[78-L] Christmas day of 100 years ago, San Francisco

[Rod Brown]

Hoping the membership can stand one more Christmas-related item.

On each Sunday the San Francisco Chronicle runs four articles out of it's
archives, from 25, 50, 75, and 100 years earlier.
This past Christmas day, the article from 1911 was the following, about a
then-current audio format cheering a ward of TB patients. Thought you might
be intrigued by this glimpse of times gone by.
Best,
Rod

1911

*Dec. 25: *They made merry at the Tuberculosis Hospital last night - and
they had reason to. There was a Christmas tree and a Christmas party,
bright lights and friendliness and holiday cheer. And there was a nice hot
claret punch. And there was music - a grand concert of beautiful music -
from a new music-making talking machine that the patients have been wishing
for so long. For Santa Claus - aided and abetted by warm-hearted San
Franciscans - brought the finest, best talking machine to be had - a $200
one; and then just to show what he can do, Santa started them in with a
supply of records - $106 worth, just to begin with. Already as a nucleus
for the machine's repertoire there are thirty-eight big records (the very
expensive kind, thank you!) and forty-eight double records; and the musical
taste expressed included "The Holy City," an "Ave Maria," the national airs
of various countries, sentimental ballads and Hawaiian music. Every one who
could walk or creep came to the party - some stayed in bed all day, saving
their little strength for it; and fully 120 of the 150 patients had a happy
Christmas Eve. And not only at Christmas. There are seven wards and seven
days in the week. And so each ward can have it play one day a week and when
it plays the patients able to walk can go hear it wherever it is. The
saddest little colony in the city will hear music every day.