The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1913-11-20

II HANKSVIGING DAY. Personally it con
bTI jures up visions of roast turkey and plum
pudding and pies and all that go to make
it annual occasion of feasting; his
- torically pilgrims on a rock
k9 ~ bound coast and, invariably, it is regard
49, ed as about the oldest national holiday @
the land AS a matter of fact it is thu
youngest! Practically every yearly observance of
patriotic nature is more ancient than the celebrat
ing of Thanksgiving day a regular official
ceremony.
1t is so customary in America for one person
to do the pioneering and another to get the
credit that it is surprise to learn that even
the Mayfower band were really not entitled to
all the praise original thanksgivers, which
they have been receiving ever since 1920 Not
that there is anything disparagng to be uttered
about those stern moralists-who seem to have
been adopts in loading a cargo of furniture that
would tax an ocean liner into little sailing
ship
They were brave and they deserve the ma
tons remembrance. But IL years before they
landed at Plymouth a group of future colonists
had stood American soil and given thanks at
their delivera1ce from the perils of the sea.
This was on Sunday August 8, 1907, at the Is
land of Monkegan and an English minister ana
a priest jointly conducted service Of thanks
giving The twin ships Mary and John, and the
lily boat Gift of Cod found their way to the
island after a long, terrible voyage Of storms
and helplessness. They had neither turkey nor
genuine Thanksgiving day.
This was along the coast of Maine and yet
Massachusetts has, through all the years, been
honored among states the home of the first
Thanksgiving service.
OF course the Bay state may be said to have
taken the idea and in the words of capitalist
developed it and put it on paying basis. In
Massachusetts such day was set apart for es-
pecal services continued fasting and rigorous
giving of thanks almost from the time the PHI
grim Fathers first landed. But, without meaning
to be facetous, it is obvious that these common
sense folk believed in giving thanks unless
they had something to be thankful for,
Thus in 1893, 10 years after the landing at
Plymouth, the governor of that state officially
appointed day of thanks and another il the
year following. But then there was jurnp of
three years during which the cconists dll not
celebrate Why? Certain historians insist it
was because they lean" years If so, they
must have been followed by three fat ones.
as the day observed regularly until 1859,
Again an interval of fateful 10 years and then,
in 1851 the governor once more declared In
favor of Thanksgiving. In 1850 the day 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 an official proclamation for
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
meant chiefly as public offering Of prayer In
gratitude for the bountiful output of grain and
fruits which would the settlers through the
winter
The other states were being more slowly set
tied and in Maryland and Virginia there not
SO much of a strong religious atmosphere notice
allie as debonnare enthusiasm for whatever Of
the coed things of life could be had
The day was observed but not officially. AMI
always, in the south. it was a day of feastiEg.
From the time slavery entered the lanl the
Maryland Virginia cOlonst pictured Thanks
giving dinner as a of expectant waiting
diners and round grinning black face to the
rear of the huge roast turkey a platter.
About the time Of the struggle of '76 1t came
into its own regular holiday and in 1889
was for the first time, declared a holiday by
congress and so observed. SO that, really, it is
quite youthful, immature holiday after all!
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