June 20, 2009

Conspicuously ABSENT tomorrow (Father's Day History)

Petunia will be ABSENT from posting tomorrow to recognize the good dads out there. She will return promptly at 12:01 am EST June 22nd to resume the job at hand, exposing the BAD dads out there. For now a little history lesson for all of us who had ever wondered - what is the origin of Father's Day?

http://www.holidays.net/father/story.htm

Father's Day, contrary to popular misconception, was not established as a holiday in order to help greeting card manufacturers sell more cards.

In fact when a "father's day" was first proposed there were no Father's Day cards!

Mrs. John B. Dodd, of Washington, first proposed the idea of a "father's day" in 1909. Mrs. Dodd wanted a special day to honor her father, William Smart. William Smart, a Civil War veteran, was widowed when his wife (Mrs. Dodd's mother) died in childbirth with their sixth child. Mr. Smart was left to raise the newborn and his other five children by himself on a rural farm in eastern Washington state. It was after Mrs. Dodd became an adult that she realized the strength and selflessness her father had shown in raising his children as a single parent.

The first Father's Day was observed on June 19, 1910 in Spokane Washington.

At about the same time in various towns and cities across American other people were beginning to celebrate a "father's day.".

In 1924 President Calvin Coolidge supported the idea of a national Father's Day. Finally in 1966 President Lyndon Johnson signed a presidential proclamation declaring the 3rd Sunday of June as Father's Day.

Father's Day has become a day to not only honor your father, but all men who act as a father figure. Stepfathers, uncles, grandfathers, and adult male friends are all honored on Father's Day.


I hope everyone enjoyed this little 'history' lesson and please browse through my older posts and come back Monday morning at 12:01 AM sharp for more 'tidbits' on the lovely men who are being terrorized by women like me (snort snort).



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