The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-11-27
GULL LEASED WIRE REPORT
OF TIE ASSOCIATED PRESS
THANKSGIVING OLD AND NEW

The last ten years in the United
States have marked the passing of the
old-fashioned Thanksgiving. Prior to
that football was yet an infant sport,
confined to the larger colleges, and had
no particular hold upon the interest OF
the general public Thanksgiving was
the old-tirne celebration of New Eng
land origin day of praise services ana
family dinner parties and social gaiety,
not the date of the last great football
contest of the season. But now that
every little mountain or prairie uni
Versity," every military academy ana
every high school supports a football
eleven and every team has its annual
Thanksgiving game with some ancient
rival all the other interests of the day
are subordinated to the battle of the
gridiron.
Time was when it was a violation OF
all the traditions to go away from home
on Thanksgiving day unless to a fam
lily gathering. but that was when the
THANKSGIVING dinner was the main fea-
ture of the day. We still eat Thanks
giving turkey. but likely as not eat it
on high stool at a railway lunch
counter on our way to the scene of the
particular game in which we are inter
ested, or in a public cafe when the mo
mentous struggle is over. ''ThanksglV-
ing day at grandfather's farm is ante
dated. The farm is deserted, and even
grandfather is among the rooters on the
bleachers. Homes are forsaken, fam
lilies scattered, turkey dinners allowed
to grow cold in the cause of this new
element in American sport. The day is
given up entirely to football the morn
ing to anticipation and preparation, the
afternoon to the game and the evening
to celebration of victory or consolation
for defeat. From the Princeton-H Harvard
game in New York city to the St
Marys- Manhattan match in Wamego-
on-the- Kaw, the paramount issue of
Thanksgiving day in this year of our
Lord 1902 is who makes the winning
touchdown.
And yet that wasn't such a bad idea
of the Pilgrim fathers-the setting
apart of a day of Thanksgiving for
blessings received and calamities
averted. Not that football can be
blamed because the spirit of Thanks
giving has been SO generally forgotten.
Long before the present supremacy OF
the pigskin the original signification of
the day was lost sight of. Undoubtedly
bowling oneself hoarse at a ball game is
as dignihed a celebration of national
holiday as stufing to the point of apo
pexy. But what's the matter with
revival of the old-fashioned Thanks
giving spirit? We are a sour grouchy
dyspeptic lot on the verge of chronic
pessimism we Americans. What with
complaining about the way the Opposi-
ton is running things knocking on the
Powers That Be, growing at the evils
of the day and predicting dire misfor-
tune for the future. we are in danger OF
forgetting how much worse it could be
Why not, for once, exercise a natural,
healthy optimism and look on the bright
side? There is bit of verse which
Edith NJ Thomas dashed off, once
upon a time which expresses a fine
Thanksgiving spirit well worthy of Gull
tivation for one day in the year:
Thou art not rich, thou art not poor.
Thy fortune keeps the middle Wav:
NO Ills thy strength Cannot endure
Apportioned to the passing day
Ihou art not young, thou art not old.
Yet calm thou Seest thy years depart;
And joys are thine thousandfold-
Because thou hast the thankful heart
thankful heart for life alone
For beauty in the earth md skies,
(And for such share as thou dost own
BY happy gift of seeing eyes)
For human loves endearing bond.
Where stanchly thou dost bear thy part
For solace here and hope beyond
For all thou hast the thankful heart.
So, TO this day of crowning cheer,
BY easy course thy steps did tend,
Since. with each dav of all the wear
NO chance thy prize from thee can wrest
While life shall last thou shall not part
With that good gift (of all the best)
The treasure of thankful heart.