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The Chronicle Strives To Be A Clean News* paper. Complete, Newsy and Reliable (Ehronirlp ' If You Don’t Read The Chronicle You Don’t Get the New's Volume LIV Clinton, S. C, Thursday, December 17,1953 Number 51 CLERGYMAN SAYS CHRISTMAS IS GREAT NEWS STORY OF ALL TIME Says Tree and Fundamental Spiritual Reason for CeMbraffon Has Not Been Forgotten, and Its Coimnercml Aspect Only Natnral. Many say today that Christmas is too commercial. Atlanta’s widely respected Dean Raimiindo de Ovies disagrees. He believes that folks who feel the spirit of Scrooge has finally nudg ed Santa Claus out of Christmas are merely mistaken. “And, those who think that the true and fundamental reason for Christina has been forgotten,” ac cording to Dean de Ovies, “are sim ply cynical. The Christ is very much in Christmas.” Purpose — the noted Episcopalian clergyman and writer said the com mercial aspects of Christmas actual ly serve a spiritual purpose. Dean de Ovies explained: ‘‘Nearly every city and hamlet in FLOWERS FOR YOUR Ck/iiAlhua ••• Holiday Greens •••fOT <&••• Merrier Yuletide the South is decorated now with an array of colorful lights. Stores are busy promoting the sale of gifts. “But all this hooplay and publicity also serves to remind people that the birthday of Jesus is close at hand. “The cynic may complain that Christmas is publicized and com mercialized merely to sell merchan dise, but he forgets that none of that would have such tremendous sales power were it not for the great un derlying spiritual fact of Christmas.’ He painted to all the commercial whoop-de-do surrounding such days as St. Valentines, Thanksgiving and the Fourth of July and emphasized that the lack of such spiritual signi ficance makes those events pale in comparison to Christmas. Never old—Dean de Ovies went on to describe Chrismtas as a “piece of news that never grows stale.” He continued: “Christmas is the great news story of all time. It came directly from heaven with the song of the angels— glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth to men of good will » “It is never old. It hs great news for each generation of children, but great news also for grown-ups. And, touching, too.” Dean de Ovies ex plained further: “Older people would not go to so much bother about Christmas sim ply because it is so well advertised. "They don’t go about it altogether in a spirit of nostalgia either. There is that instinctive desire in all to re turn to the innocence of childhood and renew the Christlike virtues. “And if you dont believe that,” ac cording to the dean, “please note that the easiest buck ever turned from even the hardest-boiled man is a contribution for an empty Christmas stocking.” Salesroom reports throughout the South meanwhile, indicate the regional yuletide sales are riding a boom-time high crest. But, as Dean de Ovies concluded: “It is worth remembering that ev erything else about Christmas, in cluding ole Saint Nick or Santa Claus, spring from the spiritual meaning; and the commercial aspect aspect of it merely serves to remind us. ter?) 1926 was the year it all start ed. Santa in those days was George Bultman. But it was his sister, Mrs. R. J. Pitts of Clinton, whoj suggested his appearance. In that upstate town W. R. Anderson, then connected with the Bee Hive, had begun the annual custom of riding in on the train as Santa from Lydia Mills to be greeted by the young Mrs. Pitts didn’t begin talking about the idea of imitating the stunt here until nearly Christmas, so Santa’s arrival was a bit last- minutish. George went to band practice, tossed the proposition out to his fellow musicians and they took it right up, decided to stage his arrival in the next couple of days. The Catholic priest, Father Quinn happened to have a Santa suit. The late Harry Bultman drove his brother to Mayesville\ helped him don his regalia and into town they rode with the band out to play wel come and give out candy and fruit. Passengers on the train were de lighted over their fellow traveler— and Sumter’s children? Well, their joy bubbled over to the point where traffic on the ACL line was almost stopped. After Santa got off, the engineer had to “pick his way” out of the station to continue his run. The late Chief Johnny Barwick ruled out a repitition. Santa had to come in at night when only the older children would be on hand to gret hiem for the next couple of years. Then someone