God sells us all things at the price of labor.
~Leonardo da Vinci
What Is Labor Day?
Labor Day is a US holiday that is typically celebrated every September on the first Monday of the month. The annual holiday was created to celebrate American workers. During the late nineteenth century, labor activists longed for a federal holiday that would be used to recognize the many contributions American workers have made toward the strength, prosperity, and well-being of the country.
According to History.com, Labor Day originated at a time when working conditions in the U.S. were often poor and unsafe. The state of New York was the first state to introduce a bill. Oregon was the first state to officially pass a law recognizing Labor Day as an actual holiday. This was said to have taken place in February of 1887.
Who Founded Labor Day?
Historical records mention two possible founders of the annual holiday. During the year 1882, Peter J. McGuire co-founder of the American Federation of Labor and general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners suggested the notion. He proposed the idea of setting aside a day for the laboring classes. This day would be to honor those who have “delved and carved all the grandeur we behold.”
Many people credit him as a founder but also believe that machinist Matthew Maguire, not Peter McGuire, actually founded the holiday. (Does founder mean the thought of?)Other studies support the contention that Matthew Maguire, later the secretary of Local 344 of the International Association of Machinists in Paterson, New Jersey, proposed the holiday in 1882 while serving as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York.
A Nationwide Holiday:
The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882. The day was celebrated with a picnic, concert, and speeches by prominent men and women. Ten thousand workers marched in a parade from City Hall to Union Square. This became the pattern for the celebrations of Labor Day.
According to the New Jersey Historical Society, after President Cleveland signed the law creating a national Labor Day, the Paterson Morning Call published an opinion piece stating that “the souvenir pen should go to Alderman Matthew Maguire of this city, who is the undisputed author of Labor Day as a holiday.”
Both Maguire and McGuire attended the country’s first Labor Day parade in New York City that year. President Grover Cleveland signed a law making the first Monday in September of each year a national holiday. Labor Day is a patriotic holiday, and a time to show pride if you are counted among the American workers.
Labor Day Activities and Ideas For The Youth:
This labor day schedule a time to show your children what labor you perform in your community. Take your children on a walk or car ride and show them where you work. when they grow up. While on the outing talk about all the contributions children can and do make in society. Some of these things can be any of the following:
- Babysitting
- Delivering newspapers in the neighborhood
- Passing out local event flyers
- Dog walking or pet care
- Yard work
- Tutoring other kids or their elders
- Volunteer at a kids club
- Start a kid-friendly business
- Donate to a charity
Why Working is Important:
Discuss the importance of work and what we can learn while we are working. This can be a good time to talk with your children and young adults about the benefits of setting goals. Labor teaches you all the fundamentals of learning and earning. Some of these things include:
Time management:
They will learn how to properly manage their time. While doing this allows them to be more organized. Teach them how to set schedules and plan so their work gets completed and they have more free time.
Responsibility:
When you make a commitment to take on work or chores, teach them the benefits of having people counting on you. Let them know why being responsible is important. This will help them get better jobs and be better parents when they grow up and have children of their own.
Money Management:
Kids should learn quickly the value of money and why it is so much better when you earn it yourself. This allows them to decide how much money they want to make. They can decide which career fields they want to go into as well.
How much money they would like to spend, and what they want to spend their money on when they have it. They should begin to learn what it is to set a budget and the benefits of paying bills on time and saving for retirement.
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