1883 December Part 2

With Christmas just a few days off, an interesting event took place which combined efforts to raise money for mission work with an opportunity for Hamiltonians to purchase something that would be please the little girls on the list :

 “Yesterday afternoon the Churchwomen’s Aid Society opened a doll show in the vacant store in the Masonic Block, corner of James and Gore streets, and ever since there has been a steady stream of visitors to admire and buy.

“The collection of dolls is large, varied and interesting, and on some of the costumes almost as much care has been bestowed as on that of a society debutante. There are pretty dolls, blushing dolls, brazen dolls, coquettish dolls, melancholy dolls, grotesque dolls, funny dolls, and ugly dolls, in all manner of costumes and no costume at all. The little old woman in the shoe is not wanting to make the sale interesting. The sale is being continued this afternoon and will be tonight. As the ladies must dispose of the dolls, they can be bought at very low prices.”¹

¹ “Doll Show”

Hamilton Times.  December 20, 1883.

The ladies’ college on King street east was one of the best run institutions of its kind in 1883, and Hamiltonians took great interest in the school:

 “The Christmas Examinations at the Wesleyan Ladies’ College, which have been in progress this week, were concluded today. The subjects have been moral science, Biblical history, logic, literature, trigonometry, geometry and other branches of a complete education, but the examinations being written were necessarily not as interesting to the public as had they been oral.

“The pupils’ concert, which takes place this evening, will be more generally attractive and the Times is informed, will certainly this year not fall below its usual high standard of excellence. How large a work the college is performing is not perhaps generally known. The term has been one of the most prosperous in the history of the college. The attendance has been the largest during the present administration, and the results in every way satisfactory to the Faculty and Board. The prospects for reopening after the holidays are very good.”²

²“Hamilton Ladies’ College”

Hamilton Times.  December 20, 1883.

Wesleyan Ladies' College (photo circa 1899 after college closed and building became the Waldorf Hotel)

Not only did the local press inform readers about the closing of the institution for the holiday season, the finale concert given by the young ladies was reviewed in great detail:

 “The college hall was well-filled last night to hear the above entertainment. As Mr. Ambrose has so often warned his audiences, such a concert must not be judged by the standard of ordinary concerts. They do not profess to give perfect renderings of difficult music, but only to show the work that is being done in the college, and the progress made since last year.

“The following is the programme :

Eight hands – Marche Heroique ………………………Shubert

   Misses Shore, Harrison, Broderick and L. Ford

Song – The Old, Old World…………………………….Roeckel

    Miss Alice Britton

Piano Solo – La Gondola …………………………  Wallace

     Miss Gerie E. Flynn

Piano Duet – Retour de l’Armee …………………….Weby

     Misses Ella Strawn and James

Song – La Primavera …………………………………………..Tory

     Miss Parker

Piano solo – Witches’ Dance …………………………. Wallace

      Miss Gertie Cole

Eight hands – Marche des Troubadours ………………Lott-Roubier

      Misses Burns, M. Burns, Herace and Mackay

Vocal duet – I would thank that my love ………….Mendelssohn

      Misses Nixon and Chittenden

Eight hands – Priest’s March ……………………… Mendelssohn

      Misses O’Flynn, Strawn, Parker and E. Kennedy

Song – Waiting ……………………………………………Millard

      Miss Nixon

Piano solo – Polka de la Reine …………………………………Raff

      Miss Hattie Brown

Song – Robert, toi que j’aime ……………………………Meyerbeer

      Miss Broderick

Piano duet – La Chatelaine  …………………………. Ketterer

       Misses A. Britton and Wakefield

Piano Solo – Last Hope ………………………………. Gottschalk

       Miss Eva Kennedy

Vocal Duet – The Sailor Sighs ………………………………….Balfe

       Misses Broderick and Parker

Duet for two pianos – Norma ………………………….Wels

        Misses Brown and Cole.

“The solo playing was highly creditable to all, but the careful, clear rendering of ‘Last Hope’ was more commendable than the dash of the ‘Polka de la Reine,’ which resulted in many missed notes and uncertainties. In the vocal department, special praise should be awarded to the clear enunciation of Misses Britton and Nixon, a charm which will go a long way towards making a poor voice please.

