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Now Even Sanl
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Aspiring St, Jicks Drilled
In 27 Different Subjects
ALBION, N.Y. Ufi—Santa Claus
is getting “smarterall the time: —
Here_ at Christmas Park; for 20
years now, he and his helpers have
been going in for higher education
at the country’s only Santa Claus
school. *'
During that period the number
of students, sent by Stores arid
other organizations, has increased
gradually until the enrollment for
the one week course in October is
in the 40s.
How on earth can Santa Claus
■ apend a whole week brushing up
vn his business? '
i • That,: says Charles Howard, is
not the problem. The real rub is
• cramming into one week all the
: subjects that Santa should know,
v !*’ ’There are lectures* aid demon
strations on 27 subjects, .such as
j the histary'and evolution of Santa,
makeup and cos tame, child psy
chology, toys fdr different ages,
dories and manjreri&fte. And there
is actual casework with some of
the children who visit Christmas
. Park in droves as winter comes on
A successful student earns a
silver pin and the “degree*’ of
bachelor of Santa Claus. There are
^refresher courses and followup
Work too, and the students go back
and teach others in. their own or-4
jganizations so that their influence
, is multiplied.
What does it take to be a suc
cessful Santa Claus?
Children Hard To Fool
The basic requirement, says
Howard* is genuineness. Watch the
details of appearance, because the
youngsters will trip you up if you
get careless. Play the hearty,
friendly role of Santa to the hilt,
Whenever you are in costume.
Without trying to deceive, turn
aside a child’s inquiry about your
identity, but if he insists concede
that you are one of Santa’s help
ers.
“If you aren’t giing to do a good
job, whether it be in a store or in
your home, don’t do it at all,”
Howard says. “Parents sometimes
fail miserably because they don't
work at the project. But if you
can impress your own children,
you are a good Santa. Children are
smart and hard to fool,” ' "
Howard’s successful business
enterprise stemmed from his own
interest in the work.
' Originally a fartncrj his
school and the collateral uitefprike
of Christmas Park on 4 typical
upstate New York farm. 1
After early farming experience
in which he suffered serious in
juries, he tried toy manufacturing
without any great success. Then,
peddling some of his toys to a
storekeeper one day, he was irri
tated at the sight of a slovenly
Santa Claus.
he
“I could do better myself,”
ploded. . v ; t
Why don’t you, he was asked,
he did.
Grew Fast
That led, in 1937, to the estab
lment of the Santa Claus school.
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•At first, Howard continued to
farm $nd play Santa personally as
wdll as to teach others. But soon
the enterprise was spreading out
and requiring his full time.
Since proper appearance is a
fundamental for a professional
Santa, Howard helped out by sup
plying costumes—at a price. He
sells about 200 a year at S>260 a
piece and sends them ts far away
as Hawaii. Renovating and storing
such equipment is another major
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part of his business.
To assure his students neces
sary practice, he imported scjiopl
children. Providing a proper set
ting, including a huge red sleigh
and a toy exhibit, he found he
had an attraction on . his v hands.
Soon he was incorporating to
raise money, tearing out the .pig
pen and cowbarn to provide space,
and building a “Santa Claus
castle” that now attracts paying
visitors by the tens of thousands.
Reindeer are among the exhibits.
All this provides plenty of op
poriunuy,
dent Santas to ply their sincere
on wide-eyed youngsters. More
‘ .over the reindeer- double hi brass
■because they feature a float that
Hpward rents out to communities
and organizations all over the
country. *
All in all, Howard feels well
satisfied, and well paid, by his life
as a Santa emeritus. Sixty-one now,
but with considerably less hair
than you might expect of the jolly
old elf, he has no exipectation of
slowing up.
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