Derry Township near Hershey in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Kinderhaus Canna Bed
Milton Hershey School Heritage Center
Photographed By Don Morfe, May 31, 2015
1. Kinderhaus Canna Bed Marker
Inscription.
Kinderhaus Canna Bed. Milton Hershey School Heritage Center. Catherine Hershey loved cannas and the gardens at High Point included many examples. On the occasion of Fanny Hershey’s 80th birthday in 1915, Milton prepared a surprise birthday party for his mother at High Point. The event was big news in the Hershey Press, which noted, “It was one of the jolliest breakfasts ever served. Mrs. Hershey was of course, the chief guest and presiding at the table was her son, while all around were the happy youngsters from the Hershey Industrial School, their appetites keen, their voices musical with merriment.” Afterwards, Mr. Hershey told them to hide themselves in the big canna bed (as see in this photograph) and let the photographer take their pictures. The result was “a remarkable photograph in which flowers, urchins, and sunshine are delightfully combined.”
In June of 1912, when the youngest students moved from The Homestead to Kinderhaus, their new home contained a canna bed similar to that at High Point. When the Department of School History relocated from Founders Hall to Kinderhaus in April of 2007, the photograph on the left was used to create a new canna bed in close proximity to the original bed as seen on the right.
(Inscription under the photo in the upper left) , Hershey Industrial School boys hiding in the Canna bed.
(Inscription on the photo in the lower left) , First students at Kinderhaus: June 1, 1912.
(Inscription under the photo in the upper right) , Fanny Hershey’s 80th birthday, breakfast at the Mansion: September 4, 1915.
(Inscription under the photo in the lower right) , Girls from Student Home Brookside: June 1, 2012.
Catherine Hershey loved cannas and the gardens at High Point included many examples. On the occasion of Fanny Hershey’s 80th birthday in 1915, Milton prepared a surprise birthday party for his mother at High Point. The event was big news in the Hershey Press, which noted, “It was one of the jolliest breakfasts ever served. Mrs. Hershey was of course, the chief guest and presiding at the table was her son, while all around were the happy youngsters from the Hershey Industrial School, their appetites keen, their voices musical with merriment.” Afterwards, Mr. Hershey told them to hide themselves in the big canna bed (as see in this photograph) and let the photographer take their pictures. The result was “a remarkable photograph in which flowers, urchins, and sunshine are delightfully combined.”
In June of 1912, when the youngest students moved from The Homestead to Kinderhaus, their new home contained a canna bed similar to that at High Point. When the Department of School History relocated from Founders Hall to Kinderhaus in April of 2007, the photograph on the left was used to create a new canna bed in close proximity to the original bed as seen on the right.
(Inscription under the photo in the upper left) Hershey Industrial School boys hiding in the Canna bed.
(Inscription on the photo in the
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lower left) First students at Kinderhaus: June 1, 1912.
(Inscription under the photo in the upper right) Fanny Hershey’s 80th birthday, breakfast at the Mansion: September 4, 1915.
(Inscription under the photo in the lower right) Girls from Student Home Brookside: June 1, 2012.
Erected by Department of School History-Spartans.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • Horticulture & Forestry. A significant historical month for this entry is April 2007.
Location. 40° 16.486′ N, 76° 37.581′ W. Marker is near Hershey, Pennsylvania, in Dauphin County. It is in Derry Township. Marker is at the intersection of East Governor Road (U.S. 322) and Meadow Lane on East Governor Road. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 479 East Governor Road, Hershey PA 17033, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on June 8, 2015, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 311 times since then and 5 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on June 8, 2015, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
