The time of their young lives

An Ohio Christmas, 1924

Uncle Charley mentioned in his Dec. 9, 1924 letter home that he was involved with a party for poor children:

        I won't be home until Saturday, the 20. I am through finals on Thursday but we are having the Christmas party for the poor kids Friday night and its a party worth staying over for. Besides I'll probably [be, sic] needed to help get them here and home.

So of course I went digging and found this in the Dec. 12, 1924 issue of The Lantern:

SIX FRATERNITIES WILL ENTERTAIN NEEDY CHILDREN

CHRISTMAS PARTIES, WITH TOYS AND SANTA CLAUS, PLANNED BY CAMPUS GROUPS.

Phi Gamma Delta, Beta Theta Pi, Sigma Nu, Zeta Beta Tau, Delta Tau Delta, D. U. to Be Hosts.

    The spirit of old St. Nicholas will be the ruling but unseen visitor in a number of fraternity homes next week, when many needy youngsters are shown the time of their young lives.

    Phi Gamma Delta, the first fraternity to establish Christmas charity parties, will again entertain a group of boys and girls with a dinner and appropriate entertainment. Christmas trees will be in evidence in most of the houses that are giving parties and everything possible is being planned to brighten the one night of entertainment for the children.

To Provide Practical Gifts

    Beta Theta Pi and Sigma Nu fraternities are giving similar functions. The latter is planning to have one of its members don the red and white costume of Santa to play host to the children, while the former organization is buying practical gifts as well as toys and novelties to entertain their youthful visitors after the Christmas dinner.

    Zeta Beta Tau and Delta Upsilon are also contemplating charity parties and are just completing the arrangements for getting the children presents and a tree.

Charitable Groups Assist

    A number of sources are being used for obtaining the youngsters that most need such attention. The Godman Guild, the Family Service Bureau, and several other organizations are cooperating with the fraternities, so that the children may be gathered from all sections of the city.

    Delta Tau Delta fraternity plans to pass on to needy Columbus children the toys and gifts that they, in a spirit of fun, presented to each other. These gifts will be taken downtown and given to children who are members of large families, and who would otherwise receive very little to make their Christmas a happy one.

    The practical gifts that will be offered to the youngsters will take the form of shirts, ties, gloves, shoes, and a great variety of other useful and much needed presents.

I certainly hope he, and they, had the time of their young lives.

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