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Show . Page 2 Messenger-Enterpris- Letters to the Editor Old Folks Party tradition dates to 1875 Colette Thompson On Saturday. April 7, Manti will once again celebrate Old By 1 mult Letters to the Editor from our readers Letters must be signed, in good taste, not libelous or slanderous, and limited to 500 tords lie resene the right to edit letters to meet space requirements So more than one letter per person per month mil be published The opinions expressed are solely those oj the writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper II Thursday, April 8, 1999 e e Folks Day. The dinner will be held Manti Stake Center. Manti is no doubt one of the few Utah towns to stdl celebrate this unique Utah tradition, which was begun in 875. exThe annual, at 12:30 p.m. at the We have been deceived 1 I'm relieed to know the Towne Theater is staying. ruin thousands Now ...Wal-Mar- t. The 70 ety. favor of busi-nesses- at great cost to our soci- of Sanpeters who has worked Yes, Wal-Mahard to create a helpful, friendly image, w inning the admiration and rt must be unaware Wal-Ma- rt of smaller questionable competitive practices. For example. Joyalty of millions of trusting "Buy America" cam- people, while at the same time paign. According to import destroy ing the traditional fabric of records. became the America's small tow ns. It griev es biggest importer of Chinese goods my soul that we have been so dein any industry after its "Buy ceived. representative America" campaign was in full Daphne Davis commented priswing ("In Sam We Trust." p.xiii. vately that it was so nice to be here, Intro., Ephraim Library). True, where people are so accepting, most big stores use foreign labor, while they're not so favorable to but the In pocrisy is that elsewhere in the counis That because we in the west pretends otherwise. try. Dav id Glass, in a have not had nearly so much exDateline NBC interview, unsucas farther perience vv ith cessfully tried to explain away east, but we have unwittingly set use of child labor in the stage for to saturate the infamous Saraka Factory in our w estern landscape just as comBangladesh. le also excused pletely as they have elsewhere. I sent a letter to misleading the public in store after store by placing Stores Inc., Bentonville, AR n-made Attn: David Glass, clothing under "Made 72716-861in the USA signs (p.223 on. In Pres, and CEO, informing him that Sam We Trust"). I'll be continuing to bring inforJust because the mind of man mation to the people on the adis capable of conceiv ing a grandiverse effects and deceptive pracose idea, should he go ahead and tices of encouraging make that idea a reality, regardthem to commit to a conscientious less of the consequences? It is effort to support local stores while soon will be-- to clone buying only those things at Wal-Mart- Wal-Mart- 's 's Wal-Ma- rt Wal-Ma- Wal-Ma- rt Wal-Mart- rt Wal-Ma- rt 's Wal-Ma- Wal-Mart- 's rt Wal-Ma- rt 1 Wal-Mart- 's Wal-Ma- rt foreig- 1, Wal-Mar- t, pos-sible-- or Wal-Ma- rt human beings and control the kind of people who are born into this world, but is it moral to do so? mid-summ- er cursion for the elderly was founded by the pioneer photographer, Charles R. Savage, who early in life became intensely interested in the aged and poor of his native England. For many years in Utah, he had rendered ser-vito the needy. His daughter. Lennifc Louise Savage Riter, related that the idea for Old Folks Day came about when Charles frequently passed the home of his elderly neighbor. Old Mrs. Day lies would sit on her porch day after day, year after year, whenever weather would permit. He wondered if she ever went outside of the yard. le thought there must be other old people that did the same thing and felt sorry for them. The idea came to him that it would be a tine thing to give all old people an outing once a year (Wadsworth, Nelson, Set in Stone Fixed in Glass. 1996). 