The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1915-03-27
Children Day

Mothers Day is a national i%nstitu-
ton, Fathers Day has gained much
ground since it was suggested a year
or two ago, and now the idea of set
ting aside a day in the year for the
children is meeting with favor. 1t IS
peculiarly fitting, say the advocates
of Children's day, to give the young
steers of America a day of their own
since America is, above all other ma
tions, the land of the children. Here
childhood finds its greatest %opportun-
ity for growth and expansion. No
where else on earth do parents sacri-
flee themselves so much for their chill
dren. In fact, it has been suggested
time and again by foreign observers
that the children rule America; that
the older folks place themselves too
far in the background of our nation
al life and the children too far in the
foreground.
So far there has been little concert
ed action to set aside a day when
childhood shall be glorified and given
the opportunity to display its spirit
of youth, which is so beautiful. There
are, of course, places here and there
throughout the Union where children
assemble on a given day and have a
good time. In other places the as
semblage of the youngsters has a
specified purpose, such as in the great
gathering in Brooklyn for the annual
Sunday school parade. Most of the
larger cities have field days for the
school children, when the youngsters
of both sexes gather on the city's
green places and show their skill in
folk dances, races and other sports.
In many cities and towns the chill
dren have a recognized place in the
celebrations of national holidays, such
as Memorial day and Independence
day. And, of course, Christmas, with
it's recently instituted municipal OBJ
servances and municipal trees, is pre-
eminently a day of the children. It's
religious side appeals to all devout
Christians, but in it's secular observ-
ances all children have their particu-
lar and important part.
May day is children's day, of course,
since we adults have lost our ancient
customs of gathering on tho village
green and dancing around the may
pole. Large cities have their MAY
walks" of children, with queens OF
the May and kings and princesses and
princes and courtiers and little ones
dressed in all sorts of masquerade.
In June come the "June walks" con-
limitations of the May parties, which
take place throughout all the "merrie
moneth of May" Perhaps May day
is the best day of all the year for a
national children's day, with formal
and ceremonious observances, since 1t
is an informal children's day anyway.
Leading educators, librarians and
others interested in the development
and training of children have well
coined the idea of setting aside one
day in the year for the glorifcation
of childhood. ave owe the little
ones some recognition of the fact that
a large share of the joy of life is diff
fused by them," said one of these.
an fact, l am not sure that parents
do not owe more to their children
than the children do to their parents.
Let US get them all together on one
day and rejoice with them in the hap
piness and freedom from care which
only childhood knows. Perhaps it
will bring back to us children of 9
larger growth some of the joy of liv-
ing which we lost when we left be-
hind our short skirts and knicker-
bockers."