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University Daily Kansan Friday, Dec. 20, 1957
George Washington's Christmases
Yule: 180 Years Ago
Do you long for those old fashioned Christmases? Here is how George Washington celebrated some during his lifetime.
The first reference to a Christmas dinner is recorded in Washington's journal on Dec. 25, 1777.
The entry reads: "Christmas Day fine and clear and pleasant, with moderate sea, the continuance of the trade (wind) which by observation had set us in the latitude of 18 degrees 30 minutes. We dined on an Irish goose, beef, etc." He made the entry during a visit to his brother Lawrence, who was ill at the time.
At Mount Vernon, Christmas preparations were always on a grand scale. A few days before Christmas, in 1785, this note appears in Washington's journal: "Brought some carts and cutters from my plantations, to assist in laying in a stock of fire-wood for Christmas."
Preparations of this type were evidently an annual event, for in 1787 this observation was written with Washington's quill: "A hand from each plantation sent to the mansion house, to cut wood for Christmas, the carts from the Ferry, French's and Doque Run accompanying them in order to draw it."
Religious Phase Observed
The religious phase of Christmas was always observed by the Wash- ingtons and other prominent families of the day.
When Washington was president, and living in New York, he entered this Christmas note in his journal: "Friday, Dec. 25th—Christmas Day. Went to St. Paul's Chapel in the forenoon. The visitors to Mrs. Washington's this afternoon were not numerous, but respectable."
A sample menu for a Christmas dinner of that time would have included: hams (home cured, home smoked, and home cooked), roast beef, turkeys, chickens, veal, ducks, quail, apples, nuts, raisins, home-made biscuts, corn pone, and quantities of other goodies.
A cook in those early days always made ample preparations for any number of guests. It made little difference whether they were kinfolks or an indefinite number of neighbors, to say nothing of stray visitors who might accidentally drop in about meal time. Christmas With Me
Animals With The Washingtonians
The following is one record, by a woman, of a Christmas spent with the Washington's at Mount Vernon;
"We reached Mount Vernon the evening before Christmas, and if anything could have added to our enjoyment, it was the arrival of General and Mrs. Pickens the next day, while we were dining.
"To be in the company of so many esteemed friends, to hear our good General Washington converse upon political subjects without reserve, and to hear General and Mrs. Pickens relate what they saw and heard in France, was truly a feast to me."
However, not all of Washington's Christmases were as joyful as the ones mentioned. There was that terrible winter of 1777 at Valley Forge in southeast Pennsylvania, when the troops of the Continental army, lacking warm clothing and supplies, suffered from cold and hunger and only Washington held them together.
Merry Christmas From Kansan Staff
The University Daily Kansan staff extends to all students and faculty members best wishes for a Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year and an enjoyable vacation. The next issue of The Daily Kansan will be published Tuesday, Jan. 7.
Locating a first aid kit in the kitchen is a good practice because of all the accidents which happen there.
You'reReallySanta?
The hardest part of playing Santa Claus is answering the children's questions, because you do not want to destroy their faith in the real Santa, said one of the members of the faculty who has been playing Santa for the last five years.
"Of course, children today see so many Santas. When I was a child there was a Santa in only one store in town. The same man played the part each year and there was no doubt in the minds of the children that he was the real Santa," he said.
When one child asked the faculty member if he was the real Santa he quickly changed the subject.
"I get a big kick when a child says 'gee, thanks Santa,' after receiving a gift," he said. "Some of them are shy and scared at first but when you give them a present their eyes light up like a Christmas tree."
One little girl became quite displeased with him once when she asked for a "bathy-wathy doll" and received instead a comb and brush set.
"I'm always afraid someone is going to recognize me or I won't look real enough," he said. "One afternoon some children waited outside my dressing room for an hour and one-half for me to come out. I had to miss a class but I didn't want them to see me."
The faculty member says he prefers to play Santa for children between the ages of three and five. During the last two weeks he has played Santa for five church groups and will play the role three more times before Christmas.
He said he thinks the prime requisites for being a Santa Claus is to be big, "well padded" and jolly. He thinks he meets all of them.
He uses a borrowed Santa Claus suit but hopes someday to have one of his own.
Cheerleaders Get $950 Allowance
Last April a spokesman for ten zealous and enthusiastic KU students asked the Athletic Department for $900. He told Athletic Director A. C. (Dutch) Lonborg that his group needed clothes to wear to athletic events and money for trips to see KU athletes perform out of town.
They got the money because the spokesman was head cheerleader, Dick Jones, and the $900 was the annual budget estimate submitted for his cheerleader squad.
