Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on November 26, 1930.
CITY TO MARK ANNUAL FEAST DAY QUIETLY
Family Reunions, Church Services, School Holidays and Benefit Football Game Are Features.
CITY BAND GIVES A BIG BENEFIT DANCE
(BY ENGLEBERT ZIMMERMAN)
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving day and Valparaiso and environs in conjunction with the rest of the United States, are arranging to give this oldest of American holidays fitting observances.
Pre-eminently Thanksgiving is America’s great day of family reunions and feasting. On no other day in all the year is there so much returning back to the family hearth, for renewal of family ties around about a beautifully provided board.
That is what Thanksgiving is, in the main in Valparaisoーa day of reunions and feastings. That is what it has been as long as most of the populace can recall.
Business generally will be suspended this evening, not to be resumed on any grand scale until Friday morning. A covering of snow blankets the entire section.
Dealers report that orders for turkey have been unusually large this year, due to the reasonable prices prevailing. Dealers also report heavy sales in ducks, geese, chickens and cuts of beef and pork.
City schools will enjoy a two-day holiday, closing this afternoon and not reopening until Monday, according to an announcement made by Roy B. Julian, superintendent. The double holiday will permit teachers to return to their homes for at least three and in some cases four day visits with relatives and friends. The local schools, Superintendent Julian pointed out, observe few holidays, but Thanksgiving is one of them.
Valparaiso university also marks the holiday with a break of schedules.
Religious services perpetuating the early festival established by the Pilgrim Fathers will be observed in a number of churches tomorrow morning.
Congregations of the Presbyterian, Baptist, Methodist and Christian church will participate in a joint union service to be held at the Christian church at 9:30 a.m., Rev. Frank Roy Briggs, of the Methodist church, will preach the sermon.
The Immanuel Lutheran church will hold special services at its edifice on North Washington street tomorrow at 10 a.m. Rev. George Schutes will preach the sermon.
A Thanksgiving service will be held by First Church of Christ Scientist, at 121 Lincoln Way, at 10:45 a.m. tomorrow.
Thanksgiving cheer will be spread for inmates of county jail and county infirmary. Sheriff Burney Maxwell and Superintendent W.H. Dittman have arranged persons under their charge.
Tomorrow afternoon at Brown Field, the Valparaiso university football team will meet a team composed of alumni in a big benefit game for the community chest fund. The game will start promptly at 2 o’clock.
Tomorrow night at Elks’ temple ball room, the Valparaiso city band will give a dance, the proceeds of which will go to the band in making up a deficit during the summer concert season.
