Museum Corner December 2019

Century-old letter from Santa featured at museum

By Becky Buher and Santa

North Pole, Dec. 22, 1905

To the good people of the Ikerd School:

Dear People:

This is a very busy week for me, as you know I started on my great journey early this morning, and so I write in great haste just to say I’ve met with an accident coming this way.

As Christmas is near, and I’ve so much to do, I really must beg a slight favor of you.

And unless I mistake, the small folks of this nation will spare poor old Santa great mortification, by setting about with their might and their main to see that accident’s righted again. 

You know, I suppose, that the distance is great I travel each year; and for fear I’ll be late, I whip up my reindeer, and make each good steed go prancing along at the top of his speed.

This year my big sleigh was as full as it could hold. I wrapped me up warm—for the weather was cold—And started once more on my gay Christmas tour with lightest of hearts, you may be very sure.

My how the bells jingled and mingled in time! I bowed to the stars and winked to the moon.

I found myself crossing the great open sea, with dolphins and merchildren gazing at me. I bent a bit over the side of my sleigh, to wave them a hand, when—ah me lackaday! A stocking crammed full to the very small toe fell over the back to the sea down below.

And there the merchildren made merry a do with toys I had meant for some dear one of you.

So this is my accident, and I would ask—I know you won’t deem it a troublesome task—

That if you should see some poor child with no toys upon Christmas morning, dear girls and dear boys, you’ll know the fat stocking he was to have had, is deep in the sea and poor Santa is sad. 

And see that the accident’s righted because ‘twill be a great favor to 
Yours, Santa Clause

The sender of the above letter to Ikerd School was teacher Joseph Patrick Maher. Ikerd School No. 12 was located on Leatherwood Road near the current site of Shawswick School.

 The year before Santa’s letter was written, Mr. Maher was a sixth grade teacher in Oolitic. The 1903-04 “Hand Book of the Lawrence County Public Schools” chronicled the challenges faced in schools at that time.

“The failure to accomplish the education of children of Lawrence County in these common branches was nearly complete.” Schools were visited to see if something could be done to remedy the utter waste of money in maintaining them. It was said “the money had as well be thrown into the river.” 

By law, every child of school age was to receive an education in Spelling, Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, Grammar, Geography, U.S. History and Physiology.

Yet, there was no uniformity in the books …if there were any books at all.

W. B. Chrisler was put into the office as Superintendent to bring order out of chaos. He arranged the eight common branches into five grades. 

The handbook continued, “Great opposition to the system was aroused all over the County, especially when it became known that books had to be bought. Serious threats of mobbing the Superintendent were made. The Trustees were called together and schoolbooks were adopted—the first adoption in the history of the County.

“… opposition gradually gave way, and many of those who were so violent at the beginning, became the strongest friends of the system. The schools gradually improved in every respect. Chaos had given way to order.” 

Again this year, an effort is being made to improve education for local children. Like Mr. Chrisler did in1904, and Mr. Maher did in his caring 1905 Santa letter, hopefully the concern for children will prevail and order will emerge from confusion.   

A copy of Mr. Maher’s handwritten 1905 letter from Santa was published in the museum’s quarterly newsletter, “The Seedling Patch,” Fall, 2013. Joyce Shepherd is the talented editor of the “The Seedling Patch,” and the newsletter is always full of fascinating stories about people and places. Receipt of the newsletters is one of the benefits of being a museum member. Annual membership dues: Individual ($15), Couple ($20), Family ($25), Student ($5). 

Source: 1905 Santa Letter, 1903-04 “Hand Book of the Lawrence County Public Schools.”