This year the Athletic Department allowed them $50 more than last year. It is possible, Jones said, that an adjustment might be made by the department at the end of the year if the squad traveled to many extra tournament games. As a rule the cheerleaders meet any additional costs themselves. If there is money left in the account at the end of the year it is divided among the group for dry cleaning costs.
DICK JONES
ment the funds are put in an account at the Business Office. The head cheerleader writes vouchers to get cash for equipment and travel expenses as needed.
The head cheerleader fils out an itemized budget sheet each spring with estimates based on expenses of the past year. After approval or revision by the Athletic Depart-
The first withdrawal is used to buy uniform sweaters, emblems and megaphones. The sweaters are personal property and the ten regular cheerleaders (five women and five men) are permitted to keep them when they leave KU.
Jones said the remainder of the money is used to help pay travel costs during the football and basketball seasons. Most of the cash is taken out for travel during the first semester because the squad goes out of town for more football than basketball games. There are more games scheduled during the basketball season and because some of them are played during the week the cheerleaders would have to miss school to go to all the games. Jones said however, that they go to most of the conference games. They will go out of town for six games, plus the tournaments, this season.
Although the appropriation covers the major expenses, the yearly costs usually exceed the pre season budget. According to Jones each cheerleader pays 25-30% of his own bills. They buy their own uniforms except for the sweaters.
Don't Fear Exams! Follow These Tips
With this week's posting of the final examination schedule, upper-classmen's thoughts are centered on the coming week of all night coffee and "no-doz" sessions climaxing the semester's activities. Freshmen will be biting their nails, gulping every time a beagle-eyed professor looks at them, and running to their older "sisters" and "brothers" for quick tips on how to "ace" a test in a sure-flung course.
MADONNA AND CHRIST - A spirit of Christmas contrasting with the modern version is portrayed by a 13th century Italian statue of the solemn Madonna and Child which has been added to the Museum of Art. The polychromed wood statue from the Tuscan school is of a period and quality rarely found on the art market today. The museum acquired the piece in 1956 in Florence, Italy. The medieval pose portrays the Madonna in a stiff dignified position with a miniature King of Heaven rather than a baby and is a version of an all-powerful God and His Mother.
All sorts of prescriptions may be dispensed by the older and more mature students of the campus, but a Daily Kansan reporter asked for the specially patented techniques of the oldest and wisest "students" on the campus—the faculty.
The recipe of Edward L. Wike, associate professor of psychology, is, "Start early. There's a lot of evidence from experiments that overlearning leads to better retention."
Phillip M. Mitchell, associate professor of German, said, "The best way to prepare for the examination is to have started studying last September."
Study As You Go
L. Worth Seagondollar, associate professor of physics, said, "I think the best way is to study the material regularly as you go along. Don't wait until the last night."
Miss Dixie Davidson, instructor of secretarial training, who teaches courses in typing, shorthand and the operation of office machines, said, "In skill courses, little cramming can be done. The best way is to keep up as you go along."
A few professors offered suggestions on how to study during these four weeks before the deadline. Ambrose Saricks, associate professor of history, said, "Plan a review beforehand so that everything is studied rather than cramming the night before the exam. It would be a good idea to start during the Christmas vacation, although that's more of an ideal than something a student will actually get done."
9 Army ROTC Cadets Receive Appointments
Nine KU Army ROTC cadets have been selected for appointments to regular Army commissions as second lieutenants upon graduation.
They were named distinguished military students earlier in the year. They can apply for a regular Army commission rather than the usual ROTC graduate standing as reserve officers.
The men must maintain their high academic and drill performance standings and pass a regular Army physical examination to be accepted in the program.
Those selected:
Omar Conrad, Kansas City, Mo. Basil Frank, Pittsburg, John Hunt, Merrill Steele Jr., Theodore Uhlrich, Leavenworth, Thomas Knorr, Wichita, John Reinert, Park Ridge, Ill., Timothy Templin, Minneapolis and Allen Smith, Lawrence. All are seniors.
The regular Army commission requires the officers to serve a minimum of 3 years on active duty. The reserve commission requires 2 year or 6 months of active duty, with varving lengths of reserve duty.
The regular Army commission is an assurance of a career in the Army, if the officer desires. The reserve commission does not offer this assurance.
The Castle Tea Room wishes you a
Very Merry Christmas
And Happy New Year
1301-11 Mass.
VI 3-1151
"I'm Going Back to the Premier Jewelry Shop for Another Gift!"
PREMIER JEWELRY SHOP
916 $ \frac{1}{2} $ Mass.