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News-Journal from Mansfield, Ohio • 11

Publication:
News-Journali
Location:
Mansfield, Ohio
Issue Date:
Page:
11
Extracted Article Text (OCR)

Sunday, February 10, 1957 Ten Pages Of Interest To Women (0.) News-Journal Jaienllne omi i 5 V- to the village graveyard on Valentine's eve was supposed to result in the lov-er's appearance. Running times around the church while singing a. certain chant was a part of the latter custom. While not exactly a Valentine custom, it is interesting to learn that the carving of trees began in ancient Greece, the lovers entwining their initials in two hearts. Mart yrologists mention three Saint Valentines, each associated with Feb.

14, but the exact origin of the name for the festival is not known. This doesn't detract from the enjoyment of the occasion, however. Just remember when choosing your missive that in valentine language a rose denotes love; a fan requests "open your heart" and a ribbon asks a promise. By EL1TA KIWEY (N-J Society Editor) Love is as old as the world and the origin of the lovers' festival we know as St. Valentine's Day dates back more than 17 Centuries.

In some far off day people may decide that the Valentine customs of 1957 were pretty odd. Nothing in present practice can compare, however, with some of the Valentine customs and beliefs that have been all but lost in antiquity. During the ancient Roman Lupercalia, from which our Valentine's Day festival grew, young people drew from urns and the names drawn were supposedly their true loves. In England and Scotland this practice of chance name-drawings on Valentine's eve persisted far into the Middle Ages, although the Church frowned on the custom. In ancient Ireland, a man would give to the object of his affections a bracelet woven of human hair.

This, symbolically, was supposed to link her to him for life. Rituals by which a young girl might glimpse the face of her future husband once were in great favor. In medieval England, girls believed this could be achieved by eating the white of a hard-boiled egg on St. Valentine's Eve, fastening five bay leaves to the pillow and then speaking to no one before sleeping. Just fastening bay leaves to the pillow on Valentine's eve was believed by many girls to be enough to assure dreams of their true loves.

Gauchos of the Argentine pampas vied with each other in writing verses at traditional fiestas. The eligible senoritas looked with favor on the men whose style was the most clever. Children of Oxfordshire, orcestershire and Norfolk, England, once participated in a practice called "valentining." One of the nicer customs, they went from door to door singing appropriate love ditties, in the same manner as Christmas carolers. Down through the centuries, it has been said that a girl would wed the first unmarried man she met on Valentine's Day and a visit ureS 'f it -v I iMt TOP RIGHT; An ancient belief in connection with St. Valentine's Day was-that names written on paper, wrapped in clay and dropped in water would sink except the name of one's true love, which would rise to the surface.

Miss Susie Swank, 1563 Lexington Avenue posed for the picture illustrating this old custom. CENTER LEFT: In Elizabethan England a valentine was attached to an apple or an orange and thrown in at the window of an eligible young girl. John Siegenthaler, 523 U'oodhill demonstrates the technique as Miss Marcia Spreng, 691 Brae Burn, peeks from behind the drape in delighted anticipation. LOWER LEFT: Valentine's Day as a lovers' festival derived from the ancient Roman Lupercalia when young people drew names from urns to determine their true loves. This custom persisted through the Middle Ages in England at least until the time of Pepys.

Four Mansfield boys and girls posed for a picture illustrating this custom. Left to right: Miss Joyce Crichfield, 461 Sloane Ber-nie Hallabrin, 354 West Sixth Denny Marvicsin, 851 Arlington and Miss Nancy McAninch, 106 Lind Ave. LOWER RIGHT: Another old belief in connection with St. Valentine's Day was that five bay leaves pinned to the pillow in a neat pattern on Valentine's eve would guarantee dreams of one's sweetheart. The sprinkling of rose water on the leaves was an embellishment claimed by some to make his appearance even more certain.

Miss JodyBerkey, 303 Vennum is pictured demonstrating this practice. Photos by Harvey Kjar.

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Pages Available:
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Years Available:
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