Mary Jane Holmes’ novelette focuses on Christmas in a Brockport church
On Tuesday, December 18, at 7 p.m., an oral reading of Mary Jane Holmes’ “The Christmas Font” will take place at the Morgan-Manning House, 151 Main Street in Brockport. The presenters are teacher Christopher Albrecht and students in Brockport’s public schools. The entire story will be read by candlelight in the Victorian mansion, while winter scenes of Brockport are projected on screens.
Hot chocolate and Christmas cookies will be served. Sponsored by the Western Monroe Historical Society, the program is free and open to the public.
In 1868, Mary Jane Holmes published the 68-page novelette. The setting is at Brockport’s St. Luke’s Episcopal Church. The actual Christmas baptismal font that the book is named for is next to the altar in the church.
The entire book will be read by fourth-graders, directed by Julia Hunsinger (Oliver Middle Schooler and member of St. Luke’s Church), and accompanied by the holiday songs of Bella Viola (Oliver Middle School student). “This is just the way Mrs. Holmes would have wanted it,” Albrecht said. “She loved kids.”
Christopher W. Albrecht was named “2018 New York State Teacher of the Year.” The honor was in part for dedication to students and this kind of innovative activity involving his fourth-graders at Brockport’s Hill School and older students. He and the students have occasionally appeared in public giving historically-based presentations that he researches in detail. He gives this perspective on Mary Jane Holmes and her novelette:
Mary Jane Holmes was a teacher at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church for many years. The characters in “The Christmas Font” were real people from our town of Brockport, however, she fictionalizes the story by naming the town “Carrolltown.” The story of “The Christmas Font” was to teach generosity and how the gifts of even the youngest members of a community can benefit all people with the purchase of the beautiful baptismal font found at St. Luke’s.
Mary Jane Holmes is the most successful women’s authoress of the 19th century with over 2 million volumes of her books sold. The majority of Mrs. Holmes’ work has a female main character. Though she was not a suffragist, her characters portray independent women of strong moral character. “The Christmas Font” is one of her few books that diverges from this pattern. She wrote it for the people of our community.
For more information, phone 637-3645 or visit www.morganmanninghouse.org.
