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Welcome to
our Web
site!
Week ending 12-16-03
“Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa
Claus”
(Just a reminder of the season from your editor)
Originally published in The New York Sun in 1897.
Dear Editor:
I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there
is no Santa Claus. Papa says, "If you see it in The
Sun, it's so." Please tell me the truth, is there a
Santa Claus?
Signed Virginia O'Hanlon
The answer as published in the New York Sun was:
Virginia, your little friends are wrong.
They have been affected by the skepticism of a
skeptical age. They do not believe except they see.
They think that nothing can be which is not
comprehensible by their little minds. All minds,
Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are
little. In this great universe of ours, man is a mere
insect, an ant, in his intellect as compared with the
boundless world about him, as measured by the
intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth
and knowledge.
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as
certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist,
and you know that they abound and give to your life
its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be
the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as
dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be
no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make
tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment,
except in sense and sight. The external light with
which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.
Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not
believe in fairies. You might get your papa to hire
men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas eve to
catch Santa Claus, but even if you did not see Santa
Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees
Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no
Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are
those that neither children nor men can see. Did you
ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not,
but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody
can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are
unseen and unseeable in the world.
You tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes
the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the
unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the
united strength of all the strongest men that ever
lived could tear apart. Only faith, poetry, love,
romance, can push aside that curtain and view and
picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it
all real? Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is
nothing else real and abiding.
No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives and lives forever.
A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay 10 times
10,000 years from now, he will continue to make glad
the heart of childhood.
CALENDER OF EVENTS
December 23 Melodies from the Garland Symphony
December 31 No Meeting / Happy New Year
January 17 Belated Club Christmas Party at the
Stuekerjuergen’s (tentative)
**Next Club Meeting will start back on January 7th**
Happy Holidays!
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January Board Meeting
January 5th – The first Board of Directors meeting for
2004. Everyone is welcome to attend.
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Parade of Lights!
This was the first Christmas parade in the City of
Garland since 1971 and Exchange was a part of it.
Thanks to Nicole, Don T., Jeff M, Rosie, Celia, and oh
yes Michael G. It was the shortest parade in history.
Everyone was “high stepping” to keep up. Don Tinius
arranged for Exchange to have two fire trucks to
represent us and five members from the Garland
Symphony riding on top of the fire truck playing
Christmas music.
Everyone was adorned with lights and walked the parade
route giving out candy canes. It was a great time for
all.
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“Mock Legislature”
Thanks again to Andy McKenny and Whataburger for
furnishing all the food for those hard working
students. Thanks also to Charlie C., Michael G.,
Rosie, Jeff M., and Celia for serving the food to the
kids. It was greatly appreciated.
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“Wishing you Old-Fashioned Pleasures, Happy Memories
and all the Joys of Christmas!”
Check out the Nooner Special Communiqué archives.
This page was last updated on
01/06/04
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