The beginning was a Nativity Scene by the primary children, and the characters were: Joseph- Robert Webb; Mary- Karen Webb; Angels- Barbara Harris, Rita Harris and Terrie Dundas; Wise Men- Douglas Miller, Bradley Dundas and Ray Webb; Shepherds- Cynthia Roberts and Alan Smith.

All joined together, including the audience, in singing “Away in a Manger,” “O Little Town of Bethlehem,” “Silent Night” and “It Came Upon a Midnight Clear.”

Radersburg children then sang “Welcome to You Tonight” to the tune of “Our Boy Will Shine.”

“Welcome to you tonight,
   Welcome to you.
Let’s all go back 100 years
   Welcome to you.
Radersburg will shine tonight,
   Radersburg will shine.
Santa will come tonight
   Santa will come.
We’ve all bee as good as good can be
   Santa will come.”

This was followed by another song to the tune of “Yankee Doodle.”  The original words were composed by the school.

We welcome everyone who came
   To join our celebration.
We hope you’ll join our happy band
   And waken all the nation.
Let’s put Broadwater to the top,
   Revealing all her treasures
That started in 1864,
   I guess it can’t be measured.
Just a hundred years ago
   When Radersburg was founded,
Rader found the gold in camp
   As his picket stake he pounded.
When came men from everywhere
   With picks and shovels flying,
Chinese, Negroes, too, were there
   All for the gold were trying.
When Christmas came unto the land
   The people celebrated
With useful gifts all made by hand
   As for Santa they waited.
They had a homespun Santa Claus
   With handmade cap and breeches,
But no less jolly just because
   He came to wild West reaches.
The children found in homemade socks
   Knitted caps and mittens,
Or perhaps slate and chalk
   On which were lessons written.
Trees decked out the homemade way,
   Popcorn, candles, fairies,
No one in the far off day
   Had ever had cranberries.
Homemade candy, homemade fun,
   With welcome to a stranger.
Time to worship the Little One,
   Born in a Manger.
We crossed the prairies as of old
   The Pilgrims crossed the sea
To make the West as they the East
   The homestead of the free.”

This chorus was sung between each verse:

“Radersburg has much to say
   For it’s a great rich center
Where pioneers made history,
   And folks, there is no better!”

Susie Harris read a poem entitled, “My Montana,” composed by Miss Mitzi Stroup.

Next was a song, “Jolly Old St. Nicholas,” by Marsha Miller and Kathy Baze who pretended being small children waiting for their Christmas.

A “Schoolroom Scene of 1863” was based upon the old song, “School Days.”  Mr. and Mrs. F.L. Hough sat up in front at the right of the stage.  Mrs. Hough was wearing authentic early-day clothes and they made a charming pioneer couple.  The audience sang “Silver Threads Among the Gold.”  Then they were the characters in “Nellie Darling” and “Joe.”  “School Days” was sung.  On the stage were the children seated on benches with Susie Harris as their teacher, Miss Dunlap.  They were practicing for a Christmas program in their day.  The pupils represented characters who were pioneers.  Mrs. Hargrove came to visit in hat and costume of the Gay ’90s.  She supervised and asked that the parts be done for her.  She called the roll.  Pupils answered, “Present, Ma’am” to Hattie McKay, Hannah Berg, Hermie Temple, Frank Smith, Florin Bottler, Jim Poe, David Williams, Saul Miller, Joe Sitton, Calvin Brown, Lou Johnson, Bert Easterly, Bish Williams and John Doughty.  Pupils had slates and Karen’s [Webb] slate, held up, said, “I love you, Joe.”

Alan Smith was an Eastern dude with a fancy cane who looked down his nose at the poor pioneers.  He stood up to make a speech which began, “Ladies and Gentlemen,” which he repeated several times.  The audience had several reactions as to whether he forgot the rest, or nobody to prompt or just felt that he was having a bad time.  Then he said, “Look the other way— what are you looking at me for?  I have nothing to say!”

