Historical note
Scope and Contents
Conditions Governing Access
Conditions Governing Use
Preferred Citation
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
USC Libraries Special Collections
Title: WITN-TV letters to Santa Claus
creator:
WITN-TV (Television station : Washington, N.C.)
Identifier/Call Number: 6092
Physical Description:
2.81 Linear Feet
2 boxes
Date (inclusive): 1964
Abstract: 775 letters written to Santa Claus by children living in eastern North Carolina in 1964. The letters were sent to NBC affiliate
WITN-TV (Channel 7) in Wilmington, NC, which had promised to forward the letters on to Santa. Many were addressed specifically
to Witney the Hobo, a clown who appeared on WITN's afternoon children's program, "The Funny Page". Most of the letters are
unopened.
Container: 1
Container: 2
Historical note
The letters were written during the United States' early involvement in the Vietnam conflict; in November of 1964 President
Lyndon Johnson approved the escalation of bombing in North Vietnam. North Carolina was home to numerous military bases, and
this was a time of great uncertainty for many military families living the area.
According to the United States Postal Service, the tradition of letters to Santa began more than 100 years ago, and even today
more than 1 million letters annually are sent to Santa Claus at the North Pole. In 1912, Postmaster General Frank Hitchcock
authorized local postmasters to let employees and local citizens respond to the letters. (See https://about.usps.com/corporate-social-responsibility/letters-to-santa.htm#p=1)
Scope and Contents
775 letters written to Santa Claus by children living in eastern North Carolina in 1964. The letters were sent to NBC affiliate
WITN-TV (Channel 7) in Wilmington, NC, which had promised to forward the letters on to Santa. Many were addressed specifically
to Witney the Hobo, a clown who appeared on WITN's afternoon children's program, "The Funny Page". Most of the letters are
unopened.
Conditions Governing Access
Advance notice required for access.
Conditions Governing Use
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Manuscripts Librarian.
Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended
to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
Preferred Citation
[Box/folder no. or item name], WITN-TV letters to Santa Claus, Collection no. 6092, Special Collections, USC Libraries, University
of Southern California
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Purchased from The Bookshop, June 2, 2014.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Letters
Children -- North Carolina -- Archival resources
Santa Claus -- Archival resources
WITN-TV (Television station : Washington, N.C.)
WITN-TV (Television station : Washington, N.C.) -- Archives