Pumpkins & Parties!

Friday the 13th has enough scary stuff, so here are some cute photos of kids celebrating Halloween festivities! 

     This whole post was inspired by this one photo, from the Upshur County Historical Society in Buckhannon, West Virginia. In a collection of thousands of glass plate negatives, this gem appeared. The photographer Fred Brooks was a naturalist working for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, so many of the photos in the collection are of diseased trees or insects. But since he had the camera, he also took photos of his children (like this one) and the travels he took around the United States. (I'm pretty sure this is his daughter Dorothy and the photo is from 1920-22.) 

"[Halloween] Being the vigil or eve of All Hallow Day, an occasion observed by the Catholic church... Ringing of bells was one of the modes of celebrating Hollow-mas in England in times past.... Nuts, besides being used for divination, are cracked and eaten, and hence, in the north of England All Hallow Eve is often called Nut Crack Night. In this country, especially in the rural districts, the Eve is perverted by the young to mischief-making, such as pulling cabbage heads and pounding them against the dwelling doors of their owners...and indulging in other liberties not actually hurting or wicked."                              - The Baltimore Sun,   November 1, 1861

     Before pumpkins, apples and nuts were associated with Halloween. Going back to the 18th century, nuts would not only be eaten, but used to tell fortunes of love by placing it on the stove and seeing if it jumped. You might also be able to tell a fortune of who you were going to marry by eating an apple in front of a mirror. 

Not the safest way to carve pumpkins, 1917. Courtesy Library of Congress.

"Tomorrow night will be Hallowe'en .... It is the night set apart for a universal walking abroad of spirits. Divination is then believed to attain its highest power and the gift of calling spirits 'from the vasty deep' becomes available to all."                            -The Baltimore Sun, October 30, 1896. 

"Ashton, MD, Oct. 3. Climbing to the highest hay stack, these youngsters hope for an advance glimpse of the Halloween spooks and goblins. They are "sunny Jim" Johnny John and Brooke Johns." Image courtesy Library of Congress.

    Even in the era of seances and divination, boys were more interested in mischief than magic: 

"Small boys in large cities are unimaginative in these days and to them Halloween appeals not by its spells and spirits, but its association with mischievous pranks, such as ringing door-bells, putting 'tick-tacks' upon front windows and indulging in other tricks of like torment." 
                                         -The Baltimore Sun, October 30, 1896. 

"Mrs. Henry A. Wallace, wife of the Secretary of Agriculture who was guest of honor, is pictured showing Scout Ridgely Chapline the proper way to cut out a pumpkin, 1938." Image courtesy Library of Congress.

Apparently the trickery got out of hand in some places:

"Costume parades and bonfires will dot the northwest side Thursday evening as Halloween festivities are held at 22 parks. Civic and service clubs thruout the city have cooperated with the park district in organizing programs at 90 city parts in order to decrease the amount of vandalism and mischief in the various communities."                     
​                                      -Chicago Tribune,  October 27, 1940. 

"The children crowd and push to reach refreshments at Halloween party. Shafter migrant Camp, California, 1938." Image courtesy Library of Congress.