Celebrating History: Thanksgiving 100 years ago

By Emily Mayer

Thanksgiving was on its way, and the Personals society pages were chock-full of people leaving Havre to visit family or people coming to Havre to visit family during the big holiday. The larger grocery stores were advertising Thanksgiving turkeys, as were the beloved neighborhood stores that once dotted the town, as well as fruits and vegetables to go with that all-important holiday bird. For dessert, you could purchase your choice of marshmallow or black walnut ice cream or raspberry sherbet in brick form for only 75 cents at the Hill County Creamery, located across the street from the current Senior Center, a parking lot is there today. The Havre Commercial Company was advertising 72-inch wide damask to make table cloths for $2.95 per yard, with a dozen napkins to match for $7.95. Buttrey’s was having a sale for that special outfit for everyone. Havre knew how to enjoy a celebration!

Several local churches organized a joint service for Thanksgiving day, but all churches were delivering their own Thanksgiving services. This schedule was published in the November 27, 1924, edition of the Havre Daily Promoter.

UNION SERVICES OF THANKSGIVING AT PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH TODAY

Special Masses at St. Jude’s Thatddeus Chruch and Services at First Lutheran Church

Thanksgiving services will be held by all of the churches of Havre today. The Methodists, Presbyterians, Baptists, Christians, Episcopanians and Salvation Army will unite in union services at the Presbyertian church at 10:30 o’clock. The Catholic church and the St. Pauls Lutheran church will hold services in their own church buildings.

Union Services

The following is the union service at the Presbyterian church.

Prelude “Traumeril” (Schuman), Mrs. Herbert Armstrong.

Doxology.

Invocation, Rev. W. H. Munston, pastor Baptist Church.

Hymn, “Onward Christian Soldiers”.

Prayer, Rev. C. G. Cole, district superintendent, Methodist church.

Scripture Reading, Captain M. M. Unden, Salvation Army.

Anthem, “Sing All Ye People” (Myers), Methodist church choir.

Offertory, “Bercuse” (Godard), Mrs. Armstrong.

Anthem, “Praise Ye Father” (Gounod), Methodist church choir.

Sermon, “Unlighted Lustre”, Rev. J. C. Evans, rector St. Mark’s Episcopal church.

Hymn, “America”.

Benediction, Rev. D. D. Dick, pastor First Christian church.

Postlude, March from “Othalia” (Mendelssohn), Mrs. Herbert Armstrong.

The offering of this service will go to the work of the local chhapter of the Red Cross.

Catholic Church

The Thanksgiving day services of the St. Jude’s Thaddeus church will consist of Masses at 6 a.m., at the hospital, and at 9 a.m. at the church with special music.

Closing hymn.

Hundreds of dinners were being served throughout town, and these two gatherings were recorded for posterity in the “In Society” column in the November 29, 1924, issue.

THANKSGIVING DINNER AT O’NEILL HOME

Mr. and Mrs. Martin O’Neill entertained at Thanksgiving dinner at their home, 803 Fifth avenue. The afternoon was spent at cards, and those present were Mr. and Mrs. W. S. Davis, Mr. and Mrs. T. L. Christianson, Howard Olson, Maurice Clark, Chester Clark, James Sprague, and the Misses Julia, Margaret and Ann O’Neill spent Thanksgiving home.

MR. AND MRS. JOHN HARY HOSTS AT DINNER

Mr. and Mrs. John Hary entertained at their home, 1010 Third street, at a three course Thanksgiving dinner. Those present were Mrs. Louis Hary and family, William Brooks of Great Falls, Mrs. Kathryn White, Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Savage and family, Mrs. and Mrs. C. J. White and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. D. Dursch and family, and the honor guests, Mrs. and Mrs. Hary.

All that feasting might have you feeling a little heavy. Good news! The Elks and former members of the Social Sixty have some opportunities to dance those extra pounds away. These two articles were found in the November 29, 1924, Daily Promoter.

ELKS TO GIVE SERIES OF DANCING PARTIES

The Elks lodge will give a series of informal dancing parties during the winter season, according to Jas. G. Holland, chairman of the entertainment committee. The first one will be held next Wednesday evening, Dec. 3. There will be cards for those who do not wish to dance and there will be real pepe in the music for those who do. The entire building will be open to the ladies and the entire affair will be an old time open house social evening.

It is planned to have these socials at least once a month during the winter. Coffee and sandwiches will be served at the conclusion of the dance.

Social Sixty Dancing Club May Reorganize

There is considerable talk among former members of the Social Sixty Dancing club of reviving that organization. Several years ago it was a very popular and active club, giving each winter series of formal, informal and feature parties.

Originally organized with 60 members, it derived its name from that fact, but later grew to have as high as 80 active members. During the war the club dwindled in size and was finally disorganized. For several years it has been inactive.

On account of there being no club of its kind in the city, there is now some talk of the club being reorganized and giving a series of parties this winter. A committee is now busy making a survey of the old members and prospective new ones to ascertain if sufficient interest can be aroused to bring the organization to life.

The Beneveloent and Protective Order of Elks was once a strictly male-only organization. Women were allowed to enter the Elks building only when invited, and only in designated areas. Allowing an open house was a rare treat 100 years ago, but over time the rules relaxed. In the mid-1990s, the Elks opened its membership to women.

Reading the newspapers of old, the Social Sixty was, indeed, quite active and popular in Havre. You can see a couple of membership cards in a display case in the Merchant’s Exhibit at the Clack Museum, located at 2 Fifth Avenue.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!