conceived the idea of having him arrive by a different mode, the airplane. He was met at the airport, driven to town, and the parades from the Claremont Hotel corner began. There were always climaxed by a carol-singing at the court house which was thor oughly enjoyed. The parades, with George Bult man in the principal role, contin ued until the eruption of World War II and afterward they were resumed by the Jaycees who have staged them on a much more elab orate basis. The early Santa Claus likes to reminisce about some of those shin ing and trusting faces that were turned up to him. And he gets * real Santa Claus look in his eyes when he talks about it ... . IF YOU DONT READ THE CHRONICLE YOU DONT GET THE NEWS ...FOR HOME OR BUSINESS NEEDS TcHm a look in tho mow AGES of yoor Totophono Diroctory THE QUICK. EASY WAY TO FIND WHO BUYS. SELLS, RENTS. REPAIRS... almost anything you aaotf I To trim windows, doors and mantel, deck the table, greet your hostess — with lovely cut flowers. The brightest, most festive selection awaits your choice here MEMORIAL WREATHS FOR THE CEMETERY POINSETTIAS AND LONG-LASTING POTTED PLANTS Eastside Greenhouse Phone 520-J Member F. T. D. minute reminder... don't forget Coke for holidatj entertaining CONSERVATION NOTES By J. B. ODELL M Food prices may be at a peak on human food, but the food situation for quail looks good in Lauxem. The Laurens Soil Conservation Dis trict received 50,000 leapedeza bi- color plants on These plants have been distributed to 18 cooperating fanners for planting around field borders or in one-eighth acre plots, primarily for the production of food for quail. The plants were allotted the dis trict by the South Carolina Wildlife Resources Department. The recommended number of plants for each one-eighth acre is 1,000 plants. According to Verne E. Davison, Bi ologist, of the Soil Conservation Service, “There Is more bird food in one-eighth acre of bi-color than in a whole acre of peas.” Wide plantings of bicolor have been made by farmers for the past several years. To date approximately 278 acres have been planted in the county. One-eighth acre, properly managed, should produce enough food for one covey of quail. There fore, the 278 acres would take care of the food requirements of 2,224 coveys, in addition to furnishing cover and protection to the soil from erosion. IQtTUD UNRtt AUTHOMTV OMMI COC^COU CO«VaNV W GREENWOOD COCA-COLA BOTTLING COMPANY "OS**’ a • Hodt mihi. Q ms. TMI coca coca COMPANY Idea of Santa's Visit Begun Here In 1926, Spread To Sumter Emily H. Fushbume, society edi tor of The Sumter Item, writes a column under the caption, “Pano rama.” Lat week she told of holiday ac tivities now planned in that city, and went back to reminisce with an item. “Santa’s First Visit to Sum ter,” in which she stated it was Mrs. Raymond J. Pitts of this city, before marriage Miss Helena Bult man, who first suggested the ap pearance of Santa in her own home town, showing that the idea begun here is responsible for the annual vsit of the distinguished guest in that city. The item taken from the Sumter / paper, follows: Santa's First Visit Santa Claus’ early “parade visits’’ to Sunjter might have lacked some of the detailed organization and promotional ballyhoo of his recent ones—but the enthusiastic recep tion accorded him by Sumter's youngsters (many of whom are par ents now) was just as unbounded. According to the best recollec tions of the man who played Santa Claus (and who should know bet- DOLLY MADISON 21 inrtlt $ 49 50 ADOSASIE 17 jnNlt cxportiion bfwtlel $ 59 so GODDESS OF TIME 17 ira.lt 4 4i.in.n4s .ip.nti*. br.ctl.l *71 50 EMFtESS 21 jra.lt 14 kt. a.14 2 4i.m.«4l *125“ juun 17 ira.lt 4 4iMM«4t 14 kt. fa 14 M50 00 COMMODORE 17 iw.lt. tk*<k mittMt, •nli-flWfMlit, rati prwf, r«4iiMn h»n4t I 41.1, cmcand hand M9” CLIPPER 17 jra*li Mll-«in4in|, ..t.itit.* ik»(k r.titt.nt, •ntl-m.fn.li(, rust p.Ml ( tarMp »t(or>4 kon4, >*4iiMi kon4i 1 4..I, 4ittiMt«n *n4 isl.! •I Mt.r.l |ai4 *59” WARWICK 21 jra.lt upontira *71 50 FLEETWOOD 21 i*Mit 14 kt f.14 MOO 00 * Bulo*. Waf.Mit." »»«ch.i ttay ' Witertn. ' at lone u tl»* cry ml is intact, the cat. unopened Only if a <otnpei*n« leweler replaces crystal or closes case »ill the Waterti*'' quali ties be maintained CAVAllEt 17 tra.lt. '.4 kl. f.14, Ml(-.ia4iaf, wnlwlit.* tkMk rwitlMt, •ftti-m.fa.tic, rmt pwl i.aap mcmN kM4 *175“ ray •• MU. as H M WEEKLY HAMILTON^ Blue Nile Duunonds OPEN EVENINGS UNTIL CHRISTMAS