VIEWPOINTS McFADDIN-WARD HOUSE
December 2014 Vol. 31/No. 1
Holiday meals went far beyond sustenance BY JUDY LINSLEY “Beyond Sustenance: Feast and Fellowship,” the interpretive theme for 2014 at the McFaddin-Ward House, has focused on food and foodways in the lives of the McFaddins. At Christmas, the role of food got “kicked up a notch,” as celebrity chef Emeril might say. The season truly was celebrated with feast and fellowship. Through family records, oral interviews, and other documents in our archives, we discover common threads in holiday traditions for the McFaddins and other Beaumonters in the first half of the 20th century. Many Beaumonters’ food memories revolved around cooking. Fruitcake remained a perennial holiday favorite and was something Ida McFaddin enjoyed making, though she didn’t ordinarily spend time in the kitchen. Albertine Parker, part time cook and maid for the family, recalled that “Miss Ida and I made fruitcake together.”
The LaSalle, Hotel Beaumont and Edson hotels — Beaumont’s finest in the 1920s — served Christmas dinner for travelers or those who chose not to have their meal at home. Fruitcakes were also a Christmas staple at the home of Beaumonter Mildred Campbell Yates, growing up in the 1920s and 1930s. Each year
her grandmother made them, buying candied
See MEALS, page 4
EXCITING LECTURES COMING TO MWH MUSEUM IN 2015 BY MARCUS POWERS
Amanda Danning, forensic sculptor, consulting with Dr. Douglas Owsley, Head of Forensic Anthropology of the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. Photo credit Donald Hurlbert of the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History
The knee-jerk reaction to the word “lecture” is deeply imbedded in our minds as something boring and staid, a product of our educational careers where a “lecture” meant listening to a professor with a beard drone on about 18th century economic conditions in Ireland or the role of gender in Russian literature. But here at the museum, we work hard to bring you lectures that are both fascinating and educational. This year, we had talks on the
business of wine in Napa Valley, duck hunting, the early days of Beaumont, art forgeries, and the gardens at Monticello. Our 2015 Lecture Series is also shaping up to make for another exciting year. In January, we welcome forensic sculptor Amanda Danning, who will kick off the series. Danning has gained international recognition as a forensic sculptor, having been commissioned by the Smithsonian Institution for
See LECTURES, page 2
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-- Director’s Desk --
GONE TO AUSTIN By ALLEN LEA
From time to time, the McFaddin-Ward House is approached by other museums with requests to borrow objects from our collection for display in exhibits, pertinent to the items themselves and their place in the history of Texas. Loaning objects to other museums not only brings more publicity to both institutions, but it also gives the public, some of whom may never travel to Beaumont, a chance to learn about the history of another place. Earlier this year, the Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin, Texas, contacted the McFaddin-Ward House with a request to borrow some objects for an exhibit that explores the luxury, leisure and culture that grew out of the wealth from Texas oil booms. We were more than happy to accommodate their request, and soon packed and shipped objects from our permanent display, as well as some from our collections storage that the general public has never seen. The objects on loan reveal useful and interesting information about the spending habits of a wealthy family and how they were influenced by the expanding world of advertising and marketing techniques utilized by manufacturers and department stores. They bought what was available, what was stylish, and what they liked. And
while Beaumont was never a major urban center, the McFaddins kept up with mainstream tastes, and what they bought and the way they lived reinforced their status as a wealthy family with a noticeable and necessary passion to consume. W.P.H. and Ida McFaddin, Mamie and Carroll Ward frequented Austin for business meetings as well as personal and leisure activities. These included Colonial Dames meetings and the ever-popular Texas vs A&M football games, as Carroll’s alma mater was A&M. The Lucas Gusher in 1901 and the Spindletop oil boom that followed significantly impacted the town of Beaumont, doubling its population and providing great wealth and an expanding petroleum-based economy. W.P.H. McFaddin was part owner of the land on which the gusher was located. Already wealthy from the cattle business and other interests, the McFaddin family prospered even more after the second Spindletop boom in 1925, and from the sulphur mining operations on the salt dome that began about 1950. The exhibit will be up through November, 2015. If you are traveling around Texas for this holiday season, or anytime in 2015 for that matter, be sure and stop by the Bullock Museum for a special treat. Please visit www.thestoryoftexas.com for visitor information.
