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Dorothy Copus Brush Widows appreciate Wheeling Gaunt's gift All the once-a-year songs of the season are
gone for a whole year. On this day after Christmas, my wish is
that your memories of that day are happy ones. If we lived in England, we would be celebrating
the 26th as Boxing Day. It is tradition to give employees a Christmas
box with a gift of money on that day. In other countries, the
26th is celebrated as St. Stephens Day in many churches. This
additional Christmas holiday commemorates the first Christian
martyr. It would be my guess that thousands of youngsters
found a teddy bear under their Christmas tree. The coming year,
2002, marks the 100th birthday of this cuddly little fellow.
A toy store owner in Washington, DC, read an editorial praising
President Theodore Roosevelt for refusing to shoot a trapped
bear cub while he was hunting in 1902. She was so touched she
created a stuffed bear and placed in her shop window along with
the editorial as a tribute to the president's kindness. The popularity of these little bears continued,
but they also became a symbol of love and compassion for troubled
children. Many hospitals and ER teams give teddy bears to hurting,
frightened youngsters. In times of tragedy, the first thing strangers
far from the scene think of is to send teddy bears for the children
involved. After the Oklahoma City explosion box after box of
teddies arrived, and the same thing happened after the horrors
of Sept. 11. Little did President Teddy know how his act of kindness
would inspire generations. Another tradition at Christmas is even older.
For 109 years, the widows in the small southwestern town of Yellow
Springs, OH, have received a gift of flour because of the thoughtfulness
of a freed slave. Wheeling Gaunt was born into slavery in 1812,
and he was more than 40 years old before he saved $900 to buy
his freedom. He moved to Yellow Springs and did odd jobs until
he had saved $500 to buy his wife's freedom. Then the two of
them continued saving until Gaunt's brother could be free. After that, this industrious man built a personal
fortune as a teamster, carpenter and farmer and in real estate
dealings. When he knew his days were numbered, he deeded nine
acres of land to the town. The deed stated, "Said Village
Council is 'hereby appointed' a Trustee to collect the income
derived from said real estate, which is to constitute a fund
to be known as 'the Widow's Poor Fund.'" He added that the
fund was to be invested annually in flour and distributed on
the evening before each Christmas Day among the poor worthy widows
of Yellow Springs. His wishes have been observed faithfully all
these years. One change was made in the 1950s when equal amounts,
10 pounds each, of flour and sugar are now given. Gaunt's obituary noted he was the richest
black man in Ohio and he left specific instructions as to the
division of his estate. Some went to the local African Methodist
Episcopal Church and more to Wilberforce University, the nation's
oldest black institution of learning. Why the Widow's Fund? A local historian can
only guess, but she points out that few women held jobs during
Gaunt's lifetime, and they were often left penniless when their
husbands died. Gaunt knew that if you had bread you could survive
for a while. After 109 years, widows in Yellow Springs still appreciate Wheeling Gaunt's gift. · · · |