Robert Webb did the acting of a town crier announcing the news of Broadwater’s arrival in Radersburg and also a stage [coach] of dudes who were on their way.  News of the new Montana Territory was also shouted to the townspeople.

Terrie Dundas, Cynthia Roberts and Rita Harris practiced a recitation and a song for Christmas.

Bradley Dundas, Barbara Harris and Douglas Miller practiced their Christmas speeches also.  Too much mince pie for “good luck’ caused Douglas great stomach distress.  Bradley thought everything at Christmas was the “same old stuff, except just on thing,” and he asked, “Now does old Radersburg seem the same in 1963 as it was in 1883?”

Barbara recalled long, long ago events.

Ray Webb preformed an act to sell high-priced decorations so very rare at Christmas time.  Several bids were made and some in the audience got out pocket change to pay for their highest bids.

An event was re-enacted, “Mistake in Identity” where some old-timers were gathered in front of what was probably the Wells Mercantile, talking over the latest news in 1872.  They had word a few days before that a notorious horse thief was headed this way and would shoot to kill.  They were ready for him and decided it would be the end of his trail.

Brother Van, first territorial missionary was in Helena.  His horse was disabled and he started on foot to Bozeman.  He was a stranger only once in frontier homes.  There wasn’t a dog in Montana that wouldn’t wag his tail when he saw Brother Van.  He caught a ride with a man who was going to his ranch, which could have been Reuben Rader.  He pointed out the trail which in a short walk would take him into town.  Van ambled in, hot tired and dusty.  People disappeared inside a building and he thought that something was wrong, that he didn’t look that bad.  People peeked out and one man stood in a door with a rifle in his hands.  He decided the time was ripe to do something before the bullets started flying.  A wagon was standing close.  Van jumped into it and began to sing with all his lung power.  He loved to sing and he sang as he never had before.  He finished a few choice selections and was still in doubt when the well-armed citizens came out one by one.  Van stopped singing and asked what on earth was going on.

To his misfortune, he fitted the outlaw’s description but there had been nothing said about singing gospels.  He convinced them who he was, but it was a close call.  Years later, Brother Van loved to say, “I once saved a man’s life just with my singing.”  Asked whose life, he replied, “Mine!”

This was followed by everyone joining in singing, “Give Me That Old Time Religion.”

The Old Opery followed.  Marieanne Miller, Margo Dundas and Pauline Webb, complete with costumes, parasols, and garters, danced the can-can.  It ended with old time waltzing with three gentlemen from the audience claiming their partners.  Afterward, Barbara Harris, Karen Webb and Marsha Miller took over to show how it really should be done.

During the stage setting, Terri Ralls sang, “White Christmas” and “A Winter Wonderland” to her accompaniment on the piano.

“A Miner’s Widder” starred Marsha Miller as Charity Appleblossom, with her baby which was snatched from her by her greedy brother-in-law, Gaylord Appleblossom, who knew her claim was valuable.  Kenny Baze as Bartholomew Abernathy, was the hero who arrived in time to rescue the baby.  The judge, Roger Dundas, the assayer, Douglas Roberts, Connie Roberts as Grannie Dean and Kathy Baze as Sister Mary, all helped to give the plot a happy ending with justice upheld.  The play was made up by the actors.

For a small community, there were two Centennial Queen contestants, Miss Terri Ralls and Miss Merrilee Miller, who were taken on the stage and introduced by Mrs. Hargrove and received a big hand.

Refreshments of smoked fish, crackers, bacon and corn curls, parched wheat, old-fashioned ginger cookies, molasses taffy and popcorn balls, along with coffee were served to a large group.

Santa Claus arrived to pass out treats to the younger crowd.

Afterward, old-time stories were told by several and interest was keen on early day history and incidents.  Mr. O.H. Allen, Mr. Joe Greaves and Mr. Ben Webb were the oldest spectators and narrators.

Special thanks go to Mrs. George Flynn who furnished the piano accompaniment for all the different acts.