1 vv Some authors hav e stated that, attending social activ ities in Idle Salt Lake City, Savage noticed that the old fathers and mothers, especially the mothers, usually were engaged in tending their grandchildren, while the younger parents enjoyed themselves. This situation gave him the idea of Old Folks Day. in which the older generation. for at least one day, would be waited upon and treated as special guests of honor. they cannot buy elsewhere. Only if we are uncommonly vv ise and prudent might we be able to Throughout history, ev il men have control and avoid havconceiv ed the idea of a "superior us. control ing Whatever exactly prompted race and attempted ethnic cleansin the 30 who don't Ifyou're the idea, it eventually led to a ing, murdering millions of inno- want urge you to write meeting vv ith Savage and the Pre- cent people.. .is it right? Is there a letter of protest to them as I have. siding Bishop of the LDS Church. such a thing as social responsibiloppose them as a matter of prinThe idea of an Old Folks Day was g of ciple. ity, a regard for the met vv ith enthusiasm, and the necour fellow men? Samuel Walton essary arrangements began. Alenv isioned a v ast retail empire and Sherron Andreason though it was attended largely by now dominates retail Ephraim those of the Mormon faith, it was trade, even sroceries. driving to stipulated that there are none to be excluded because of their religion, and the oldest guest present is the special guest of the occasion whether they be white or black or whatever the complexion of their The Manti Utah Stake Choir rehearsals have been scheduled, religious belief. (Liahona. the Elders Journal 10. May 27. 1913) will join with the Regional Choir on the next five Sundays, April 1, The only stipulation was that they to perform at the upcoming Re18.25, May 1,8. must have reached a certain mileThe rehearsals w ill be held in gional Conference, to be held May in life's highway. In practi16. the Ephraim Stake Center at 5:30 post cal terms, this meant 70 years old To prepare for this event, five p.m. Wal-Ma- rt Wal-Ma- rt Wal-Mar- I t, I well-bein- Wal-Ma- rt Stake Choirs will join for Regional Conference ii J liadiinMaw.- - s. Savage, seated center to the right of the tree, is surrounded by senior citizens at the annual Old Folk's Day at Lagoon Amusement Park. Savage founded the popular annual event. ter funded, but Charles Savage and George Goddard, his friend and an LDS church secretary, always remained the appointed committee heads to organize the festivities. Each year the cost had to be met W. Nibley in 1909 reveals, Will you pardon me for suggesting that ample provision should be made, without fail, for the emptying of bladders during the visit of the Old by the generous donations of both individuals and institutions. The there will be great distress (Letter found in George Goddard central committee solicited communities for food, funds, and prizes to enable them to carry out this growing celebration. For example, the donation list in 1886 ranged from a sack of flour, a 25 lb. cake, copper kettle, 50 fans, walking cane, 2 granite teapots, and arm chair, just to name a 1 I 1 few. One woman vv ho attended the June 1882, gathering in Liberty Park observed, There were a thousand and old people over seventy... There were races run by the old men and 28-2- 9, forty-eig- ht prizes given to some. One old lady got a dollar for having a bonnet that was twenty years old and in a good state of preservation. A dollar was given to an old man for getting up and makingrthe fjre jn the morning for his w ife for more than sixty v ears... Brother William Naylor got a dollar for living peacefully with his mother-in-lafor twenty-fiv- e years. It seems almost incredible, but he is a man of truth (Journal of Rachel Woolley Simmons found in Richards, Bradley W. M.D., The Savage View, pg. 92). Letters and diaries of past events tell of certain distinct problems. A letter to Bishop Charles w Folks to the City, Without this ah Historical Quarterly 985). About 4,000 old folks w ere expected for this 1909 excursion. 