Lectures Continued from page 1 reconstructions of Jamestown settlers, Buffalo Soldiers, ancient PaleoAmericans, and many others. Dr. Douglas Owsley of the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) says, “It is rare to find someone whose work can help interpret and bring to life the past for so many people.” Danning’s work is on display at the NMNH and more than thirty U.S. museums. She’ll be giving her talk “Making
Pieces on loan to the Bullock State History Museum for an exhibit on oil wealth across Texas, now on display at the museum in Austin.
Heads and Telling Tales” on January 29. On March 19, the man with the best job in Texas will be here; Daniel Vaughn is the Barbecue Editor for Texas Monthly, and he’ll share the history of barbecue in the Lone Star State. Roger Wood, a retired college professor and author of three acclaimed books on zydeco music, will be here on May 7. “Lone Star Lala: Texas and Zydeco Music” is his fascinating talk, and he’ll share the unique role of southeast Texas in the shaping of this beloved genre of music. Next summer (date to be determined), the people behind Bayou Rum Distillery, a
homegrown business in southwestern Louisiana, will talk about their distillery and will feature the growing list of rums they produce in Lacassine. And on October 22, a name familiar to many of you will round out our list of lectures. Carey Maloney, an award-winning architect and designer, will talk about the culture of design and “stuff.” It’s an eclectic list, to be sure, but one we think will interest a broad audience and further our goal of educating and enlightening southeast Texans. Join us next year for one — or all — of these lectures!
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Carroll Ward’s Rambler BY SAM DALEO JR. Carroll Ward’s 1961 Rambler Ambassador Super, on display in the carriage house garage, began life as a bicycle. That’s right, the “Rambler Bicycle” was an American brand manufactured by the Gormully and Jeffery Manufacturing Company in Chicago from 1878 to 1900. The “Rambler” brand name was created by Thomas B. Jeffery for his bicycles. However, in 1897, Jeffery built his first automobile and named it after his Rambler bicycle. It was a simple one-cylinder automobile with bicycle wheels and tiller steering and would later evolve into the 1901 Rambler model A. In 1899, Jeffery exhibited the new Rambler at the Chicago International Exhibition and Tournament and at the first National Automobile Show in New York. The Rambler received very positive reviews. Encouraged, Jeffery decided to sell his bicycle company and focus on manufacturing automobiles. Commercial mass-production of the Rambler began in 1902. Fifteen hundred autos were produced that year, representing onesixth of all existing motorcars in the country at that time. This made the Thomas B. Jeffery Company the second largest auto manufacturer in the country, behind only Oldsmobile. In 1916, Jeffery’s company was purchased by Charles W. Nash and became Nash Motors. Starting in 1917, autos carried the Nash brand name. In 1937, Nash merged with the Kelvinator Appliance Company to become the Nash-Kelvinator Corporation. In 1950, George Mason, president of Nash-Kelvinator, was trying to reach a larger automobile market. He decided the best chance the company had for doing this was to make a small car. This resulted in the production of the Nash Rambler, the first compact car of the post-war era, and also brought back the Rambler nameplate. The car was an immediate success for the company. In 1954, Nash-Kelvinator and the Hudson Motor Car Company merged to create the American Motors Corporation (AMC). During 1955 and 1956 Ramblers were marketed under both the Nash and Hudson brand. The cars were virtually identical. The Rambler marque was finally established in 1957. With the death of George Mason in 1954, George Romney became president of
Carroll Ward’s 1961 Rambler, above, which is now on display in the Carriage House, and an advertisement for the sporty 1961 Rambler.
