Friends, guests and board members of Harvey School, brought an afternoon with informal activities to the building which has been restored and listed on the National Registry.
Candles were in the windows, and the school bell was rung several times. Even the American flag was flying.
Cookie recipes dating back to early 1900s were served with mulled cider and hot chocolate.
On display was a decorative unit with a package of Fig Newtons, a cookie sold in 1892. Animal crackers were available by 1902; Oreos were sold by 1912 when the National Biscuit Company was formed through a merger.
The Crawford Theatre Company made an appearance, sharing carols and holiday readings. Young visitors played checkers with corncob play pieces. The Board had many gifts, one for each visitor with items like sachets, gilded walnuts, dried apple rings, cornhusk roses, bags of marbles, and rag doll kits.
A fresh tree was filled with beeswax figures, antique ornaments, stars of tin, crocheted flakes, and gingerbread cutouts. Small wooden chalkboards were available for writing names. Norma Gebhardt directed an activity with prepared paper, which ended up being a slate.
Emma Steiger also played piano pieces with holiday titles, and was accompanied by her grandmother, Ardene Steiger. An antique high wheeler bicycle appeared when Brian Underwood rode to the event.
The Board members who shared in planning were Mary Lee Minor, Nancy Lipscomb, Ron and Carolyn Sand, Sandy Shields, Glenda Leuthold, Diane and Randy Fortner and Marianne Wensinger.
