EDITORIAL: Skip the necktie this Father鈥檚 Day
We’ve joked in the newsroom that folks from our neck of the woods are frequently connected to major news stories or events.
We’re adding the origin of Father’s Day to the list.
Here’s why.
The first known tribute to honor dads arose out of the worst coal mining disaster in U.S. history – the Monongah Mine explosion that killed 362 men. The mine was located in northern West Virginia, a little over an hour’s drive from here, in the small town of Monongah, just outside of Fairmont.
A tenuous connection? Perhaps. But considering the coal town’s proximity to the state line, and the number of mines operating in the region back then, it is not beyond the realm of possibility that some of the disaster victims had ties to Pennsylvania.
And that’s close enough for us.
A year after the blast, in 1908, the daughter of one of the miners who perished asked that a special church service be held to honor fathers, especially those who died in the mine disaster. Though a one-time memorial, it is recognized as the first observance dedicated to dads.
The following year, Sonora Smart Dodd, the daughter of a widower who raised six children as a single parent, conceived the notion to celebrate fathers while she was listening to a Mother’s Day sermon at her church in Spokane, Washington. Local leaders embraced the idea, and Father’s Day was observed statewide the following year, on June 19, 1910.
The observance was somewhat slow to gain widespread momentum, however. As history.com quoted one historian, many men “scoffed at the holiday’s sentimental attempts to domesticate manliness with flowers and gift-giving, or they derided the proliferation of such holidays as a commercial gimmick to sell more products – often paid for by the father himself.”
While President Calvin Coolidge offered support for the observance in 1924, it wasn’t until 1966 that a proclamation recognizing Father’s Day was issued by President Lyndon B. Johnson.
Finally, in 1972, Father’s Day was declared a national holiday.
This Father’s Day, sons, daughters, wives and significant others are expected to drop a record $27.9 billion on the holiday, according to the annual survey released by the National Retail Federation, up from last year’s $24 billion record.
While not discouraging folks from showering loved ones with gifts, we urge you to remember the real reason for the day.
A simple, heartfelt expression of gratitude for the guidance, mentorship and love they provide would go a long way with most dads.
Besides, does he really need another necktie?
To all the dads and dad figures, we wish you a day filled with relaxation, peace and gratitude for all that you do.