AMC. In 1957, Romney began a reorganization that would continue to focus AMC’s future on a small car line. Also, in an attempt to streamline production, Romney combined the Nash and Hudson brands into a single Rambler marque. Nash and Hudson were phased out by the end of 1957. Rambler sales were robust, so good that by 1960, Rambler was the third most popular auto brand in the U.S., behind Chevrolet and Ford. In 1963, the entire Rambler line received Motor Trend’s prestigious “Car of the Year” award. In 1962, with the departure of George Romney, Roy Abernethy took over as president of AMC. Abernethy began a strategy of competing head to head with Detroit’s “Big Three” auto makers, General Motors, Ford Motor Company and Chrysler Corporation. Part of this strategy included a full line of automobiles to compete with the varied styles being offered by Detroit. Abernethy felt the compact body style of the Rambler and the Rambler name itself had acquired a stodgy
public image and would be a hindrance to sales. Beginning in 1966, AMC began to phase out the Rambler marque in favor of an AMC marque. On June 30, 1969 the last U.S. Rambler rolled off the production line in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Carroll Ward’s Rambler Ambassador Super was purchased on April 29, 1961, from Jimmie Himmel Rambler in Beaumont, Texas. Sadly, Carroll did not have the opportunity to enjoy his Rambler for very long, as he passed away on July 13, 1961. Most of the 13,000 miles on the odometer have been put there by staff, either Mrs. Ward’s or the museum’s. Over four million automobiles carried the Rambler name. From the very beginning, it was a unique and forward-looking automobile company, experimenting with innovations ranging from the steering wheel and spare tire in the early years to later advances in unibody construction and fuel efficiency. Not bad for an automobile that began life on two wheels.
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Food Continued from page 1 cherries, citrons and such at Chris Angelo’s specialty food store downtown. Angelo’s also provided Mildred’s aunt with dates for her special date-nut roll, which Mildred called “the most sinfully fattening confection this side of Heaven.” Mary Anna Crary Anderson recalled that her mother’s fruitcakes “were really dark. Raisins came looking like a bunch of grapes that had been flattened; they were still on the stem. We had to seed them and cut them up. The citrons had to be cut up too. When the cakes were made my mother put them in crocks and soaked them in whiskey. The [guest bedroom] smelled like whiskey around Christmas.” Preparations for Christmas dinner at the Campbell home began right after Thanksgiving. Mildred’s grandmother cracked pecans for “parching” (roasting) with butter and salt, always done in an old wood stove. The finished product was put into tins for giving or saved for the Christmas table. The grandmother also made cheese straws—“long and peppery strips of very short pastry, brittle with Cheddar cheese.” Not all foods were homemade. Mildred recalled Longe’s Coffee Company on Pearl Street as “the most wonderful place in Beaumont, maybe even in the world.” Besides coffee, it handled unground spices that “suggested oceans far beyond the Gulf,” and displayed glass cases filled with divinity, pecan rolls, fudge varieties, butter mints, and marzipan fruits. Even “scratch” cooks needed ingredients, and Beaumont stores carried them. Fortunately, most stores delivered, some even on Christmas Day. On Christmas Eve of 1901 the French Market Grocery advised customers to “Please give all Christmas orders by midnight, as no orders will be taken for delivery after that time.” Housewives carefully checked newspapers for prices and availability and to keep in the know. In 1912 turkeys were scarce and sold for 17 ½ cents a pound — high at the time. By 1922 turkeys cost 40 cents per pound alive, or 45 cents “dressed.” Not everyone bought a turkey. “A whole lot of people [are] going out to try and get a Christmas goose or a brace of ducks,” reported the Beaumont Journal. In 1920, with Prohibition just under way, the Journal noted that egg prices were rising so fast that they would soon be “bootlegged, just the
Longe’s Coffee Company, where at Christmas Beaumonters could find specialty coffee, candy, and spices, was located in the Alamo Block on the north end of Pearl Street.
The Stedman Fruit Company supplied Beaumonters with not only fruit but candies and fireworks at Christmas, in this 1913 ad.
