An Opportunity to be Better - Chapter 6 Page 5




Collecting, packaging, sewing, locating materials and all the rest took time, and the people of Morganville wanted to have an immediate effect in Fèves. Homer Christenson gave them that opportunity. He donated the money he made selling popcorn from his popcorn vending cart on the day of the pageant to buy candy.

"I took the proceeds to Mrs. Carson," Christenson said. "It wasn't much and I figured they would buy a little candy for the children of France," adding, "... there should be more loving than hatred amongst the people in the world."

Christenson's $15 was sent to Todd by Carson in a September 17 letter. But it too moved rather slowly. Todd's friend Harry King ran Huyler's candy company, and when Todd told him the story, King agreed to make Christenson's money go a little further.

Huyler store sign

Whether he agreed because it was a heart-warming story or because the contribution would be good publicity, who can say? Perhaps it was both. But whatever the reason, Huyler's did add substantially to the quantity of candy Christenson's money bought. Huyler's never took credit for their contribution, but their name was on the candy.

More delays occurred when Todd involved the French national airline. In an October 21 letter from Todd to Carson, he gave her an update on Christenson's contribution.

Things are moving along in the matter of Homer Christenson’s candy for the children of Feves. As I told you, I think there are two 25-pounds of "Christmas- Mix" with 100 small Christmas boxes. Yesterday, Air France, through its publicity director, Ellis Reed, agreed to fly the candy directly to Metz from where it will be delivered personally by one of the airline stewards. Naturally, the reason for all this sudden generosity is publicity. Air France feels that this is a very good story and is particularly interested in getting it out to the mid-western papers. Here in New York, they will undoubtedly take pictures at the airport of the boxes being handed to the steward by a ... Boy Scout. In other words, we will ask the Boy Scout to represent the children of Morganville and make the presentation - if you approve of the idea. ... The boxes are marked "From the Morganville, Kansas, Feves Committee to the Children of Feves, France."

We will include the letter from the Morganville kids and make a copy of it in French to send to Feves. I am also getting up a background story on Morganville for Ellis Reed with something about Homer Christenson. You can rest assured that we will say nothing which might embarrass or annoy him. It may be, however, that some AP [Associated Press] man may come to Morganville and ask for a picture of him. Incidentally, I think it would be wise if you wrote [or] your committee [wrote to] the mayor of Feves and told them that the candy was coming, stressing the fact that this was just a token gift, and that the rest will follow by boat. ...

The letter Todd referred to at the start of the second paragraph was written by the children in the Morganville elementary school, grades 1 through 6. In part, it said:

On the day of our pageant, Homer Christenson, who sells us popcorn at five cents a bag, made $15. He gave it to us to buy candy for the children of Feves. Will you please ask them to write him letters which will cheer him up. He is crippled.

The candy purchased with the cooperation of Huyler's did not arrive in Fèves until November 20 - more than two months after Christenson's money left for New York and five days before Thanksgiving in America.

Some of Homer Christenson's candy arrives in France. At the bottom, "From: Morganville, Kansas" can be read. The large "Air France" label covers the address: "Comitee Morganville Feves, Feves Moselle, France."

While a clipping from the time does not identify the American newspaper or the town where it was published, it does capture the story of the Fèves candy. The article said in part:

Newspaper headline about Homer Christenson's candy arrival in France

The children of this little village in Lorraine cried Saturday, but their tears were tears of joy and thanksgiving.

The skies had rained bon bons - gift of the children of the tiny town of Morganville, Kan. Feves has a population of less than 200, while Morganville is listed with a population of 243 souls.

The gift of the children of Morganville, sent to the children there so that they, too, might learn the meaning of the American holiday, was made possible by Homer Christenson, an elderly cripple known to the kids of the Kansas community as "the popcorn man," and one of the Constellation Comets of Air France, the French National Airline, sped the candy to France in time for Thanksgiving.

The "popcorn man," as much a fixture in Morganville as Young's café or the wheat fields that stretch in all directions, was on hand the day the little Kansas town "adopted" Feves, which is near Metz.