HO! HO! HO!

"Good old St. Nickolas or 'Santa Claus,' as the Americans first christened him, was a real person who lived in Russia about the time that old Diocletian was persecuting the early Christians. It is probably that St. Nicholas was imprisoned by this cruel emperor.
   "St. Nickolas had the true spirit of Christmas and went about giving comfort to the people and making children happy. He gave gifts but concealed the identity of the giver. . . .
   "Good old St. Nicholas has long gone the way of all mortals, but the joy he experienced in doing kindly deeds is now shared by millions who are learning that true happiness comes only by making others happy--the practical application of the Savior's doctrine of losing one's life to gain it. In short, the Christmas spirit is the Christ spirit, that makes our hearts glow in brotherly love and friendship and prompts us to kind deeds of service.

"It is the spirit of the gospel of Jesus Christ, obedience to which will bring 'peace on earth,' because it means--good will toward all men". (Gospel Ideals, p. 550-551).  David O. McKay

     I feel sorry for the Primary children in our Ward.  When we were children, Santa Claus came every year to the old Ward Hall.  After the program, we would sing Christmas Songs until the Jolly Old Elf arrived.  When we started to sing “Up on the House Top” the excitement was so electric we could hardly contain ourselves.  Soon cheers of glee burst out as Ole Santa came running in jingling his bells and calling “HO! HO! HO! MERRY CHRISTMAS! MERRY CHRISTMAS!”

Following dinner and a program at our Ward Christmas party on Saturday night, they announced that after the closing prayer the Bishop would be standing up front passing out treats to all of the children.

The Bishop?  Doesn’t he have tithing settlement?

I thought about all of the other fun things we did in the old ward hall.  We all learned to dance there, starting in Primary.  “Ten Pretty Girls,” “The Virginia Reel”; circle dances.  After mutual on Tuesday nights, we’d walk up from the church about ½ block away and square dance--"There'll be a hot time in the old town tonight!".  We practiced for all the Stake and Regional Dance Festivals there; that’s where we held our Gold and Green Balls.  One night a week, we would roller skate.  One year, when our church house was sinking, we even attended all our church meetings in the old Ward Hall.  We put on plays and variety shows; not only church but all of our school functions were held there for many years; all of our ward dinners, nothing of which came from Sam’s or Costco.  Our seminary class put on the play “His Name Was Aunt Nellie,” to raise money to go to Salt Lake to conference.  I loved the smell of the makeup and thought the makeup artists were geniuses. 

Dale Heaton, stage manager, Janet Carroll (with half her make-up off), Ortho Christensen, seminary teacher, Lenore Slaugh, Jack Crofts, Margie Heaton, makeup artist. Front l to r, Jeanette Esplin, Neil Reese, Georgia Troy, Lee Cornell Chamberlain, Annie Gardner, Jim Maxwell, Victor Blackburn.  Picture taken on stage in Ward Hall.

 They say that one time Clark Gable came in the back door, which was the only door as the stage was in the front, and someone asked him to leave because he was smoking.  When they were going to tear the old pioneer building down, it was Edith Dixon, Maynard Dixon’s wife, and some of the Hollywood stars who protested.  They thought it was a national treasure and should be preserved.     

In one variety show, when we raising money to build a new church with a cultural hall, my friends and I put on a skit to add to the fun of the evening.  We were just juniors and seniors in high school but we had formed an Old Maids Club because some of the most popular kids in our classes were already married and had babies.  For this production, we called ourselves the Mormonettes.

Swaying, kicking, and singing (couldn’t really call it dancing--or singing, for that matter) to the tune of “Battle Hymn of the Republic”, we belted out:

Our eyes have seen the passing

of the Orderville Ward Hall

It is slowing falling down until

there’s nothing left at all.

The windowpanes are broken

And the dance floor is too small

WE NEED A NEW WARD HALL.

Glory, glory Hallelujah,

Glory, glory Hallelujah,

Glory, glory Hallelujah,

we need a new Ward Hall!

Many, many years ago

our fathers built this hall

They built it out of lumber

not expecting it to fall

But now the years have past and gone

it’s crumbling away

WE NEED A NEW WARD HALL

And now we need to have a place

in which to have our fun,

A place to laugh and sing and dance

and meet with everyone.

The building fund is growing

but it’s barely just begun—

WE NEED A NEW WARD HALL

Come on, come on everyone

let’s have a new ward hall

Let’s all work together

so we can start it in the fall

As members of this faithful ward

Let’s all heed this one call

WE NEED A NEW WARD HALL.

We shouted after the audience joined in for the last chorus.  WE’LL GET A NEW WARD HALL

(We didn’t understand then that it was a grand old historical building and should have been preserved.)
Some  years, after Santa came to the Ward Hall to pass out treats to all the children, he would visit each home, especially if a child were sick and/or homebound.  We were thrilled to our bones when we heard a knock on the door and upon opening it saw Ole Santa standing  there!--except the smallest child would sometimes be scared and cry.

As we chatted in bed that night after our Ward Christmas party, I told DeRay that I want Santa Claus to conduct at my funeral.  It seems only fair; since the Bishop took over Santa’s job. 

*****HISTORY*****

These next two sketches are scanned from a book called "Our Pioneer Friends" 1944 by Jeanette Esplin.  I would have been 8 years old; in 3rd grade.

Orderville Ward Hall.  The Ward Hall was built in 1900 and finished by the 4th of July.  It was built by donation.  The ward Hall didn't have a dollar to start with.  The men worked in the sawmill to get the lumber for the hall.  Jonathan Heaton laid the foundation.  Bishop Henry Esplin, Charles W. Carroll and Jonathan Heaton donated the doors and windows.

Orderville Ward Church Meeting House.  In 1890, Henry W. Esplin, Jonathan Heaton and F. L. Porter were appointed as a committee to make plans for a new meeting house.  Some drafts were made, but nothing more was done until January 13, 1893.  Jonathan Heaton acted as general overseer and Ruben Jensen as head Carpenter.  On December 17, 1901, it was dedicated by Apostle Abraham A. Woodruff.  The building was 22x84 feet and cost $2,000.  In 1932 Bishop Edward Carroll had the churchhouse rebuilt.  Later Rulon Carroll had it remodled.
     Jonathan Heaton is my grandpa.  Henry Esplin is my great uncle on my dad's side and and Charles Carroll is my great uncle on my mother's side.

   

    
Grandpa John James Esplin built this house in 1901.  Photo taken in 2011.  (Mama would have been ashamed of the yard.) The Ward Hall built at the same time was torn down over 60 years ago.

 This is the way the house looked when my seven brothers and sisters and I grew up in it. Did we for a minute think "it was crumbling away" and needed to be torn down?

 An earlier photo of John J. Esplin home.  Built in1901.