Came off on Saturday afternoon and evening in a very satisfactory and pleasant manner. We rejoiced to welcome many dear friends who live without our borders; and although our schoolhouse was densely packed-too much so for comfort-yet there were none too many, and we wished we had a more capacious room, in which comfortably to seat our friends.
Our Committee of arrangements spared no pains for our entertainment and comfort for which they will have but poor pay, save in the approval of a good conscience. Yet I trust we appreciated their labors and felt grateful to them for their works' sake. The room was prettily trimmed with nature's own green. Good mottoes, entwined with fadeless boughs impressed our inmost souls with the glorious associations of the day. The singing was fair, the opening remarks of Br. Wm. H. Fish, simple and appropriate, the speaking of the children very good, the refreshments plain and abundant, the "Fairy tree" well loaded for the children, and the presents were dispersed with great good nature, and an occasional flash of wit, that sustained the interest to the very last. Our social gatherings are good times, but they will be better when we have a larger room.
I can scarcely close this notice, without saying to friends away that many thoughts on that festal evening flew off on Love's wings in search of those whose presence on former occasions had cheered our meeting and whose absence was now a shadow on our joy, yet we look forward with hope to the time when we shall be garnered in one blessed "Union" above, where the principles that we all love will be the Universal creed. Abby Hills Price, Our Christmas Festival, The Practical Christian, January 1, 1853
The photo above show the original school and chapel on Hopedale Street between Freedom and Chapel Streets. This may be the school referred to here or the celebration may have been held in the Home School. I'll try to find out.
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