| Show IT the he old town crier summons Us to help hein 10 spread christmas cheer picturesque Chara character charack cf er of old colonial days who once went from home to home to shout out the news warn of danger and protect the householder appears on this years christmas christma seal to enlist Us in the fight against the deadly white plague I 1 0 western newspaper union by ELMO SCOTT WATSON rahe rj HE old town crier Is etmore abroad in the land once I 1 JL more during the next three weeks he will make his appearance pe arance in every state in the union and from now until christmas he will be seen in every city town and hamlet of our country time was when the old aown crier was one of the most familiar figures of the larne american rican scene as he went from house to house with ringing bell and lusty voice to shout out the news of the 1 day warn of dangers and 1 thus protect the householders leis in his village but this year he will corpe come right into your home bringing with him the news that christmas is almost here ond and calling upon you to help spread holiday cheer throughout the land all of which Is by way of calling your attention to tho the f fact act that athis years christmas seal depicts a jolly end and colorful town crier garbed in his cloak of blue three corne cornered red hat woolly muffler and warm mittens ringing a bell and carrying nn an old fashioned lantern to light him on his way and because it was in n part of the town criers duty to warn of dangers and protect the householders that two barred cross on the seal Is to remind you of ono one of the greatest dangers which threatens this nation of ours so this town crier in addition to calling upon you to hel help P spread christmas cheer is also summoning you to old in the war ion on the deadly white plague tho the appearance of the town own crier on this years christmas seal adds another picturesque re i reinder ot of the olden days to the symbolism of christmas tho the I 1 W a on ar R A M w 3 vw 00 n a 2 0 0 0 T 1 Z A it M q g WK when nantucket fl lass a few ew years ago staged a pageant re calling its past glories as the center of 0 the whaling Indu industry siry on the atlantic coast one of the characters of the olden days recreated created re for foi the occasion was tho the town crier arler played by A F musgrave who ih is shown in tho the picture above earliest carH cst settlers in america brought from their homelands hom elands this custom of having a boll bell ringer town crier or night watchman when the dutch settlers come came to new amsterdam about the middle of tho the seventeenth con cen imury they brought with them the custom of ringing the curfew from the church belfry at eight this was the signal for oil all to cover their fires with ashes then all the family 1 retired cozy and warm tn in their huge i feather beds they had every feel ing of safety for each night through the lanes lane s of the town inow now new york city bold boldly ly rn marched arched the sturdy klopper mann 0 or rattle watch ile he was thus named because of the elarge j large klopper or rattle he carried end and whirled loudly at each door athe shrill cracking sound bound re 1 r T i I 1 RE 1 7 1 echoing in the stillness of the night made known he was wag there to protect them in his other hand he carried a 0 strong staff a 0 lighted lanthorn lind and a brassbound hourglass by which he told tho the time he called out the hours throughout the night and at break of day ho he would cry A fair morning and alls albil well vocal advertisers in the boston town records for 1638 is a notice of the custom of crying lost animals a stray sow that had been taken Jaken in the corne and often aryed but without success in finding its owner in new england the town crier was paid to make announcements and only those licensed by the selectmen could cry without paying fines was paid the cryer for each announcement made in the meeting house and sixpence for those up and down the street child lost four years old she wore a blue and white calico dress and other announcements announcement s were made by these town criers in new england ta they did not combine their duties elih those of the night watchmen in 1635 boston appointed a night watch from sunset an hour after the beating of the drumbe when any lights were observed after ten the constables or night watchmen cereto we were reto to inquire discreetly it if there was any excuse warranting the noise they must especially check dancing drinking or singing and admonish tile tha revellers resellers rev ellers for disturbing the public peace during this period there were also two bellmen who went about to call out the hours of the night and other interesting information poetic criers the bellman came to new eng land from england and we have mention ot of him in the dim diary of samuel johnson by boswell he writes 1 I staid up till the bellman came by with his bell just un under dermy my window as I 1 was writing this very line andr and cried past one of the clock and a cold frosty windy morning 11 some criers waxed poetic and shouted their messages in verse one of these as given in old street cries of london by oscar E norman was list good people allt past ten oc lock the boure I 1 call now say your prayers and take your rest with conscience clear and sins confessed I 1 bid you all good night good nighat the town crier Is still still an institution ution in england as witness a recent story in a new york newspaper telling how the town crier ran through the streets of the ancient village of Hadden haddenham harn ringing his bell and summoning dilall all able bodied men to report on the river bank to aid in combating flood waters water which threaten to overwhelm square miles of the richest farm land in great britain the account went on to say how town crier george chapman broke all precedent by donning ordinary clothes instead of his regular criers uniform to run through the streets calling volunteers are urgently needed at the river banks jn in this country the town of provincetown Province town on cape cod od mass still has its town crier crier one amos kubik he made his first appearance at the time of the tercentenary in 1933 when in a new uniform with spangles wide belt large buckles and black hat lie he walked down the street ringing his big brass liell bell and booming out