Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1870-02-23
WATERLOO, Feb. 18th, 1870

Editor Republican: y our inquiry address,
ed to me about what had become of your
Waterloo correspondent awak ened some
conjunction Of conscience, and therefore
propose to show repentance for my past
shortcomings by sitting down and writing
you good, long letter, and thus "bring
forth fruits meet for repentance
Since last wrote you, we have finished
the battle over our school-st least tor the
present. What with charges and counter
charges, with indignation meetings and
visits of the State Superinte ndent, with
hootings of "Hottentots, and war of words
in the ost-ofice, the pesceable citizens of
Waterloo were in @ fair way to be driven
distracted. Suffice it to say that a large
number of well-informed citizens of our
place believe Mr.. Newberry TO be an ex-
celleut teacher, and the School Board to be
either knaves or fools while there are also
large number of eq ually weIl-informed
citizens who believe the exact contrary j; if
you want to know further, just go into the
Post-of1ice here and ask the frst man you
see sitting on the counter, and you will
have crowd in less than ten minutes, each
anxious to expi ain the whole thing to you,
as he understands it; and if you get away
from them in less than tyr hours, ysu will
do we'll.
Mr. Newberry has been replaced by Mr..
Twiniug in the school, and on the School
Board A. F. Mattice has been replaced by
c. P. Mead SO Treasurer and Mr.. Chapman by
John Aosher, Esq, as Director. Hon.
Starr Gone still remains Clerk. There are
symptoms Of lireiy fight over the election
of Treasurer and Director next July.
Christmas brought with it two immense
Christmas trees, one in the Methodist
church, and the other in the Baptist church
the Baptists and Congregstionalists unit
ing to get it up. The latter was of course
the biggest and had the largest crowd,
and therefore, l suppose, beat the other.
But really, Mr.. Editor don't you think this
business of Christmas trees is about played
out ? As the Germans celebrate it, it 10
pleasant family celebration, that associates
the birth of Christ in the chldren's minds
with pleasant recollections of home pleasures
It is a great deal better than the way you
stockings, by the chimney with care, in
hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.
The Saint WAS rather poor patron saint
for children, seeing he was only Gold Nick,
baptized, and locked of his tail and horns;
and would pre- fer "the Christ child" as
the patron saint for my children, being
heather or Romish superstit!ons, over we'll.
But when we came to Amercanize this
beautiful German custom, we had 10 smrch
it with the dirty touch of our natiVe fend
Publicity Now, Christmas trees are very
beautiful things and productive of pleasure
TO the children ana of entertainment to the
parents !; but, begging the ladies pardon,
think we have run them into the ground
You have heard, suppose, of the old wo-
| manwto asked circuit-rider to pray for
| raj for her garden, and he prayed with
such strength of lungs aud such fervency as
| to bria down a tremendous shower, that
| washed her garden all out, whereupon shs
de clared that 'stbese Methodists always
overdo things" Well, now, | think we
Americans are all of US very apt to overdo
| tn ings; and so we can't undertake to get
up Christmas tree for our children with
| out trying to have as big a thing as wecan,
and out do our neighbors. Now, if we
| conld only practice the old fashioned vir-
| tues of modesty and simplicity in connec-
| ton with our Christmas trees they would
be good things; but as they are, | think
| they are a custom "better honored in the
| breach than ia the observance The Chris
mas trees this year were an occasion of
| showing the good viii of scholars and par
| IshioNers in very prac teal way. Mr..
| New berry received a handsome dress
! ing gown from bis scholars, and the minis
| ters received so maoy dressing-gOwns and
| rocking chairs, and furs. and center-iahes,
| and purses Of money, that l cannot pretend
| G enUmcThie them al.
| Eat this et;er IS as long as you can
| sfnnd ~ one ume, aud so / must defer 10
| anor!er seek he rest Of the news rom
WArEaL0o.
4
1