way the [egg] nogg is.” Cooks could also find new recipes in the newspaper; in 1910 the Journal touted the Lady Baltimore Cake as “the most popular cake this season.” Certain items were available to shoppers only around the holidays. In 1910 the Beaumont Enterprise announced the arrival of a “monster trainload” of “Red Ball” oranges, a must for making ambrosia and filling Christmas stockings. Beaumonter Charlsie Berly recalled that her stocking always contained “one apple, one orange, pecans, English and black walnuts, and Brazil nuts.” When the big day came at last, every family had a traditional menu. At the top of the list were the requisite turkey and dressing, ambrosia and a sweet potato dish. Beyond
that, anything went. To those four basics, the Campbell family added a veritable Victorian array of food: shrimp or fruit cocktail, congealed cranberry-and-pecan salad, wild duck or goose, country ham, roast beef, macaroni and cheese, scalloped potatoes, cauliflower Hollandaise, English peas, candied yams, gravy, and Parker House rolls. Condiments included homemade pickles, spiced peaches, olives, cheese straws, and individual dishes of parched pecans. Desserts were plum pudding, cabinet pudding, fruitcake, and of course, Auntie’s date-nut roll. Holiday dinners for other Beaumonters were less elaborate but just as festive. Mildred
See MEALS, page 11
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Technology in an old place BY ARLENE CHRISTIANSEN Tech-nol-o-gy noun /tek-‘na-le-jé — electronic or digital products and systems considered as a group; the use of science in industry, engineering, etc.; to invent useful things or solve problems; a machine, piece of equipment, method, etc. that is created by technology. Technology is supposed to make our lives easier — yeah, right. Okay, it does, when it is functioning properly. So I don’t sound like a complete grouch, let me go back in time a bit. Over the past few years, we have tried to incorporate 21st-century technology into an early 20th-century grid (or no grid at all). We have tried to take a hodgepodge of buildings, some over a century old, some new, and some in between, and rig them up to accommodate phone systems, computers, alarm systems, and wireless internet. This is no easy feat. Back in the beginning, ca. 1986, we basically had a simple phone system and alarms. The technicians tried to use the latest technology, which included burying lines underground. That worked pretty well for a good while; we were even able to connect the visitor center to the phone system with underground lines. That was quite a challenge, because if you remember, the visitor center is two blocks from where the equipment is located in the carriage house. Later, when the internet came along and it was feasible for us to get it, we tried to connect the visitor center, something that never worked very well. The dial-up connection operated at the pace of a snail — and that was on a good day. In fact, none of the buildings really had good service, but it was all we had and we were happy with it. After all, we had the INTERNET— we were part of the World Wide Web! Then in 2008, Hurricane Ike paid us a visit and we lost the ability to communicate with the visitor center at all. After more than a year of unsuccessfully trying to locate the lines, using cellphones, and even changing to VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol; that was horrible — you could hear only about every other word), it was decided to separate the VC from the system and let it stand alone. The VC now has its own phone system and internet connection, and two
A large tree was uprooted during Hurricane Ike and broke the original telephone lines to the Visitor Center from the administrative offices. dedicated lines for the alarm system. Naturally, after the changes were made, we ran across the diagram showing the location of the original lines to the VC. They were right in the path of a huge tree on Third Street that fell during the storm, uprooting everything in the ground around it. It was not considered cost effective to try to rerun the lines and restore the system, especially since it works very well as it is. The curatorial office building (COB) is also connected by underground line to the carriage house. We recently had to replace a phone line in the COB, and I’m sure that in the not-too-distant future we’ll have to replace the underground line as well. After all, it’s only been there since 1987. For many years the phone system consisted of five lines, with the fire and burglar alarms attached to the lines. What a nightmare! We constantly experienced problems with either the phones or the alarms. The alarms were programmed to dial out to report, tying up the phone each time they did. A few years ago we added enough phone lines to give each alarm a dedicated line. Of course, with so many lines, many of
them old, repairing one problem creates a glitch somewhere else, particularly when more than one service is involved. For some reason the fax line still shares a line with an alarm, although it is a secondary line and not the primary. Just recently we had trouble with the alarm; the alarm people came out, and guess what? — then the fax line didn’t work. The phone people had to come out to see what is going on. We may have to add another dedicated line to accommodate the alarm that is now attached to the fax machine. I haven’t even addressed data storage problems. Should we back up using the cloud or try to use standard backup on external hard drives? A data storage company gave us a bid, but they wanted to bid strictly on backup, so we would have to remove a lot of our data to another medium. WE ARE A MUSEUM, so we are supposed to keep everything FOREVER! We’re still working on this dilemma. It’s never ending. We might get it all together someday, but then I’m sure a new technology will come along, and we’ll be off and running — to keep up — again.
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PERFECT POPULAR PICNIC On October 16, our ever-popular fall picnic was held on the lawn of the museum. Hundreds of people gathered to play croquet, tour the first floor of the museum, listen to the sounds of Katie Whitney & the Draw, and enjoy food from Rockin’ Mama’s Kitchen food truck. It was perfect fall weather for a picnic, and many families took advantage of the clear skies and cooler temperatures.
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Love all around A once-in-a-lifetime event happened at the museum on November 1: a wedding reception! Lane Wilson (great grand-niece of Mamie McFaddin Ward) held the reception for her wedding on the lawn of the museum. Around 150 guests had dinner on the back lawn, followed by dancing. The week-long preparations culminated in a beautiful affair.