the news of the day children and grownups grown ups trailed him down the street to hear this sort of an announcement hear yel hear yel the first whale seen in provincetown Province town for 20 years is on exhibition today behind Math esons store come and see the monster of the deehl bring the children for a lesson in zoology ten cents admission this town crier came to new york in 1935 and newspaper accounts stated that amos i is s the only town crier extant and he takes his role seriously lie he will cry up anything but wants it written out in advance his present method is to begin all announcements with three loud hark yes each aitch preceded by two clangs on his dinner bell I 1 he has learned to refer to himself as a better medium than newspapers because of something he calls instant effect amos is a tar far cry from the dignified bellman of former days origin of curfew law the curfew or covering bell because it iti meant all fires should be covered was of norman origin and h has as been rung in various states in the union in 1880 omaha neb passed a curfew law for children under fifteen years of age and over other cities and towns had this law during the latter part of the nineteenth century in several places curfew still is rung chicago revived the law in 1928 for ten but many ridiculous difficulties arose because that was the era of the very short skirts and ladles ladies well over fifteen were mistaken for youngsters much to the amusement of the latter and the chagrin of the policemen but there were no policemen in those early days no clocks and no newspapers the town crier was nil all three in iii some communities muni ties and he was a most respected and necessary citizen it is pica sant ther therefore eiore to recall this honored officer of our forefathers in buying and using our christmas seals on holiday letters and packages we may know that this friendly town crier was chosen for its subject to symbolize protection of our homes from tuberculosis the house in the background on the seal stands for all homes and the sturdy old od town crier is ring ing in health for 1933 this year enrka the thirtieth anniversary of the sale of christmas seals in the united states and the appearance of the old town crier is an interesting addition to its pictorial development the first ono one issued in 1907 by the delaware chapter of the american red bed cross was simple in design a small red cross at the top with leaves of holly surrounding the words merry christmas and happy new year the next year the seal was similar but with the legend camerl american red lied cross 1908 displayed upon it in 1909 and 1910 the wording on the seals was the same but the red cross now placed in the center was larger the 1911 seal was characterized by the first appearance of a picture a snowy landscape with a lighted house in the background and alid pine trees on each side of it in 1912 jolly old santa claus first appeared on the seal his portrait was in the center and placed in the four corners of the seal were red crosses with the words merry christmas above and happy new year below the 1913 seal was an oblong with a center panel showing santa claus driving his reindeer across a snowy landscape happy new year was dropped from the wording leaving only american red cross ross and merry christmas but on each side of the seal are were depicted poinsettias as the first time these christmas chrisom as flowers had appeared the 1914 1915 and 1916 seals went back to the square design and all of them bore pictures of santa claus with happy new year restored to the wording the 1917 seal showed a christmas christinas tree bearing a white shield on which was displayed the red cross the 1918 seal as though hough celebrating the end of the war displayed liberty with a shield and an upraised torch I 1 during all this time the red cross and the national tuberculosis association had operated cooperated co in selling the seals but in 1919 the red cross turned the work over to the tuberculosis assoni association and on the seal in that year with santa claus restored as the principal figure there appeared for the first time the double barred cross of the other organization it also carried the words health and a happy new year in 1920 the seal showed santa claus carrying on his shoulders a chubby little child who was upholding the double barred cross with the words merry christmas and healthy new nek year the 1021 1921 seat was similar iril in its theme santa claus with his protecting arms around a little boy and a little girl next year the seal showed a mother holding her child with the simple inscription for health and 1922 in 1923 1023 santa claus came back on the seal his kindly face peering out from the flames in a fireplace before which sat a little X 1 I 1 1 11 it IN f E A modern new england town crier child the legend on I 1 it was IM merry e r r y christmas 1923 health christmas 1924 read the next years seal which show sh oweda edn child upholding a torch and holding a shield bearing the double barred cross the 1925 seal displayed two burning candles candies against a background of holly and mistletoe and the words merry christmas and good health the next year three musicians garbed in an cicet costumes sang ol of merry christmas the 1927 seal was another oblong with santa claus riding in his sleigh bringing christmas greetings and good health tho the 1928 1923 seal showed a ship with the double barred cross displayed on its sails and I 1 labeled a e led christmas greetings the 1929 seal again showed a figure in ancient costume this time ringing a bell for health greetings santa claus was back on the 1930 seal carrying a christmas tree on his shoulder and calling out merry christmas and health to all the next years was an oblong shows show i ing an english coach and four 1932 showed two little children singing a christmas carol and 1933 1033 displayed some lads of the olden time dragging in the yule log the 1934 seal lio honored nored one of the pioneers in the fight against tuberculosis dr edwin trudeau by reproducing a pic ture of his famous little red cott cottage in the adirondacks where he won his way wa y back to health the 1935 seal showed a girl in old fashioned costume posting a letter in a mail box and last years seal brought santa claus back on the scene albeit a very modernistic saint nick |
