Charles W. Howard facts for kids
Charles Willis Howard (born June 15, 1896 – died May 1, 1966) was an American actor and teacher. He became famous for playing Santa Claus in department stores and parades. In 1937, he started the Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School. Today, it is the oldest Santa school that has been running continuously in the world.
Early Life and Becoming Santa
Howard was born in Albion, New York. As a young boy, he was very creative. He used a special saw to make toy furniture and wagons for friends. When he was seven, his mother sewed him a Santa Claus suit. He was a "short fat boy" and was good at playing Santa. He used a "false face" at first, but it scared other children, so he stopped wearing it.
As he grew up, Howard saw other men playing Santa. He decided he wanted to try it too. One day, he went to John B. Merrill's Furniture Store in Albion. He suggested they hire him to be Santa. Mr. Merrill agreed, and Howard got the job for $15 a week. He would build toys in the store window. Children would gather to watch him, and he could talk to them. Howard worked very hard. He would do his farm chores early, go to the store as Santa, then go home for lunch and more chores, before returning to the store.
One snowy morning, Howard was driving his Model T Ford truck. A young boy ran in front of his truck. Howard quickly turned the wheel to avoid him. He hit a curb and his truck overturned. The boy was scared but not hurt. This incident made Howard realize how important his role as Santa was. He worried about headlines like "SANTA KILLS BOY." The smiles of children helped him feel better.
After a while, Howard wrote to McCurdy's Department Store in Rochester, New York. He asked about a Santa job. When he arrived at the store dressed as Santa, the sales manager hired him right away. Howard was shy on his first day. But the happy faces of the children quickly made his fears disappear. He loved the job so much he forgot to eat lunch! He had a long commute from Albion to Rochester. He would wake up very early, do farm chores, and then his wife would drive him to the train.
Howard learned a lot about being Santa from the children. He once met a little girl who asked him to promise something. She looked up at him and whispered, "Will you promise me you will never shave?" This made Howard realize how much Santa meant to children. He then spent years reading about Santa's history. As he learned more, more stores wanted him as Santa. Other Santas also started asking him for advice. This eventually led to the idea of a Santa Claus School.
The Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School
In 1937, Howard started the Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School. This happened after someone from the Buffalo Courier Express suggested it. The first class had three men. One of them was Frederick Wise, who paid $15 for the lessons. At first, not many people signed up. Store owners thought that if the lessons were only $15, they might not be very good. So, Howard slowly increased the price to $25, then $40, and finally $50. More and more people started to join. Soon, over forty students were attending. A grocery store chain even asked him to come to Chicago to teach their Santas.
Howard didn't have a special school building. He believed that "Santa originated in the home." So, he taught the classes in his own home in Albion. His wife, who was a home economics teacher, would cook lunch for the students. Howard also brought in other experts. Charles Newton Hood, an old showman, taught students how to perform as Santa. Ed Butters, an expert on reindeer, taught them about working with reindeer. Howard kept adding more experts as the school grew.
During World War II, it became hard to find men to play Santa. Some stores even hired women with deep voices. Howard remembered one woman who was very good. But customers complained when Santa went into the ladies' restroom! Howard tried a mail-order course, but it didn't work. He realized that his physical presence was needed to share the Christmas spirit. Men from all over the country came to Albion for training. If one store sent their Santas to his school, their competitors would often send theirs too. One store in Washington, D.C. sent their Santas for four years in a row. Howard asked the owner why. The owner said that attending the school filled the men with Christmas spirit, which spread throughout their stores.
Howard also designed his own Santa suit. He wanted a suit that was "worthy of the character." People criticized him because his suits cost twice as much as others. But his suits were made from a special pattern from 1937. They used French rabbit fur and yak beards and cost $85. By the 1960s, he was making the best Santa suits for the biggest stores in the country.
In 1944, Howard left McCurdy's Department Store. He then worked for Adam, Meldrum & Anderson in Buffalo, New York. He worked there until 1948 when he became very stressed and needed a break.
From 1948 to 1965, Charles W. Howard was the main Santa Claus in the famous Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. He was probably the most well-known Santa in the United States.
Legacy
Charles W. Howard passed away in 1966 near his home in Albion. His Christmas Park, which had attracted many visitors, closed. His Santa Claus School then moved to Midland, Michigan.
As of 2009, the Charles W. Howard Santa Claus School is still running in Midland, Michigan. It is now led by Tom and Holly Valent. They have played Santa and Mrs. Claus for over thirty years. Near the school, there is an attraction called "Santa House." It is designed to look like Santa's workshop.
On September 25, 2010, Orleans County, New York held a special event called Charles W. Howard Day. They hoped to make it a yearly tradition.