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BEING
A
VOLUNTEER
AT THE
By Becky Fertitta There have been many questions surrounding the “awards” that are handed out at our docent appreciation banquet in January; the following–reprinted from a previous issue—should answer many of these questions. A new docent class is scheduled to start up February 2015; it will run for six weeks through March, with sessions from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. every Monday. If you have any questions about the training program, please call Becky Fertitta at (409) 832-2134. The McFaddin-Ward House is very fortunate to have a remarkable group of adult volunteers, approximately 65 in number, many of whom take a real interest in the goings-on of the museum and are committed to helping make it the very best that it can be. From the inception, the McFaddin-Ward House Board of Directors planned that tours (and eventually other tasks) would be provided by volunteer docents, not paid staff. To that end, the board also sought out first-class professionals to develop a course that would ensure a highly competent group of interpreters. To this day, although it has undergone many changes, the McFaddin-Ward House Docent Training Program is first-rate and a program that continues to bear amazing “fruit” thirty years after the original class of docents was trained. Because of the extremely high regard I have for the volunteers, when the leaders of our Volunteer Service Council (VSC— umbrella organization for all MWH volunteers) asked me to explain, in Viewpoints, the organizational structure for our volunteer recognition program, I jumped at the chance; mainly because I know that, even though it makes perfect sense to me as volunteer coordinator, the program is mostly a mighty muddle for our volunteers. For the most part, the program is a muddle to them because being recognized for their service is an added bonus — they really enjoy volunteering at the museum and never give a thought to the “pat on the back” they most assuredly deserve. But any serious volunteer program must make recognition a key part of the volunteer package. At our museum, excellent training and fair recognition of service are the basis of our volunteer program. In the early days, volunteers were recognized by their years of service. It was soon evident that this method was not quite fair to the really devoted workers. In 1996, the current recognition program was implemented and remains to this
day — with a few tweaks along the way. When a volunteer amasses a total of 125 hours of service, they receive a service pin. The pin is silver and is a jeweler’s rendition of the front doors of the McFaddin-Ward House. Men receive a tie tac in the same style. Usually
volunteers are quite surprised to receive this token, because they have absolutely no idea they have given that many hours. They reach this step after about three years of service. When the volunteer has accumulated 250 hours of service, usually after an additional two
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MCFADDIN-WARD HOUSE
years, a small diamond is added to the service pin. They are not surprised by this bit of recognition, because they have to return the pin to me; I in turn send it to the jeweler for the enhancement. At 500 hours volunteers are recognized with a small gift, a key chain made from the wood of our historic oak tree “Rachel.” She toppled over in 2008, thanks to Hurricane Ike.
Rachel is one of a pair of oaks who have graced the grounds of the museum for decades, well over 100 years. She and her companion William were named for William and Rachel McFaddin, parents of W.P.H. McFaddin. Having names is a must when trees become members of the Louisiana Live Oak Society. When a volunteer has given 750 hours of service to the museum, they receive a framed
print of the MWH. And on the rare occasion that a volunteer tops the 1000 hour mark, twelve so far, they are given a pen and pencil set made from Rachel’s wood. The box they are presented in, although not made from the same wood, is engraved with the volunteer’s name and the year. The stops along this “Recognition Trail” honor our volunteers for every hour they give, be it giving tours, helping with an outreach program, or planning a program over the entirety of their career. There are two additional awards given each year. One, called the Visitor Service Award, honors the person who donated the most hours in the calendar year working with visitors. This award usually goes to a docent who has given far beyond the normal amount of time giving tours. Volunteers’ hours are logged day in and day out all year long, and the one with the most hours receives this award. The highest award a volunteer can receive is the Volunteer Innovation Personified (VIP) designation. This recognition highlights a volunteer who consistently goes way beyond the call of duty and has a real impact on the museum’s mission. A small ruby and an additional diamond are added to the VIP’s service pin. Small changes have been made to our recognition program through the years, but none so much as a recent change in the special honor shown to the past president of our VSC. For many years, the president’s service pin was sent to the jeweler for a light gold-wash denoting the special status. Because it has become extremely difficult to accomplish this particular task, past presidents now receive a plaque, suitable for hanging, with the McFaddin-Ward House logo screen printed on a slate that once graced the roof of our museum. When the museum’s roof was restored in 2001 — 2002, the contractor used slate from the same quarry in Pennsylvania to replace the original. The original pieces that were in good condition were saved and now can be given to our past presidents — a little bit of history just for them. It is such an honor to be the one who shares these special gifts of recognition with the adult volunteers at our appreciation banquet each year. The program outlined above shows our volunteers how much they are valued and appreciated. In addition to gifts and accolades, I hope that through my words and deeds, as well as those of the entire McFaddin-Ward House staff, our volunteers know that they are the museum’s greatest assets.
