Nearly every edition of the Enterprise in December was loaded with stories about local Christmas celebrations and advertisements.

What a thrill it would be if I could walk with you around the village streets of 1948. No empty stores, no big empty spaces where hotels and businesses had existed. Here is a glimpse of the east side of Broadway Hill. Attached to, or part of the lower level of the Berkeley Hotel, was a shoe repair shop, a sports shop/news stand, a deli, a barber shop and Stephen’s Men’s Shop; then the beautiful Pontiac Theater, the offices above with big windows facing the street were occupied by attorney Francis B. Cantwell, father of attorney Thomas Cantwell.

Next to the Pontiac was a homemade candy store. The candy was all crafted in the workshop basement and displayed in beautiful glass cases in the store. The owners, a Greek family, C. G. Sarbanes lived at 72 Bloomingdale Ave. I was friends with their son, George. The store faced Broadway but also had an entrance from the lobby of the theater.

Tight against the Pontiac Theater as one proceeds down Broadway was the Edelberg Fur Store, the Downing and Cane restaurant and the Wilson Clothing Company; just imagine all the businesses, and we had only reached Woodruff Street.

The population of Saranac Lake was 10,000, so the shops had all those local people to support them. One day I am going to gather the names of all the businesses that existed at that time to prove why Saranac Lake was branded the Little City in the Adirondacks.

–

Santa visits St. Bernard’s School

–

So let’s get back to 1948, when there were 62 pupils in grade one and 33 pupils in grade two at St. Bernard’s School. When I attended St. Bernard’s, there were 35 pupils in grade six.

“Yesterday morning about 9:30 who should come to the first grade room at St. Bernard’s School but old St. Nick himself.

“Dressed in red and white with his pack of toys in hand the jolly friend of children stamped the snow off his boots and regarded the 62 pupils and their twenty-odd guests with merry eyes.

“As the children opened their packages and began to eat the refreshments served at the party Santa waved a goodbye to the first graders and traveled on to the second grade room where he was received with just as much enthusiasm.

“Here he saw the tree made by the 33 second graders, asked them if they had been good, distributed gifts and candy and watched them eat refreshments before he headed back to the North Pole.”

–

Gifts for veterans

–

“Ladies of the VFW Auxiliary will meet tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 at the Veteran’s Memorial Home, 173 Broadway, to pack Christmas packages for distribution among veterans of WWII who are patients at three local sanatoria.

“The packages which will go to both men and women veteran’s contain cigarettes, stationary and postage stamps. The VFW plans to pack at least 50 of these gifts.

“The gifts will be distributed at sanatoriums at Ray Brook, Gabriels and Stonywold under the direction of Miss Katherine Brizitis, Mrs. Hazel Monica, Mrs. Hazel Christian and Mrs. Ella Horton.”

–

Big party hosted by Bea and Mose LaFountain

–

“The walls of Durgan’s grill on the Harrietstown road resounded with the merriment of more than 650 youthful voices from 2 until 4:30 yesterday afternoon as the proprietors, Mr. and Mrs. Mose LaFountain, held their annual Christmas party for the village children.

“Transportation to the party was furnished by Mrs. Theodore Hillman, who made five trips to and from Berkeley Square in the Lake Colby School bus. [All school buses at that time were privately owned.]

“The youngsters entered to find bottles of milk, donated by Dairy-Dell spread around on center and booth tables.

“Straight from the North Pole came Santa Claus, played by James Douglas, who entertained the youthful guests throughout the afternoon.

“Santa’s helpers were Mrs. J. H. Butler, Emmet Durr of Ray Brook, Mr. and Mrs. Wells Munn, Aaron Shapiro, Jerry Chapman, Miss Anita Kennedy, Mrs. Eunice McDonald, Miss Alzeda Wilkins, Kenneth LaDouceur, Mrs. William Morris and her daughter, Mrs. William White, Lucien Miron and James Shirley.

“The Durgan orchestra provided holiday music. Arque Dickenson is leader of the ‘Honey Dippers’ and members of the band are Ray Cully, Larry King and Eddie Shores.

“W. Lee Knight projected movies, which included cartoons and animal pictures and the children were also treated to such entertainment as acrobatic stunts by the Aolandas and feats of magic by Milnor the Magician.

