A look back

Jerry Person

Since I wrote the two-parter about how Huntington Beach coped with the

news of the bombing of Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, I received several

requests for news on what else Huntington Beach did in those early days.

Just one day prior to the attack, the city held its annual Santa Claus

parade on Main Street.

That year’s theme was “A Salute to Santa Claus” and featured

Huntington Beach Mayor Marcus McCallen as grand marshal riding down Main

Street with the City’s Assistant Fire Chief Del Burry.

When the parade began on Main Street, there were thousands of people

lined up along the curbs to watch as the Huntington Beach High School

Band led the start of the parade. The band was under the leadership of

Everett Crosby.

Next in line of the parade was that ‘ole’ man himself in his red suit.

Guiding his slay and reindeer was the beautiful Goddess of the Sea --

Frances Ormsby.

Ormsby was also responsible for turning on the city’s Christmas

lights.

The Long Beach Junior College Band and Rainbow Majorettes followed and

was a big hit with the crowds.

The city supplied the onlookers with confetti to join in with the

riders. Somehow I doubt the city would do that today.

After the parade the people wandered over to the city’s Pav-a lon at

the foot of the pier to hear the Christmas musical.

Maxine Murdy, Peaches Arthur and members of the Huntington Beach Girls

Chorus performed Handel’s Messiah.

The old favorite Hallelujah Chorus was sung by the high school’s

chorus.

There was not an empty seat to be found at the musical.

Over at the Huntington Beach Plunge, Clyde Musgrave, its manager, had

Christmas music playing over the public address system.

The drawing class of Miss Trafford at Huntington High spent weeks

designing a Christmas shrine to be erected on campus.

The designs featured cutouts of the wise men and shepherds sitting

around a bonfire and looking toward the heavens while angels hovered

above.

The school’s Christmas play was called “Why the Chimes Rang” and

featured William Heil in the lead.

The school’s orchestra played several familiar Christmas pieces and

Mrs. Harlow’s girls choir sang Little Jesus of Braga and O, Come Emanuel.

When was the last time you heard religious music in school?

The Huntington Beach News dedicated its Christmas issue to

CityCouncilman Arthur W. Morehouse.

Morehouse was chairman of the city’s finance committee and had been a

resident of Huntington Beach since 1910.

But mixed in with the holiday spirit were instructions to the

residents on how to handle incendiary bombs.

The city’s Civilian Defense Committee issued instructions thatsaid,

“never apply a solid stream of water directly on the bomb as this could

cause a minor explosion.”

These instructions also said “never expose yourself more than is

necessary.”

OK. Enough said.

But the major impact of the attack was that Central Elementary School

teacher Esther Funk’s lecture to the Parent Teacher Assn. was postponed

indefinitely.

* JERRY PERSON is a local historian and longtime Huntington Beach

resident. If you have ideas for future columns, write him at P.O. Box

7182, Huntington Beach, CA 92615.