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Look Back: Carolers of Christmas Past
Date: 12/23/2011 Album ID: 1383251
Photos by St. Louis Post-Dispatch staff
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by Tim O'Neil --- In 1924, area leaders founded the Community Chest (now United Way) and discouraged separate fundraisers by member organizations, such as the Christian Aid Society. Thus was born the St. Louis Christmas Carols Association, headed for the next 31 years by William H. Danforth, president of Ralston-Purina Co., who had formed one of the original groups on his street, Kingsbury Place, with help from fellow members of Pilgrim Congregational Church.
Carolers from Pilgrim Congregational Church gather shortly before Christmas 1936 at the Artists' Guild, 812 Union Boulevard, for the St. Louis Christmas Carols Association. They are dressed in clothing that was fashionable in 1911, when the first organized carolers sang on St. Louis streets to raise money for the Children's Aid Society. At left is William H. Danforth, president of the Carols Association. Danforth helped to create a caroling group through Pilgrim Congregational, his church, and was the founding president of the Carols Association in 1924. He remained with the organization until his death in 1955. He was founder of Ralston Purina Co. (Post-Dispatch)
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Children from Kingdom House, a day shelter at 1102 Morrison Avenue, sing at the Artists' Guild, 812 Union Boulevard, before Christmas Day 1936 to help celebrate the 25h Anniversary of the St. Louis Christmas Carols Association. Back then, many of the carolers wore scarlet capes with hoods. A few of the caroling groups today still wear scarlet capes. Post-Dispatch)
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Carolers in Ferguson dress in 19th Century garb for their singing tour by coach on Christmas Eve 1939. They are (from left) Hudson Thatcher, Lillian Bangert, George W. Thatcher, Mrs. Henry Poikert and Abbott Thomas. Mrs. Paul Krueger is standing on the coach step. (Post-Dispatch)
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Winners of the St. Louis Christmas Carols Association poster contest for 1946. For decades, thousands of children in public and private schools took part in the annual event. In the front row are (from left) Mary Gratiaa, St. Joseph's Academy; Margaret Caemerer, Concordia Lutheran School; Mary Ellen Galbraith, Corpus Christi School; Sue Osterkamp, Robinson School; and Phillip White, People's Art Center. In the back row (from left) are Charline Dingman, Normandy High School; Susan Niekamp, Mary Institute; June Woodside, Hadley Technical High School; and Jackie Rolf, Cleveland High School. (Post-Dispatch)
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Members of the Rosati-Kain High School choir sing for Mayor Raymond Tucker in his office in City Hall on Dec. 14, 1953. Standing by the mayor are Mrs. Albert Toma, director of the St. Louis Christmas Carols Association, and John C. Tobin, association vice-president. The Rosati-Kain choirs still visit City Hall every year, and sang there again on Dec. 2. (Post-Dispatch)
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Choir boys from Fanning, Longfellow and Woerner schools in St. Louis sing carols in the lobby of the Hotel Jefferson downtown on Dec. 20, 1955. Standing with them are (from left) Audrey Faust Wallace, reigning Veiled Prophet Queen; Elizabeth Busch; Jane Cochran. Directing the choir is Helen Louise Graves, counselor of music for the city schools. (Lester Linck/Post-Dispatch)
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Carolers from Nerinx Hall High School sing inside Famous-Barr downtown on Dec. 17, 1957. Caroling groups often visited hotels, department stores and offices. (Post-Dispatch)
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Members of the Little Singers of St. Louis perform a Christmas Carols Association concert in St. Louis Central Library downtown on Dec. 12, 1964. (Lloyd Spainhower/Post-Dispatch)
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Judges examine some of the offerings by student artists for the 1967 Christmas Carols Association poster contest. More than 1,000 students offered entries. Reviewing some of them are Emily Rauh, curator of the St. Louis Art Museum; and (left) Jay Sartoris, vice president of Gardner Advertising Co., and Stanley D. Tasker, professor of art at Washington University. They selected 100 posters for display at the Central Library downtown. (Renyold Ferguson/Post-Dispatch)
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Carolers Andrew Limanni and Jessica Checkett sing for the St. Louis Christmas Carols Association at Kiener Plaza downtown on Dec. 5, 1981. (J.B. Forbes/Post-Dispatch)
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Members of the St. Louis Christmas Carols Association decorate the St. Louis Arena, 5700 Oakland Avenue, to prepare for a concert on Dec. 19, 1985. (Robert C. Holt Jr./Post-Dispatch)
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Carolers from Stephan Memorial United Methodist Church, 2730 Watson Avenue, sign in the East Terminal at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport on Dec. 23, 2009. They are seeking donations for the Christmas Carols Association. (Sarah Conrad/Post-Dispatch)
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LaJuan Moye (right) and Sean Kaelble, both of Webster Groves, take part in caroling on Windrush Drive in Kirkwood on Dec. 23, 2009. They represent a caroling group that had been signing together for four decades. (Sarah Conrad/Post-Dispatch)
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