Many of us have heard radio advertisements offering to reprint copies of newspapers from any chosen date, sparking curiosity about the stories and adverts that might be found within. One such advertisement, which appeared in a newspaper on 18 December 1933, caught my attention and prompted me to wonder if ordering a reprint would reveal its presence.
That year, a remarkable advert was published in a local Canton, Ohio newspaper, reading, “Man who has felt The Depression’s sting to help 75 unfortunate families!” Signed by the enigmatic ‘B Virdot’, the advert promised “$750 to spread Christmas cheer.” To receive help, all readers had to do was write a letter describing their hardship and send it to B Virdot, care of ‘General Delivery’.
Unsurprisingly, letters flooded in, but the identity of B Virdot was unknown, leaving many to wonder whether this mysterious benefactor truly existed or if the offer was some sort of scam. Within a week, however, cheques began to arrive in households throughout Canton, each for $5.00 and signed by B Virdot. The story lived on for years, but the donor’s identity remained a secret.
Decades later, in 2008, the mystery was solved. After B Virdot’s death, his grandson discovered a battered black briefcase in his parents’ attic, filled with letters dated December 1933 and 150 cancelled cheques. The secret was finally revealed – B Virdot was Samuel J. Stone.
Samuel J. Stone’s pseudonym was created from the names of his daughters: Barbara, Virginia and Dorothy. Despite his generous act, Samuel’s life was far from privileged. Emigrating from Romania at fifteen, he and his family settled in Pittsburgh’s ghetto. His father even hid his shoes so Samuel could not attend school, forcing him to roll cigars to help feed the family.
Eventually, Samuel left home, working first on a barge and then in a coal mine. By the time of the Great Depression, he owned a small chain of clothing stores and enjoyed relative comfort. Yet he never forgot his roots or the struggles of others. His 1933 advert demonstrated his generosity and compassionate heart.
Stories such as Samuel’s stir the soul and inspire us. One quality we seek to nurture in our students is the desire to focus on others – finding ways to be generous, a blessing, not because others necessarily deserve it, but because it is how we are called to live.
The Bible declares in the New Testament book of John, in chapter three, verse sixteen: “That God so loved the world that He gave His only Son so that we may not perish but have everlasting life.”
This verse highlights God’s unconditional love, the generous gift beyond compare of Jesus for our salvation and the promise of eternal life for followers of Jesus. Even though we were still sinners – having turned our backs on God – He sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross for us, so that the debt we owe to God is paid in full. God initiated this because of His love for you and me, not in response to anything we have done.
May we also live according to God’s pattern, show generosity without compare, loving others and having a heart for those around us.