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OTHERS’ DAY 1» a national Institution, Fathers* day has! gained much ground since It was suggested a year or two ago, and dow the Idea of setting aside a day in the year for the children is meeting with favor. It is peculiarly fitting, say the advocates of Children’s day, to give the youngsters of America a day of their own since America is, above ail other nations, the land of the children. Here childhood finds its greatest opportunity for growth and expansion. Nowhere else on earth do parents sacrifice themselves so much for their children. In fact, it has been suggested time and again by foreign observers that the children rule America; that the older folks place themselves too far in the background of our national life and the children too far In the foreground.Bo far there has been little concerted actioD to set aside a day when childhood shall be glorified and given the opportunity to display its spirit of youtb, which is so beautiful There are, of course, places here and there throughout the Union where childrenassemble on a given day and have agood time. In other places the assemblage of the youngsters has a specified purpose, such as in the great gathering in Brooklyn for the annual Sunday school parade. Most of the larger cities have field days for the school children, when the youngsters of both sexes gather on the city’s green places and show their skill in folk dances, races and other sports.In many cities and towns the children have a recognised place in the celebrations of national holidays, such as Memorial day and Independence day. And, of course, Christmas, with its recently instituted municipal observances and municipal trees, is preeminently a day of the children. Its religious side appeals to all devout Christians, but in its secular observances all children have their particular and important partMay day Is children's day, of course, since we adults have lost our ancient customs of gathering on the village green and dancing around the maypole. Large cities have their “May walks'’ of children, with queens of the H kings and princesses andprinces and courtiers and little oneft dressed In all sorts of masquerade. In June come the “June walks,” continuations of the May parties, which take place throughout all the “mcrrie inoueth of May.” Perhaps May day Is the best dny of all the year for a national children's day, with formal and ceremonious observances, since It is an Informal children’s day anyway.Leading educators, librarians and others interested In the development and training of children have welcomed the idea of setting aside one day in the year for the glorification of childhood. “We owe the little ones some recognition of the fact that a large share of the joy of life is diffused by them,” said one of these. “In fact, I am not sure that parents do not owe more to their children than the children do to their parents. Let us get them all together on one day and rejoice with them in the happiness and freedom from care which only childhood knows. Perhaps It win bring back to us ‘children of a larger growth* some of the joy of living which we lost when we left behind our Bhort skirts and knickerbockers ”
Newspaper Details
Middlebury Independent
Middlebury, Indiana, US
Fri, Apr 16, 1915
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Goshen P.
IN, USA 30 May 2019
Other Publications Near Middlebury, Indiana
Middlebury Record
Middlebury Independent
