You bet there is.
Santa is real
In 1897 a little girl in New York City wrote the New York Sun:
"I am 8 years old. Some of my friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says 'If you see it in The Sun it is so.' Please tell me the truth, is there a Santa Claus?" VIRGINIA HANLON.
Her Safety Valve was answered in the editorial columns of the New York newspaper and the editorial has been reprinted many times — "Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus" by Francis Pharcellus Church.
"He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy.
"Alas! How Dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence.
"No Santa Claus! Thank God he lives and lives forever. A thousand years from now, nay ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heard of childhood."
Virginia Hanlon grew up to become a New York City school teacher serving for 43 years. She never got to meet Francis P. Church. He died in 1906.
Her husband preceded her and she moved in with a daughter in upstate New York. She died in May 1971 at 81 years of age.
The recipes
Where do we get the recipes that are printed on the front page of the Food Section each Tuesday?
From readers like you.
You're invited to share your favorite recipe with our readers. Just send it to the Food Section, News-Press, 123 So. 8th St., Nebraska City 68410.
We've had pretty good response, but we always need more fresh suggestions. Mrs. Jack Haupt reports that the Otoe County Farm Bureau Women will keep us supplied with a tasty listing.
Congratulations
to Diane Davis, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. F. Davis, on winning the VFW Voice of Democracy speech contest. She won $25 in the local contest and went on to win the district contest held last week in Syracuse. Now she will compete for the state contest January 12 with a chance to enter national competition in Washington, D. C.
Diane is a sophomore at Nebraska City Lourdes.
For — Tom Osborne
Scott Schock of the Falls City Journal is a man who believes in Tom Osborne, coach of the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
Since two heads are better than one, Scott says go for broke — three coaches!
For the man to handle the TV shows — Sammy Davis, Jr.
For the man to handle the PR and tell dirty jokes — any politician.
For the man to develop the skills of young men, who would represent the University well and see to it that his players did the same — who else, but Tom Osborne.
The dispatcher
Patrick J. Roddy, a dispatcher for the Otoe county sheriff, received a special award for exceptional service the other evening. He was on duty the night of the murder of Officer Gary White and the shooting of Officer Pete Rishel.
Radio dispatchers don't get much recognition for their work. Perhaps they accept it as routine, but a tour of the complex radio room at the courthouse will convince a visitor it's more than routine.
Dispatchers handle hundreds of radio and phone calls in an area encompassing several counties, plus neighboring counties across the river.
Mrs Hathaway
The name, Margaret Hathaway, will be remembered for a long time at Nebraska City Lourdes. The Rev. Liam Barr, Lourdes superintendent, announced the other evening that Mrs. Hathaway willed $40,000 of her estate to the school.
Such fine gifts as that contribute a great deal in maintaining a fine parochial school system in Nebraska City.