“Dr. Burns gave a few statistics about the college, stating that while they had a bigger attendance than any other ladies’ college in the Dominion, they still had room to accommodate all the other colleges in their building; that visitors were always welcome during lesson time, examination time or meal time, and that those who honored them at the latter occasions would be welcomed with a cup of tea or coffee.

“The singing of ‘God Save the Queen’ and the heartily expressed ‘Happy Christmas to you all!’ from Mr. Ambrose closed a very agreeable evening.”³

³ “Ladies’ College Closing Concert”

Hamilton Times.  December 20, 1883.

The staff of the Hamilton Asylum for the Insane were very busy as was documented by a man from the Spectator who visited the institution just a few days away before the holiday :

 “There is one form of treatment which is always well-received by the patients in a lunatic asylum, and that is entertainment. They anticipate the dates of each festive occasion with a delight that acts on their afflicted minds in a manner to dispel the many and varied illusions with which they are affected, with results the most beneficial.

“The system carried out in the Asylum for the Insane in this city in catering to the social pleasures of the inmates is much the same as that adopted in institutions of a similar character throughout the Dominion.

“Commencing the week with Sunday, on that day there is divine service, in which every patient who can possibly do so, takes part. Frequently, on Tuesday or Wednesday evenings, a concert is given by societies or some of the citizens of Hamilton, while every Friday evening is set apart for a ball at which there is great enjoyment. The programme at these Friday night gatherings is divided by a distribution of cakes and coffee or apples.

“Yesterday morning, a reporter for the Spectator accepted an invitation generously given by the superintendent, Dr. Wallace, and visited the asylum to inspect the Christmas decorations. With Dr. Robert Wallace, the assistant superintendent, every department in the large building was gone over.

“The main hall at the entrance was the first to demand attention. Long stretches of cedar boughs, bound thickly together were hung from opposite corners, crossing in the center, and caught up here and there with well-built designs.

“The better to distinguish between the male and female departments, the former are lettered A, B, C and D, and the latter numbered1, 2, 3 and 4. The attendants have worked hard during the past ten days at decorating the halls under their charge, and vied with one another in affecting the most artistic display. In some cases, the patients lent their assistance, many of whom excelled their overseers. The result has been to make the decorations of the asylum more beautiful than at any previous Christmastime.

“Hall A was the first entered. The attendants are Thomas Ross, James Slater and James Cotter. A painter of skill is numbered among the patients in this ward, and his work was to be seen in mottoes and streamers hung on the walls and over the windows and doorways. The green boughs were in profusion overhead and on the door and window frames. A large boat, made by a patient, strung on two strings of green boughs, its masts and ropes decorated with artificial flowers. The taste of one of the patients brought forth a large fancy heart covered with inscriptions in Hebrew. His fancy also led him into originating an odd design, on which were the letters O I X, but an interpretation of the three characters of the alphabet has not yet been determined. One of the attendants, who is decidedly clever, painted in crayon a number of quotations in rustic letters. His ability in this line is remarkable. It is whispered that a fair maiden, who occupies apposition similar to his own in the ward, but in a ward tenanted by females, has found favor in his eyes. This spicy piece of gossip is doubtlessly true, for the beautiful artistic letters are not to be seen elsewhere than in the ward where the young lady greeted Dr. Wallace and the reporter. In one of the bay windows are the coat of arms of the British Isles.

“In the corridor known as the male basement, the compliments of the season are proclaimed from a streamer at the doorway. The attendants here are Murray Neil and Maurice Walsh. Festoons of green boughs were interspersed with the cedar hangings, anchors and other designs completed an excellent display of decorative work.

“Hall B was next viewed, and the attendants, Charles Simmonds, Edward Parker, John Carroll and David Craig, were in waiting. This ward evidenced superior skill in its decoration. The door and window frames were neatly bound with cedar boughs, and the green hangings were alternated with chains of tissue paper of many colors, finished off with gay tassels. The legend, Peace and Plenty, found a fitting position over the door of the dining room. Fancy cards were attractively placed in niches. At one end of the hall, in large letters, was posted Hark, the Herald Angels Sing; at the other Emmanuel.”

“Asylum Decorations : A Wealth of Green Boughs and Tissue”

Hamilton Times.    December  24, 1883

Hamilton Asylum for the Inane as it appeared in 1885