Christmas for Those in Confederate Soldiers' Home, Orphanages, State Home and Prison, 1909

“The Cheer of Christmas,” from The Farmer and Mechanic newspaper published in Raleigh, N.C., Dec. 28, 1909

It Came in Raleigh to Every Phase of Life…The Confederate Veterans, the Orphans, the Insane and Afflicted, and Those Behind Prison Bars All Knew the Day Was Christmas by the Remembrances

There was Christmas all through in Raleigh yesterday and with the pleasures of home life there also came pleasures to institutional life in the city, making Christmas a happy day.

First of all there was the Confederate Soldiers’ Home. The dear “old boys” at it had a jolly Christmas, Johnson Pettigrew Chapter Daughters of the Confederacy looked after that in fine style. The members sent gifts in brightly colored bags, and these were arranged and distributed so that every veteran had a good time, which his special Christmas gifts. There was a big dinner also, with turkey and trimmings and other things that made a feast.

At the Methodist Orphanage it was also a jolly good day for the 140 or more orphans there. A Christmas dinner of the right kind was served, and today there are to be more gifts for the Sunday school at Edenton Street Methodist Church is to have a book offering this morning, the books to be sent to the orphanage.

The superintendent of the orphanage, Rev. John N. Cole, tells of a happy event on Christmas eve. He telephoned last night this news: “Mr. and Mrs. Josephus Daniels and their four sons were here yesterday. The four boys, Josephus, Worth, Jonathan and Frank, played Santa Claus and brought gifts to all the children. Every year since the orphanage has been established mr. Daniels has seen to it that the children had a merry Christmas and so again this year he and his wife and the boys were here, making the season a delight for the orphans. This is a matter that is appreciated at the orphanage.”

At the State Hospital there was a happy time yesterday. Every patient received a present yesterday morning, wearing apparel being distributed to the men and women. There was a distribution of fruits and candy also, while at dinner there was turkey, oysters, celery, cranberries, milk and so on. In the afternoon the Misses Day of Meredith College gave a most delightful entertainment of vocal and instrumental music which was a delight. There were gifts which came to the patients from their homes and altogether the day was one of amusement and good cheer.

Information is that at the Catholic Orphanage at Nazareth there was a day of good cheer and happiness also those at the orphanage being happily remembered, making the Christmas day a most happy one in every way.

And last, there is a word to be said about the people at the State’s Prison. So far as it could be done Christmas was observed there, and the day made as pleasant as possible for the “barred in.” There was a dinner of good Christmas cheer, making the season for those whom the law has put in confinement.

Raleigh has had its Christmas, and it was a good one. What more is to be said of the day and of the time, except to add the words of Tiny Tim. “God bless us, every one.” That is the Christmas spirit and may it come to pass.