Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1866-12-29
West Point correspondence.
WEST POINT, Dec. 26th, 1866

West Point Correspondence.
WEST POINT, Dec. 26th, 1866.
EDITOR CHRONICLE Christmas, with its
anticipated pleasures, its joys. its festive
scenes, its merry makings. its social gather
ings and happy reunions, has come and gone
and hope the many readers of the CHRoN1-
Gle have all enjoyed merry one.
Christmas eve and Christmas day of 1856
will long be remembered by the people Of
West Point as the happiest and merriest hol-
iday enjoyed for a number of years, and
wherever they may be in the future there
will linger in memory's casket the most fond
and pleasing remembrances of the festive oc-
cas;on. On Christmas eve the festivities
were Inaugurated with a school exhibition
by the scholars of Mr.. Wells school. Bv 7
O'Clock the large and capacious hall of Mesd's
hotel was crowded to its utmost capacity
with fashionable and expectant audience,
What if the rain did fall in torrents. no in
reference of the elements could prevent the
paters JGnsilias and their better halves being
present on such an important occasion. Was
not each mother confident that her "darling
boy" would acquit himself with the honors
OF Demosthenes or a Cicero, and that her
lovely "Araminta Melinda Jane would ex-
eel Miss Anna Dickinson in defamation:
The Introductory address, delivered by
Master Willard Mead, was masterpiece of
composition, and vas delivered in fine style
and with good effect; so also did Miss Aret-
ia Harris deliver the second Introductory
address i'll Il pleasing manner. But have
not the time and space to particularize the
merits of each individual scholar where oil
seemed to excel. Young misses with fairy
and sylph-like forms appeared upon the
stage before the immense audience with all
the ease and confidence of our most noted
stars of tragedy, and spoke their "pieces" in
clear, distinct and well modulated voice,
and rendered their various dialogues in an
effective style: The boys had evidently been
put through severe and rigid training, and
were well up in their parts no timidity was
evinced by any, but all-from the smallest
to the largest seemed determined to excel.
The proceeds of the exhibition are to assist
IN paying the salary of the teacher and I
understand that considerable over hundred
dollars were realized. The prize awarded to
the scholar selling the greatest number of
tickets was won by Miss Belle Briggs, she
having sold one hundred and four tickets.
Too much praise cannot be awarded to Mr..
Wells for the able manner in which he has
conducted our school since he has had charge
OF 1t, and now that our large and commodi-
Gus school house is nearly completed, I
would suggest to our worthy Board of Trus-
tees that they still retain him as teacher, for
surely none better qualified, or one who takes
more interest in the advancement of his
scholars can be found in the county.
At the conclusion of the exhibition came
the Christmas tree, which was well loaded
with nice and useful presents for all. Old
Santa Claus deported himself in his usual
happy manner, and loud were the shouts of
thanks from the little ones as they received
from him tie various gifts bestowed. But
the most important gift of all, and one that
will conduce to the good of most, was a
purse containing fifty dollars, hanging to the
strongest limb of the tree, and donated to the
school by Mr.. Charles Gouldsen, of this
place. Mr.. Gouldsen is one of our most sue
cessful quartz miners, and donates his money
to charitable objects with no sparing hand.
As soon as the presents were distributed
from the tree the hall was cleared, and dane
ing commenced, which was continued till
late hour the following morning. Owing to
a severe indisposition I did not attend the
dance, but understand that it was most
pleasant affair; indeed, it could not be 9TH
erwise when there were such a number of
fair and lovely women and gallant men in at
tendance. Christmas day was spent in
general jollification by all hands; the best of
feelings prevailed, and no disturbance of the
peace occurred, r.