If you have children, you’ve probably asked them what happened at school, only to receive the standard reply, “Nothing.” I once received an email that pointed out that more pointed questions might elicit more conversation. The email suggested one hundred questions that parents/guardians could ask their children to stimulate discussion.
I am kind of like some of the people in old commercials, “I’ve never been a doctor, but I’ve played one on television.” I’ve never been a parent in my own right, though I taught public school for eight years. One thing I know—before you ask a young person a question, make sure you really want an answer, for you will surely receive a very honest one.
Some of the questions suggested I probably would not ask. Five of those questions are: What is the most embarrassing thing that I do? How male or female do you feel inside as you get older? What is the one thing you don’t know about me that you want to know? What would you wish I might do differently as a parent? Are there parts of your body that you really like or dislike?
I perhaps might risk the following two questions: Which holidays do you really like and why? Which holiday do you wish never existed?
I am somewhat amused when a new holiday is declared by our government, most of all by the fact that they always seem to fall on Monday. Do I hear “three-day-weekend”? George Washington’s Birthday is actually February 22nd, and Abraham Lincoln’s is on February 12th. Rather than celebrate both days and have banks closed and no mail delivered, both birthdays are celebrated on a common Monday between both dates.
Perhaps the most recently added holiday is “Juneteenth”. A Google search told me that June 19 is celebrated as the end of slavery in Texas at the end of the Civil War. Others could perhaps argue that a more appropriate date for such an observance would be either January 31 (1865—13th Amendment was passed by Congress) or December 6 (1865—date ratified). As Archie Bunker would have said, Whatever.”
Several years ago a book came into my possession: The American Book of Days—A Compendium of Information About Holidays, Observances, Festivals, Notable Anniversaries and Christian and Jewish Holy Days with Notes on Other American Anniversaries Worthy of Remembrance. The book, written by George William Douglas, A.M., Litt.D. (Member of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania), was published in 1937 by The H. W. Wilson Company. I looked up June 19th to see what significance Dr. Wilson attached to that date. Dr. Wilson discusses the day as “New Church Day” with the following description:
“ . . . that was the very first beginning of the New Church when Peter and James and John and the rest of the twelve disciples, were sent by the Lord everywhere in the spiritual world to teach the doctrine of the New Church and to tell them that the Lord God Jesus Christ reigns.”
Dr. Wilson lists some item of historical significance for each day of the year. I am writing this on April 3. On that date Washington Irving, the great American author of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and “Rip Van Winkle”, was born in 1783.
Dr. Douglas was not negligent with regard to slavery. He prominently noted January 1st as Emancipation Proclamation Day, the day in 1863 that President Abraham Lincoln issued his famous edict declaring free those slaves held in states and parts of states which were in rebellion on that date. In the 666 pages of his book (including appendices), Dr. Douglas recognizes a plethora of significant events and happenings.
Seemingly the book provides evidence that every day is a holiday for someone everywhere. Perhaps those parents whose children miss school can use the material in this book as fodder for the notes to excuse absences. Good luck with two things. It is difficult to obtain a copy of this book, though it seems readily available online. Also, even with the book as evidence, it will be difficult to find a truant officer or school administrator to excuse a student absence for celebrating the birthday of Count Rumford (March 26).

ANSWER TO QUESTION OF THE WEEK # 10
What do you call two physicians? A PARADOX
QUESTION OF THE WEEK # 10
What do you call a helper on a farm? (See next week’s article for the answer.)