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THE
MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR
AT THE
MCFADDIN-WARD HOUSE
By Marcus Powers There’s a lot of cynicism surrounding the holidays these days, and it’s not entirely unwarranted. It seems every year, Christmas trumps every other holiday and gets pushed back earlier and earlier into autumn. Thanksgiving hasn’t been entirely Christmas-free for years, and nowadays even Halloween isn’t safe. But despite the fact that Christmas should probably be contained in the month of December, it and the other holidays this month definitely live up to the hype, ringing true with the cliché of the “most wonderful time of the year,” especially, if I might say, at the McFaddin-Ward House. When I started working here one year ago, my very first day on the job was the day the staff was busy readying the house for the Christmas installation. Poinsettias were everywhere, greenery lined the hallways, and plastic tubs full of decorations covered the entrance hall. It was a pretty great welcome to my new job. This year, we’re continuing in the grand tradition of dressing up the house for the holidays and inviting you in to see what we’ve been up to. And with three events –on top of our regular tours — there are plenty of chances for you and your family to see the McFaddin-Ward House this holiday season. On December 3, the museum will open its doors to the public for regular tours, halls fully decked. The poinsettias will be out, the staircase will be decorated, and (perhaps everyone’s favorite part) the two dining areas will be set up for some grand holiday party. Our three events this year are all shaping up to be a lot of fun. On Thursday, December 11, we’ve got another installment in our free movie night series, and this time it’s a classic: “White Christmas.” I am particularly excited about this musical, since I grew up watching it with my family. The following Saturday, December 13, is our biggest event of the season, the holiday open house. From 1 to 4 p.m., we’ll open the doors and welcome everyone into the museum. Free firstfloor tours, live music, snacks, and crafts will be a part of the festivities. And Santa will make an appearance, of course. (It is
The McFaddin-Ward House Museum is always decorated for the holidays. Christmas, after all.) And finally, on Thursday, December 18, from 5-7 p.m., we’ll have our signature Eggnog Evening; it’s your chance to see the house lit up at night (it’s beautiful, trust me), tour the first floor, and enjoy a little eggnog with friends and family — a warm and cheering experience! And a returning tradition this year is our holiday ornament. This year’s ornament features the house straight-on in a beautiful silver overlay. It’s simple, classic, and gorgeous. The ornaments are from Charleston Mint, a family-owned company which is the oldest of its kind in the country. They are available in the Visitor Center for $20. Get them while they last!
2014 Mamie McFaddin Ward Heritage Foundation Grant Recipients It wouldn’t be Christmas without the spirit of giving. That spirit is something Mamie McFaddin Ward embodied her entire life, and the foundation she left behind — the Mamie McFaddin Ward Heritage Foundation — continues her legacy by giving grants to various organizations and other nonprofits across the area. The recipients of those grants for 2014 are the following: the Tyrrell Historical Library
Association, the National Society of Colonial Dames of America in the State of Texas, Nutrition & Services for Seniors, Family Services of Southeast Texas, Buckner Children and Family Services, Nau Center for Texas Cultural Heritage, the Symphony of Southeast Texas, CHRISTUS Health Foundation of Southeast Texas, the Art Museum of Southeast Texas, and the Beaumont Police Department.
