 The Sherman
Daily Democrat
Saturday, November 9, 1912 pg.4 Hallowe'en Affair Y.M.C.A. Entertains Big Crowd Last Night Annual Party was One of the Most Successful in the History of the Association The first entertainment given by the social committee of the Y.M.C.A. for this year was last night and was an unqualified success. It was also the third annual Hallowe'en party at the association building. A true statement each year after the Hallowe'en party is that it was the greatest entertainment ever presented in Sherman and this is so this year. The attendance was about the same as last year and the immense crowd was handled more systematically so that there were absolutely no accidents or real scares. Last night it was one hour and 40 minutes from the time the first were admitted to the building until the last of the crowd had entered. At the party last year the crowd consumed about an hour in activity passing but they pushed and packed one another fearfully. This defect was eliminated last night to a great extent, because only a certain number of people were admitted at one time. Everyone was courteous and polite and the visitors seemed to actually enjoy the event to the greatest extent. At various places through the entire building men were stationed and their mission was to all those passing. If it was a dark passage and some one that seemed feeble in step started to pass by they were usually supplied with flash lights and willingly given assistance. If small children were frightened by the regions ruled by ghosts, devil and goblins for the night the procession was stopped, if necessary, that no bad effect could result. In every essential the party was different from former presentations, and those few who failed to visit the Y.M.C.A. certainly missed something worth while. There was only one defect with the entire celebration and that was the great crowd that gathered at the entrance of the building. The street in front was actually blocked with a throng of people. Some were forced to wait a considerable period of time to get in but upon considering the matter it was best. Because in case of an accident if the house was crowded badly a panic might result but as it was last night no such thing was possible. To be sure there were comparatively few who actually did the bulk of the work in preparation for the party. Many aided last night in handling the crowd. Chief among those who have given a large portion of their time for the last two weeks to the event are General Secretary H.O. Tatum, chairman of the social committee: Clifton F. Douglass, and Boys' Secretary A.J. Flowers. The chairmen of the committee in charge of the different departments were earnest workers. The six young ladies who assumed charge of the lobby deserve great praise for the manner in which the main part of the building was decorated. This is Ms. Douglass' first term as chairman of the social committee but the show put on last evening demonstrates that no better selection could have been made. The date for last night's entertainment was announced previous to finding out that the Civic League carnival, which was scheduled for next week, was to be put off. Thus preparations were somewhat hurried because the time first mentioned was for next week. When the guests entered they were greeted by Chairman Douglas in disguise and instructed to go to the second floor of the building. After passing several persons wearing various garbs they entered a dark tunnel. Walking was very difficult, first there were a large number of dumb bells piled in the path and next a board walk was encountered, which proved to have one board stationary and one that would collapse when a person stepped on it and go back in place immediately. Other obstacles were in the path, such as springs covered with mats, rollers and guides dressed as devils, goblins and ghosts. Vacuum cleaners served to cause many to loose their hats or jump. This room was in charge of A.F. Koche. The second series of amusements was in charge of L.L. Jobe. This large section was divided into 3 smaller parts. The first was the snake room. Two ladies' statues handsomely dressed were circled with large reptiles and about them were snakes of various kinds. As the visitor entered the room it was arranged so that it actually seemed as if a large snake was about to spring on you. Naturally, after going through these things every one was hot, so the next room was welcomed gladly, for it was really filled with electric fans. The last was a noise producing arrangement presided over by W.G. Corder. From here the crowd passed to the outside and were directed to the basement. About twenty-five ghosts reigned in this division of the building, for this was the graveyard. Upon entering you immediately found that you were standing on a mound of dirt with a tombstone at one end of it. You were seized and warned to keep off "our grave." There were a number of sure enough coffins with bodies in them, people on cooling boards and skeletons suspended from the ceiling. R.G. Piner was director of this feature. The manner in which the gymnasium was arranged last night was entirely different from anything in previous years. Charmian R.G. Hall conceived the idea of presenting a mock circus and it proved a brilliant thought. C.A. Turner was stationed at the entrance and was speaker for the various attractions offered. There was the lean man, the fat man, the strong man, the white hope, the snake charmer, and the wild man that received many compliments. Also Willie Roberts and Gus Moddrell were disguised as women and did their part well. The tall man was Prof. Masters, his trousers were made to order yesterday with seventy inches as one length for the inside seam. Prof. Carter was the fat man. Prof. Brous, coach for the high school, represented the strong man. Sam Reeves, the smallest boy in the high school, posed as the "white hope". John Naylor was caged as the wild man and his history was told many times by Special Keeper Howard Weihe. The final feature of the party was the lobby on the first floor. Misses Faye Loving, Beryle Tassey, Pauline Thompson, Bess Kerr, Louise Andrews and Reba Binkley were the committee who decorated the large room where the people lingered to meet their friends or recall the sights they had just passed through. Admission was gained by going under a large horseshoe archway. The lobby was decorated everywhere with grass, flowers, pumpkins, black cats, etc. An attraction in this room was the fortune teller, who truly knows something about the lines of the hand. All the children and many older people crowded around him.  Sherman YMCA Susan Hawkins © 2024 If you find any of Grayson County TXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message. |