Delaware City press. (Delaware City, Del.) 1913-19??, 1913-11-21

youngest! Practically every yearly observance OF
patriotic nature is more ancient than the ceiepra
ing of Thanksgiving day as a regular otheiai
ceremony
II 90 90 customary in America for one person
10 do the pioneering and another to get the
credit that it "a nc -srrnrjse to learn ahal even
the Mayhower band were really not enutleu 10
all the praise as original thanksgivers. which
they have been receiving ever since 1870 NOT
that there is anything disparaging to be uttered
about those stern moralists-who seem to have
been adopts in loading cargo OF furniture tnat
would tax an liner into little SAILING
ship! a. 40.
t,ons remembrance. But IL years before tney
landed at plymouth a group OF future coionists
had stood American soil and given thanks at
their deliverance from the perfls OF the sea-
This was on Sunday, August g. 1907 at the Is
land of MonEegan and English minister ana
a priest Jointly conducted service OF thanks
giving The twin ships. Mary and John, and the
fly boat Gift of God, found their way TO the
island after a long, terrible voyage OF storhs
and helplessness. They had neither turkey, nor
cranberry sauce, but there was never more
genuine Thanksgiving day
This was along the coast of Maine and yet
Massachusetts has, through all the years, been
honored among states as the nome Oh tne hrs'
Thanksgiving service.
or course the Bay state may be said to have
taken the idea and in the words OF capitalist
developed 1t and put it on paying basis. IN
Massac husetts such day was set apart TOT es-
pecial services, continued fasting and rigorous
Giving of thanks almost from the time the Pill
grim Fathers first landed But without meaning
to be facetious, 1t is obvious that these common
sense folk never believed in giving thanks unless
they had something to be thankful for
Thus in 1888, 10 years after the landing at
Plymouth the governor of that state officially
appointed day of thanks and another in the
year following. But then there was jump OF
three years during which the celonists did not
celebrate Why? Certain historians insist 1t
was because they lean" years. If SO, they
must have been followed by three fat ones,
as the day was observed regularly until 1859
Again an interval of Hateful 10 years and then
in 1851 the governor once more declared IN
favor of Thanksgiving. In 1850 the day was set
apart as an annual state holiday and has been
ever since.
But only New York adopted the practice of
having such day until well into the eighteenth
century! AS early as 1914 the Dutch governor
of New York issued official proclamation for
a day Of thanksgiving, but it was not followed
each year-varying probably with the governors
ideas or the conditions of the crops. Like the
famous pagan feast of autumn 1t originally was
meant chiefly public offering of prayer In
gratitude for the bountful output of grain and
fruits which would see the settlers through the
winter
The other states were being slowly set
tied and in Maryland and Virginia there was moi
80 much of a strong religious atmosphere notice
able as a debonnaire enthusiasm for whatever o
the good things of life could be had.
The day was observed but not officially. An,
always in the south, it was day of feasting
From the time slavery entered the land tn
Maryland OF Virginia eolonst pictured Thanks
giving dinner as a of eXpectant watin
diners and a round grnning black face to tn
rear of the huge roast turkey platter.
About the time of the struggle of '76 1t cam
into its own as a regular holiday and in 17S
was for the first time declared holiday b
congress and SO observed So that, really. 1t
quite youthful, immature holiday after all!