In 1872, local children attended a 'Christmas Treat' in the Lundin Mill School-room, according to the Fife Herald of 2 January 1873. Hosted by the Misses Rigg and Miss Haymes of Aithernie (now the Old Manor Hotel), this was an evening of 'splendid Christmas entertainment'. Built in the late 1850s, the old Lundin Mill School on Crescent Road (pictured below) is now the local library. However, back in 1872...
"The school-room was tastefully decorated for the occasion...a table...profusely laden with luxuries, in the centre of which stood a beautiful Christmas tree. All the young guests were entertained to tea, and received a most liberal supply of buns, cookies, oranges, etc. Suitable and interesting addresses were delivered to the children....The scholars, besides being supplied with so many eatables, received nice presents of books, purses, boxes, etc."
The festivities also involved singing and a 'magic lantern' show. A magic lantern was an early type of image projector, which used glass 'lantern slides' to project painted or photographic images. We can only guess at what this particular show consisted of - something educational, humorous or religious? Perhaps it included Christmas or winter scenes or maybe there were illustrations to accompany a story? The article certainly conjures up a lovely image of Christmas past and gives an insight into the use of this building almost a century and a half ago.
"The school-room was tastefully decorated for the occasion...a table...profusely laden with luxuries, in the centre of which stood a beautiful Christmas tree. All the young guests were entertained to tea, and received a most liberal supply of buns, cookies, oranges, etc. Suitable and interesting addresses were delivered to the children....The scholars, besides being supplied with so many eatables, received nice presents of books, purses, boxes, etc."
The festivities also involved singing and a 'magic lantern' show. A magic lantern was an early type of image projector, which used glass 'lantern slides' to project painted or photographic images. We can only guess at what this particular show consisted of - something educational, humorous or religious? Perhaps it included Christmas or winter scenes or maybe there were illustrations to accompany a story? The article certainly conjures up a lovely image of Christmas past and gives an insight into the use of this building almost a century and a half ago.
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