1 Indeed logistics alone needed tween the old and the voting who served them, and bonds of friend- ship were made and strengthened. Many fond memories were made by many citizens much to the good of the whole community. Years after Savage's death in 1909, the Old Folks Committee erected a monument w ith a bronze bust of him. It now stands on the southeast comer of Temple Square with a plaque that reads, In af- ; : much planning. fectionate Some individual Utah stakes took the initiative to have their Charles R. Savage, and in reverential regard for the old folks own regional Old Folks celebra- hose happiness he so greatly promoted through the establishment of Old Folks Day in Utah.; Charles R. Savage didn't care tions. For example, the South Sanpete Stake held its Old Folks Annual Grand Festival of September 18, 1909, at Manti. According to the Improvement Era, As usual it was a very happy gathering and a success in every way. Among the other activities, C.C.A. Christensen read his poetry, (Improvement Era 1910). Savages association with various railroads was invaluable in having them donate free passage to participants. The participants wore ribbon badges on their left breast as their tickets for a free train or streetcar ride to places of amusement. Those between the age of sev enty and eighty wore red badges, those between eighty and remembrance of vv about immortalizing his name. He ; simply said, ...let my name sink? into oblivion. If I can help others, I will be glad. (Richards, Brad-- ! ley W. M.D., The Savage Way.) Utahs Old Folks Day continued ' for 95 years w ith only three inter: , ruptions. In 1970, when the population of Utah grew too large to successfully carry out this tradition. Old Folks Day was abandoned as a church-ide activity. The responfor sibility honoring the elderly was passed on to local LDS church w leaders. It would be interesting to how many communities still know ninety wore blue badges, and those between ninety and one hundred observe this tradition today. Many hours of planning and service are wore a white rosette. each year to have success"given These gatherings were greatly ful parties. Manti can be comwho by the anticipated elderly, were the honored guests. There was much social interaction be mended for still honoring our older generation. 1 WEATHER for the Manti area Reported by Lee J. Anderson or more. The first Old Folks Day was held May 14, 1875 at the Clinton Hotel on the shores of the Great Please Salt Lake. Savage arranged, through the generosity of the newly built Utah Western Railroad. to have 180 aged guests, at least 70 or older, convey ed to the outing. There they were entertained and served by 60 individu- als. After several songs and speeches, most of the company boarded the steamer City of Corinne for a tw trip on the salt water. Upon the return to the hotel, refreshments were again made available, after which music, dancing, and singing concluded the long day. The participants were then taken back to Salt Lake again by rail. This first Old ur THE RIanti THE IESSENGER USPS 3284-000- EPHRAIM Enterprise USPS 0 1777-200- 0 Inc. 1999. All rights reCopyright, Messenger-Enterprisserved. Reproduction, reuse or transmittal of all matter herein is prohibited without prior written permission by the publisher. Published each Thursday for 50c each, $16.00 a year inside Sanpete County and $19.00 outside Sanpete County, by Messenger-Enterprise Inc., 35 S. Main, Manti, Utah 84642, Ph (435) Fax (435)835-149PROlD Periodicals Postage Paid at Manti, Utah, member POSTMASTER: OF Send address changes to: e, 835-424- 1, 3. Inc. Manti UT 84642 Main, Publishers Editor General Manager Sales Representative Manti City Reporter Messenger-Enterpris- e 35 S. Ephraim City Reporter Sanpete County Reporter Manti High School Sports Folks Day was hailed as a total and complete success. Thus, it was decided to continue the annual custom. The idea of Old Folks Day spread quickly to other communities. and became the custom in almost every town in the Territory. Often, trips were made where they were hosted by citizens of othertowns. They also made excursions to resorts. Some of the favorite spots were Lagoon, Saltair, Liberty Park, Garfield Beach, Wandemere, and Black out-of-to- Max an(j Beth Call Max Call David Call Tricia Call Karen Buchanan Lynn Schiffman Shirley Bahlmann Brad Barton We are in need of volunteers ages 14 who are willing to work as reading tutors. Rock. Over time, the gatherings became even better attended and bet- - The Sanpete Rotary Club provides tutoring for individuals who need help learning to read. There is no charge for this service. For more information, please call Lloyd V. Smith at or vvrite to: Sanpete Rotary Literacy (435) 835-97Project; P.O. Box 99, Manti, Utah 84642 22 t, POOR CC |