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Viewpoints from the Visitor Center By BECKY FERTITTA
2014 has been a busy, fun-filled year at the visitor center, and the volunteers have been there for every lecture and celebration and outreach program. As the year draws quickly to a close, it’s good to give thanks for the great times and the exceptional volunteers who make the McFaddin-Ward House such a special place. As with any organization, the museum has a core group of individuals who devote time, “way beyond expectations,” to the business of volunteering. Our Volunteer Service Council Executive Board is at the top of that list. The president, Peggy Ducote, has done a fantastic job of steering the ship, with the help of her officers: Lyndia King, presidentelect; Joan Madigan, social/hospitality chair; Teresa Orr, social/hospitality co- Members of the 2012 Volunteer Service Council give their thumbs up for the Christmas chair; Lisa Hitt, education committee; installation. Linda Martin, education committee cochair; and Gloria Ayres, past president. The Denise Delboy, Billie Osborn, Lilo Stevens, Service Council has provided the following committee chairs have been extremely and Kim Williams. Education committee slate of officers for election at the Volunteer busy, as have their members, all of whom members are Melissa Campbell, Karen Appreciation Banquet on January 31, deserve massive “Thank Yous!” Chapman, Joyce Gaskin, Barbara Smith, 2015: President, Lyndia King; PresidentA special group of volunteers are also and Glenda Warren. I’m applauding these elect, Joan Madigan; Education part of that core group because they have ladies for the fabulous job they have all Committee Chair, Lisa Hitt; Education worked diligently all year with smiles on done in 2014. Committee Co-Chair, Linda Martin; their faces and love in their hearts! The year 2015 is already shaping up to Social/Hospitality Chair Laura Assunto; Social/Hospitality committee members for be exciting and full of activities. The nom- and Social/ Hospitality Co-Chair Kim 2014 are Laura Assunto, Dolores Belton, inating committee for the Volunteer Williams.
Meals Continued from page 4 Killbuck grew up on Hazel Street near the railroad tracks, just northeast of the McFaddins’ carriage house. One of seven children, she acknowledged that “money was short.” But they always had enough at Christmas to feed others — the unemployed couple living in a nearby vacant house and “at least one transient” from the hobo camp along the tracks. Their dog even got a gift of bones. Feeding others was all part of celebrating the day properly. New Deal work programs provided jobs that allowed some breadwinners to feed their families; the Beaumont Journal reported in 1935 that “Families in an estimated 3,500,000 homes across the country were eating
[Christmas] dinners paid for by wages from the work-relief program.” Less fortunate Beaumonters could still look forward to a Christmas meal. In 1906 the Salvation Army Beaumont Corps planned to feed about 1,000 needy people on Christmas. During the 1920s and 1930s, the Beaumont Journal’s Milk and Ice Fund collected donations to provide indigent families with Christmas dinner. Other charitable groups and churches filled baskets with food and delivered them to families who would otherwise have gone hungry on Christmas Day. While most Christmas meals took place at home, some Beaumonters ate out. In 1918 the Beaumont Journal announced that “The new Pershing dining room at the Crosby House (named for General J.J. Pershing, commander of U.S. troops in World War I) was opened Christmas day.” During World War II,
with domestic help scarce, the McFaddins and Wards held family holiday dinners at Hotel Beaumont, the Beaumont Country Club, or the Beaumont Club. “Lovely dinner,” Mamie Ward recorded in her diary after a New Year’s dinner Ida hosted for 20 family members at Hotel Beaumont. Beaumonters in the early 20th century kept Christmas in a variety of ways. Holiday food traditions did indeed go far “beyond sustenance.” The rituals surrounding food — preparation, shared meals, gift-giving, and social interaction—created a warmth and cheer at Christmas that was unmatched at any other season. Mildred Yates rightly described Christmas as a time of “joy and family tradition.” The McFaddin Christmas interpretation, “Christmas: Feasts and Fellowship” will run from December 3 through January 4.
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VIEWPOINTS McFADDIN-WARD HOUSE
The McFADDIN-WARD HOUSE Historic House Museum
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Vol. 31, No. 1 December 2014 Published quarterly for volunteers of the McFaddin-Ward House and others interested in cultural and educational aspects of the museum. (409) 832-1906, office (409) 832-2134, visitor center www.mcfaddin-ward.org 2013 Press Club of Southeast Texas Excellence in Media Award winner for Best Newsletter
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Events Calendar
Volunteer Calendar Wednesday, December 3 Volunteer Christmas Preview and Reception 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Lecture Hall Saturday, December 27 JI Tour Day 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, December 28 JI Tour Day 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Thursday, December 11 Movie Night “White Christmas” 6:30 p.m. Saturday, December 13 Holiday Open House 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Thursday, December 18 Eggnog Evening 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, January 29 Lecture “Making Heads and Telling Tales” 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, January 31 Volunteer Appreciation Banquet MCM Eleganté 11 a.m. Monday, February 16 (date tentative) MWH Book Club Lecture Hall Noon