“After two and a half hours of holiday gaiety, the children, tired, but happy prepared to leave for their homes.

“As they filed out of the grill, through both exits they were presented with candy, ice cream, oranges and apples.

“Kenneth LaDouceur, manager of F. W. Woolworth’s Saranac Lake store, donated 25 pounds of candy, 500 cellophane bags and 500 blocks of gum for the party.”

–

Teen Canteen plans festivities

–

“The Teen Canteen begins its holiday schedule with a regular session from 7:30 until 11 this evening in the Harrietstown Town Hall.

“On Wednesday evening a round and square dance is planned with Stearns Walker and his band to play from 8 until 11. James Kilroy is in charge of arrangements.

“The children [the members were all teenagers] will gather for a Christmas party on Saturday evening with James Lewis, [age 18] president of the Canteen, directing the activities.

“Last Saturday evening, at the regular party, two prizes were given away. Sam Sherman won a 15-pound turkey and Martha Bendell was awarded a roast of beef.

“Canteen members realized a gross total of $107 from the activities. They voted to send a ‘Care’ package to a soldier in Europe.”

–

Hanukkah holiday celebrated

–

“The annual program to mark Hanukkah, better known as ‘The Festival of Lights’, will take place at 4 o’clock Sunday afternoon at the Jewish Community Center on Church Street.

“The holiday commemorates the victory of the Maccabees over the Greek Army, led by Antichocus, in the year 167 B.C. It exemplifies the freedom of religion since the Greeks were driven from Jerusalem as the result of the decisive Battle of Emmaus and the lights were rekindled in the temples.

“Rabbi Alfred Kahn will deliver the address and the children of the religious school will give a play under the direction of Mrs. Kahn.

“The program will also include group singing of Hanukkah melodies. Food boxes will be distributed to bed patients in the village.

“Mrs. Sol Drutz will be in charge of the children’s refreshments and Mrs. Jerome Jerome (sic) heads the adult refreshment committee, assisted by Mrs. Joseph Jacobsen and Mrs. Joseph Goldstein.

“The program will be open to the public.”

–

St. Luke’s Christmas Festival

–

“The Christmas festival for pupils of the Sunday School of the Church of St. Luke the Beloved Physician was held at 4 o’clock yesterday afternoon in the Parish House. The festival was attended by 87 children and parents.

“The program consisted of carols by the kindergarten and primary departments and by all present. Miss Joyce Kains presided at the piano.

“Oliver P. Wallace read the story of The Three Wise Men after which a colored movie, ‘When the Littlest Camel Knelt’ was viewed.

“Useful gifts and candy were presented to all the children by Santa Claus, played by Raymond LaRose. His assistants were Chester Park, Ellsworth Wilcox, Mary Lou McMullen, Ella Highland and Mrs. Ernest Mounsey.

“Sharon Parks presented Santa Claus with a large red apple.”

****

Every kid in town must have attended a Christmas Party. In addition to all the above, how about this?

“Sixty-five village children were feted at a gay and colorful Christmas party and turkey dinner from 12:30 until 2:30 yesterday afternoon by members of the Whiteface Mountain Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons, in the Masonic Temple at 1 Olive Street.”

–

Village

–

“For a pleasant evening’s entertainment drive along the streets of Saranac Lake – both business and residential – and see the Christmas decorations.

“Saranac Lake has gone all-out for Christmas this year with more outside Christmas trees and holiday lights than ever before shining over the glistening white snow.

“The village has put up the three large trees in Riverside Park and in William Morris Park [location of the Carousel] and at Berkeley Square. The village, also, is responsible for the strings of lights across the main streets and the Carnival Committee has helped by placing little evergreen trees at every lamppost.

“Residents, too, have gone all-out, in contributing to the merry air of festivities. Gaily decorated trees with many strings of colored lights shine forth from lawns and windows of local homes on every street.”

–

Students home for Christmas

–

“Among the students home for the Christmas vacation are William Hall, Russell Wood, John Fitzpatrick, John Harrigan and Thomas Oddy. They are students at Colorado State College in Greeley, Colorado.”