First Santa Claus School
Posted by: 
davmllr
N 43° 14.214 W 078° 13.530
17T E 725279 N 4790860
Charles W. Howard, who became one of Santa's best known helpers during the 1950's and 60's, founded the first Santa school here in Albion.
Waymark Code: WM3A2G
Location: New York, United States
Date Posted: 03/03/2008
Views: 63
Charles W. Howard was a Macy’s department store Santa and consultant for the 1947 Christmas film Miracle on 34th Street. He began teaching Santa Claus School in his Albion, N.Y., barn in 1937. When Howard retired in 1966, his successor moved the school to Bay City, Michigan where it still operates today.
Probably the most noteworthy of the Santas to be hired at Macy’s was Charles W. Howard, an entrepreneur who began enacting Santa in 1935 after a period of working as a toy manufacturer. During his career, he worked as the Santa-in-chief at Macy’s in New York , appearing in the parade and in the store’s grotto throughout the season. Due to his observation that many Santa Claus impersonators were performing poorly, Howard founded the first ever Santa Claus School at Albion , N.Y. in 1937. This school, which is still in operation today, trains impersonators in everything from decorum to hygiene to knowing the appropriate answers to questions kids might ask.
When it first began, America ’s leading department stores would send their Santas there to acquire the best training and information available. Famed both in the U.S. and abroad, the school at times had some 40,000 visitors in the fall.
Listen to an NPR radio feature here (
visit link)
View an early pamphlet here (
visit link)
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