Vigo County Historical Society

Historical Treasure Article

Historic Treasure of the Week - December 9, 1984
By Susie Dewey
Vigo County Historical Society

Early artificial tree primitive in its beauty

The artificial Christmas tree in the schoolroom in the Historical Museum of the Wabash Valley is a far cry from the modern artificial trees now on display in stores.

Today's shopper must choose from long-needled, short-needled, flocked or plain green, not to mention the different types of plastic. the modern artificial tree can look geniune or false. Some trees today contain vials of balsam or fir scent.

Modern shoppers will be amazed at the four-foot artificial tree on a table in the school room. But children of that day would have marveled at the artificial tree as few persons spent money on imitations then.

Real trees were cheap and plentiful. No one needed to walk far into the woods to find a suitable tree to chop. The woods were close, convienient, and no owners objected. So, the purchase of a facsimile tree would have been either a luxury or an act of extravagance.

Many homes did not decorate trees for the family. The school tree, the church or Sunday school tree, or the community square tree served as the seasonal sign.

The school or the Sunday school Christmas party was the seasonal event, Candy distributed around the tree, lighted or unlighted, was the secular observance for many families. Presents among family members were placed either in stockings by the fireplace or by places at the Christmas morning breakfast table.

The little, somewhat bare-looking artificial tree in the schoolroom would have been admired, cherished, and protected. The crude paper chains, the guilded walnut shells and examples of art work would have been loved and saved from year to year. Saving would not have been easy as the decorations were fragile and conditions were not conducive to preservation. Replacement was easy but expensive, and gold paint and colored paper were carefully guarded and frugually used.

The limbs of the artificial tree were wired into a central pole, which is a not-too-well-disguised branch of a tree. Not much effort has been used to achieve a realistic appearance; more often than not, four branches emerge from the same spot on the center trunk. The short, dark green needles attached to the wire branches are paper. Branches are widely spaced.

Safety was not the concern as it is today. Some branches have candle holders wired at the tip; others have the candle holder clamps attached. The candles were probably only lit for a few minutes and a bucket of water was, no doubt, a handy fire extingisher.

The school room Christmas tree was surely an object of admiration and joy to the pupils of an earlier day. Its appearance brings back memories of simple Christams observances. This primitive art of the tree and decorations retains a beauty all its own.