I can never get enough Christmas music, whether it be sacred or pop — I can listen to Christmas music the entire year. This week I am looking back to when Christmas programs were presented at school and church.
Maybe you will recognize some of the names or remember performing in these programs.
December, 1941, the students in Cardington school were giving their program. The grade school was presenting “O Holy Night” and performing were grade school students Kathryn Nybladh, Dick Kanable, JoAnne Curl, Dale Jones, Gale Barry, Pearl Redman, Charles Carr, Carol Dodds, Dalton Jenkins and Billy Hack.
The reader was John Dunham and the Wise Men were Neil Patzer, Billy Maxwell, and Robert Ogg. The Angel Chorus was composed of Phyllis Yake, Wilma Gartin, Norma Jean Benson, Julia Reed, Lucille Heimlich, Lucille Ruehrmund, Betty Lou Hart, Rita Sherman, Martha McCutchen, Louise Carr, Dorothy Redman, Jean Bond and Evalyn Patzer.
Addison Dixon was the music director and he composed the music that accompanied the song, “The Lullaby,” which was written by Eugene Heimlich.
In 1971, James Pease, directed two Cardington-Lincoln High School Christmas programs that included the high school band and chorus and middle school chorus. Also playing was the Cardington Pirate Concert Band, described by Pease as the best sounding band since he came to Cardington.
In 1992 the following churches were holding special Christmas services: Church of the Sacred Heart, Father Charles Foeller was pastor; St. John Lutheran, Windfall, pastor was Donald Pletcher. Cheryl Harris and Vernon Heimlich were to perform a trumpet duet; Alida Pletcher and Janet Yake, a vocal duet; a vocal quartet composed of Curtis, Dan, and Don Rengert and Jim Rittler; Carol Ebert and Jennie Heacock, piano/organ duet.
Rev. Walter Smith was pastor of the Cardington Church of the Nazarene where the church choir was presenting a cantata; the Cardington First United Methodist Church where a cantata was to be presented and an open house held at the parsonage. Pastor was Rev. William Buell; Roger Marlow was pastor of St. Paul Lutheran where Christmas Eve candlelight services were to be held; Fairview and Center UM were holding special Christmas services; Robert Allen was pastor of the Stantontown Advent Christian Church, also holding special services and Gilead Friends Church, pastor Charles Robinson. was presenting a cantata directed by Ralph Mosher.
Looking back
1941: Paul Smiley and Harold Russell of Cardington traveled to Pennsylvania for a week of deer hunting; The Cahoon Store in Cardington, advertised children’s Christmas gifts including boy’s model airplanes ranging from a nickel to a quarter and girls’ dolls ranging from five cents to $2.98.
1961: The Sterling Store in downtown Cardington advertisefd the popular board game “monopoly” at the Christmas sale price of $3.49; the Cardington Rotary Club held its annual Christmas party at San Dar Smorgasbord, Bellville.
