savoonga.

Source of this abstract was found in the December 23, 1967, Fairbanks Daily News-

Miner, Fairbaks, Alaska, by New-Miner Correspondent John Waghiui.

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YES, VIRGINIA, THERE IS A SANTA CLAUS

YES, VIRGINIA, THERE IS A SANTA CLAUS

Eight year old Virginia O'Hanlon , writes a letter to the Sun newspaper in New York

asking whether Santa Claus exist in 1897.

The Sun's editor, Francis Church, wrote a editorial titled “Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa

Claus” . This is it below, read it and believe.

“ Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Clause. He exists as certain as love and generosity and

devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty

and joy. Alas, how dreary the world would be if there were no Santa Claus. It would be

as dreary as if there were no Virginia’s. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry,

no romance to make tolerable this existence and we should have no enjoyment except

sense and sight.

The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished”.

Source: Ron MacArthur, Cape Gazette, Friday, December 22, 2017.

Abstract: Harrison H. December 22, 2017

BENJAMIN RUSH MILAM

TEXAS 1835

TEXAN ARMY CAPTURES SAN ANTONIO

December 9, 1835 the newly created Texan Army, under the leadership of Benjamin Rush

Milam, takes possession of the city of San Antonio in the war for independence from

Mexico.

Benjamin Rush Milam was born in Frankfort, Kentucky, 1788, and became a citizen soldier

of newly independent Mexico and was one of many American's who immigrated to the

Mexican State of Mexico. These immigrants found that the Mexican Government both welcomed and  feared a growing number of Americans and they were treated with

uneven fairness.

In 1835 Santa Ana had overthrown the Mexican Republic and established himself the

Mexican dictator, Milam, renounced his Mexican citizenship and joined the rag-tag

army of the new formed Republic of Texas.

After the Texas Army had captured Goliad, Milam was sent into the southwest on a mission

of reconnaissance and was part of the planned attack of San Antonio only to learn that the generals had postponed the attack for the winter. Knowing that Santa Ana's troops were

already on their way to Texas to suppress the rebellion, Milam knew such a hesitation

would end the revolution, he made a impassioned 'call' for volunteers to follow “Ole Ben

Milam into San Antonio”.

Three hundred men did volunteer and made attack on San Antioio at dawn, December 5^th

and by the 7^th the Mexican 's defending force were badly beaten and surrendered the city.

Benjamin Rush Milam was not there to witness the results of his leadership. He was killed

instantly by a snipers bullet on December 7^th. If Milam had survived he might have well

been among the doomed defenders of the Alamo, wiped out by Santa Ana's troops in March.

Source: A&E Networks, History This Day 9 December 2017.

Abstract December 9, 2017 Harrison H.   

DOC. VANSANT, REHOBOTH SCHOOL

DR. JOSEPH A. VANSANT

Doctor Joseph Addison Robinson Vansant, Jr., died Saturday, March 13, 1980, in the

Martin County Memorial Hospital, Stuart, Florida. He had a stroke at his home near Jensen

Beach. His funeral service was Saturday, March 22, 1980, at Epworth Methodist Church,

Rehoboth Beach, and he is buried in All Saints Episcopal Cemetery, Indian River.

Doctor Vansant was born 1901 in Philadelphia to Joseph Addison Robinson Vansant, Sr.,

and Agnes McMasters Vansant. His father was an employee of the Pennsylvania Railroad.

He was educated in Philadelphia schools, Haverford College, earned a master at Univ. of

Pennsylvania and a doctorate at Columbia University.

He came to Rehoboth Beach Special School District in 1945 as the superintendent. In 1967

he was named the Educator of the Year by the Sussex County Teachers Association.

Prior to Rehoboth he was assistant superintendent of Mount Pleasant High School for one year,

also held administrative post at Tuckerton and Camden, New Jersey. He taught English at the

Friends School in Philadelphia for 11 years.

Has been president of The Private School Teachers Association of Philadelphia, president of

Chief Local School Officers, president of the Rehoboth Sportsman Club and the Rehoboth

Kiwanis.

In 1924 he married Edna M. Helms in Philadelphia o survives him. He also has a son Donald

in Bridgewater, N. J., daughter, Jamet Rapkin of Cleveland. He was predeceased by a son

Gordon.