On this day, September 27, in 1937

A Santa Claus veteran named Charles Howard opened the first Santa Clause School in Albion, NY, dedicated to the art of portraying Santa Claus. The school, which is now located in Midland Michigan, facilitates a three-day training that covers everything from worldwide St. Nicholas traditions and Santa Claus history to makeup, beard, and wardrobe etiquette. There is also extensive instruction Santa Claus cheerfulness and the difficult task of communicating with children. The school, which is actually a non-profit organization, is the longest continuously running Santa Claus School in the world.